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Join Us on ... Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube | This Week's Highlights Marketing and Advertising Your Business
Build it and they may not come. What steps do you take to market and advertise your business? How do you find out about your customers, competitors and your marketplace? What cost-effective channels do you use to spread the word? Learn the basics and find resources for marketing and advertising your business. July 2010 Idea Exchange: How do you use traditional and new media marketing together?
How can traditional marketing techniques be changed to accommodate the rise of new media marketing, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, online coupons, and email campaigns? Traditional marketing and new media marketing can be integrated to cross promote your business and hit different potential customers. Tell us...How do you use traditional and new media marketing together?
Recent Articles in the Community Small Business Matters Federal Marketing – 7 Tips for Getting Your Share of the Government’s Year-End Dollars
September 30th is the end of the federal government’s fiscal calendar and, if you sell anything to Uncle Sam, you’ll know that the busy year-end buying season is almost upon us. So what can you do now to ensure your small business is factored into consideration by government procurement officers and end users come "busy season"? Here are 7 marketing tips for landing federal fiscal year-end business. Read more... Business Expenses and Tax Deductions Explained – A 101 for Small Business Owners
“There may be liberty and justice for all, but there are tax breaks only for some.” (Martin A. Sullivan, economist) Well, yes, if you know where to find them and apply them correctly. For small business owners, these tax breaks often come in the form of tax deductions. To help you navigate the complex world of business tax deductions, here is some guidance that will help you take the deductions you deserve. Read more... Business Law Advisor Safe Harbor Program – Data Privacy Laws When Doing Business in the EU
Do you do business extensively in the European Union (EU)? If so, you will encounter strict personal data privacy laws, just as you would in the US. To make sure businesses comply with EU privacy laws, the US government has developed a Safe Harbor Program. Businesses can participate in this program to comply with data privacy for all EU nations. This article will give you a general overview of the Safe Harbor Program, its benefits, and how your business can participate. Read more... Small Business Cents SBA-Approved Franchises: How Do They Work and How Does the Loan Application Process Change?
Are you looking to buy a franchise, or do you currently own one? If so, you're part of a growing population. The popularity of franchises over the last several decades has contributed to the massive growth of related jobs and new businesses. To help facilitate their development, the Small Business Administration has created a franchise program to simplify their financing process. Learn what SBA-Approved Franchises and how they change the application process. Read more... In the Loop Idea Exchange: Disaster Preparedness and Planning
An estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety. Getting back to business after a disaster depends on preparedness planning done today. Read about what community members have done to prepare. Read more... The Industry Word Reinvent Your Business: Rebound From the Recession
During these tough economic times, many small businesses are experiencing difficulty hanging on. With little hope of recovery on the horizon, some are wondering about their staying power. Should they continue to stay the course or it is time to throw in the towel? Perhaps neither is the right answer - maybe it’s time to reinvent your business. Read more... What are Mission, Mantra, Vision, and Why Do You Care?
There once was a time that every business plan had a mission or a vision statement, and we did them basically because we were told we were supposed to. That's ancient history now, I hope. Whether it's mission, mantra, or vision, you do it because it's good for your business. Which means you're going to use it, or you don't bother. Read more...
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