Small Business: How-to articles covering the latest marketing tactics, tips, and strategies.

• When and Where Consumers Use Search Engines to Find Local BusinessesAyaz Nanji
  Consumers searching online for local businesses typically plan to visit/book an appointment within the next two days, according to recent research from Review Trackers.
  Customer Behavior, Local Marketing, Research Summaries, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engines, SEO, Small Business, Survey Data
• The Top Hopes and Fears of Would-Be Small Business OwnersAyaz Nanji
  Gaining greater independence is the top reason people say they would start a small business, according to recent research from Paychex.
  Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Survey Data
• #SocialSkim: Facebook Plans New Messaging App, Instagram Hooks Small Biz: 11 Stories This WeekChristian Neri
  Facebook gives parents control with teen messaging app; Instagram vs. Snapchat for small business; Facebook, WhatsApp revamp photo features; the only social listening tool for Reddit; Facebook's mid-roll ads underwhelm; ...
  Advertising, Content, Digital Marketing, Digital Theory, Facebook, Mobile Marketing, Retail Marketing, Small Business, SMS, Snapchat
• The Current Economic and Hiring Climate for Small BusinessesAyaz Nanji
  Small business owners are optimistic about their current business situation as well as the outlook for the next 12 months, according to recent research from Gallup and Wells Fargo.
  Career Management, Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Survey Data
• The Digital Marketing Channels Small Businesses Use MostAyaz Nanji
  Websites and social media are the digital marketing channels that small businesses use most, according to recent research from Drip.
  Digital Marketing, Interactive Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Survey Data
• The Biggest Mistakes Small Businesses Make With Their WebsitesAyaz Nanji
  Consumers say the biggest mistake a small business can make with its website is to include outdated contact information, according to recent research from Vistaprint Digital.
  Content, Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Survey Data, Websites
• Which Digital Marketing Channels Are Small Businesses Investing In?Ayaz Nanji
  Most small businesses are putting more marketing budget toward social media and websites this year, according to recent research from Clutch.
  Digital Marketing, Marketing Budgets, Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Survey Data
• Small Business Digital Marketing Trends for 2017Ayaz Nanji
  Social media is the top digital marketing tactic/channel small businesses plan to spend additional budget on in 2017, according to recent research from Infusionsoft.
  Marketing Strategy, Research Summaries, Small Business, Social Media, Social Networking, Survey Data
• SMB Owners' Top Priorities for 2017Ayaz Nanji
  Most owners of small and medium-sized businesses say attracting and retaining customers is their top priority for the year ahead, according to recent research from GetApp.
  Marketing Strategy, Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Survey Data
• Omnichannel Marketing's Secret Weapon: Local Brick-and-Mortar StoresBrendan Morrissey
  As brand marketers and CMOs struggle with the complex challenge of delivering seamless customer experiences across online and offline worlds, many of them neglect one critical component: the local brick-and-mortar ...
  B2C, Local Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Multichannel Marketing, Retail Marketing, Small Business

Small Business: Podcasts containing in-depth interviews with smart marketers from all walks of life.

• Marketers, To Do More With Less, Get Scrappy! Nick Westergaard on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]by Kerry O'Shea Gorgone
  Brand strategist Nick Westergaard discusses his new book, Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small, and explains how big businesses and startups alike can get more for their marketing dollars by doing more with less.
  Branding, Marketing Inspiration, Marketing Smarts, Marketing Strategy, Small Business
• Persuasive Presentations: Communication Expert Nancy Duarte Talks to Marketing Smarts [Podcast]by Kerry O'Shea Gorgone
  Presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares tips for creating marketing presentations that persuade, and talks about how she and her husband disrupted the graphic design industry with the startup they ran out of their California apartment.
  Content, Content Strategy, Marketing Smarts, Presentations, Public Speaking, Small Business, Webinars
• To Grow You Must Change: John Jantsch on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]by Matthew Grant
  John Jantsch believes that if businesses are to grow, they need to be ready, willing, and able to change. To navigate and instigate such change, business leaders need a clarity of purpose and they need to set big, audacious goals.
  Community, Customer Relationships, Marketing Smarts, Marketing Strategy, Small Business, Strategy

Small Business: Online seminar broadcasts from the best minds in marketing

• Running the Gauntlet: Essential Business Lessons to Lead, Drive Change, and Grow ProfitsBroadcast on 1/23/2014 with Jeffrey Hayzlett
  This PRO seminar, taught by Jeffrey Hayzlett, will reveal how to run and drive change through marketing and business, from getting ready to creating and sustaining momentum.
  Brand Management, Marketing Smarts, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Tips, Small Business, Strategy
• MarketingProfs University: Killing Giants—Outmaneuvering Larger CompetitorsBroadcast on 1/12/2012 with Stephen Denny
  Learn to turn your larger competitors' lack of speed and agility to your advantage in this PRO seminar and MPU Marketing Your Small Business kickoff class.
  Management, Marketing Challenges, Marketing Strategy, Small Business
• Social Media is a Powerful Tool for Small BusinessesBroadcast on 9/2/2010 with Sean McDonald
  Join us as we share with you why your small business is better suited for the new frontier and lessons that can be learned from both small and large companies that have already embarked on their social media journey.
  Customer Relationships, Marketing Smarter, Marketing Tips, Small Business, Social Media
• Promotions: Instant Gratification for Small Business MarketersBroadcast on 12/14/2007 with Michael Goodman
  This seminar will focus on those highly-visible short-term activities that are designed to generate sales NOW—not next week or next month, but right away. We'll look at a number of examples of these promotions and begin to understand which are most appropriate (and effective) for different kinds of businesses.
  Marketing Plans, Measurement, Online Marketing, Promotions, Sales, Small Business
• Small Business Series: How to Advertise on a Modest BudgetBroadcast on 10/19/2007 with Michael Goodman
  Michael Goodman has been responsible for annual advertising budgets ranging from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars, in consumer, B2B, services, information, entertainment and not-for-profit situations. He’s learned advertising from recognized masters of the craft, and stumbled across some truths on his own.
  Advertising, Direct Marketing, Hiring Outside Resources, Marketing Budgets, Marketing Challenges, Small Business, Word-of-Mouth
• Small Business Series: Budgeting for the Marketing MixBroadcast on 9/14/2007 with Michael Goodman
  In this seminar, we'll deal with some of the most common questions asked by entrepreneurs and small business marketers: How much should we spend on marketing? Is it a percentage of sales? How do we get benchmarks for our industry? How do we know if we're over-spending, under-spending, or right on the money?
  Marketing Budgets, Marketing Tips, Measurement, ROI, Small Business
• Small Business Series: How to Set Prices the Smart WayBroadcast on 8/17/2007 with Michael Goodman
  Pricing strategy is the sleeping giant of marketing strategy. The marketing mix element with perhaps the greatest potential to affect the bottom line and properly position a brand or a company with its target audience—yet the one most often relegated to a simple financial or sales decision, without regard for its impact on the brand. This seminar will address the role of pricing as a marketing tool, and ...
  Brand Positioning, Marketing Strategy, Measurement, Positioning, Pricing, Small Business
• Small Business Series: Positioning, Naming and TaglinesBroadcast on 7/20/2007 with Michael Goodman
  Most small businesses can't afford to invest thousands of dollars in advertising and promotion every week. They have to rely on making the greatest possible impact with a small budget. The starting point for many of them is a well-thought-out positioning statement that captures the essence of the company and then gets translated into a meaningful and memorable tagline.Take a practical look at positioning as the cornerstone of a marketing plan and the basis for naming, taglines and brand building.
  Marketing Tips, Naming, Positioning, Positioning Statements, Small Business, Taglines
• Small Business Series: Do-It-Yourself Market ResearchBroadcast on 6/22/2007 with Michael Goodman
  The amount you spend on market research isn't the most important consideration. The key is asking the right high-gain questions and knowing what to do with the answers.This seminar will cover not only the various options for market research, but also six do-it-yourself approaches that can yield better results than studies costing thousands of dollars. And the turn-around time is often a fraction of what a major project would involve.
  Hiring Outside Resources, Market Research, Marketing Tips, Small Business
• Small Business Series: Why Most Small Businesses Fail (and How to Avoid Being One of Them)Broadcast on 5/18/2007 with Michael Goodman
  We’ll deal with everything, including: advertising, taglines, promotion, budgeting, publicity and low-cost market research. We’ll use case studies from small B2B and B2C companies and borrow ideas from larger companies as well.
  Advertising, Management, Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips, Measurement, Small Business, Tradeshows/Events

Small Business: Tutorials — tactical marketing know-how in just 10 minutes from subject matter experts

• Take 10: Hire, Outsource, or DIY—How to Assess Your Marketing NeedsReleased on 1/30/2015 with Christina Inge
  In just 10 minutes, you'll learn how to determine which projects you can DIY, and which projects you should outsource or hire a contractor to handle. We'll discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing, how to decide when to use it versus using in-house personnel, and how to communicate your needs clearly for the best results.
  Collaboration, Management, Marketing Planning, Small Business, Take 10
• Take 10: Strategic Resources to Better Manage Your Social MarketingReleased on 1/23/2015 with Guy Powell
  In just 10 minutes, we'll show you how to overcome common social marketing challenges (such as not having enough time, budget, or staff) and provide you with key dashboard dimensions, including how to set up specific improvement objectives and how to track your progress to improve your social marketing efforts.
  Digital Marketing, Marketing Dashboards, Search Engine Marketing, Small Business, Social Analytics, Social Media, Take 10
• Take 10: The 10 Web Marketing Areas You Need to Focus on NowReleased on 1/9/2015 with Stoney deGeyter
  In just 10 minutes, we'll identify the top 10 online marketing areas you should be focusing on, and provide you with three action items for each. With your top 10 list and actionable to-dos in hand, you can eliminate the less impactful projects, and hone your time, money, and energy on what really matters and gives you the best ROI.
  Digital Marketing, Marketing Smarter, Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing, Small Business, Take 10
• Take 10: Three Ways to Outsmart Your Biggest CompetitorsReleased on 11/4/2011 with Stephen Denny
  In just 10 minutes, learn the three best ways to outsmart the competition. You'll find out which questions to ask yourself before taking a risk as well as how to best use speed as a competitive weapon.
  Marketing Strategy, Marketing Tips, Small Business, Take 10

Small Business: Marketing downloads for the busy professional

• Small Biz How-To Guide: Positioning, Naming & Taglines
  Spot-on positioning leads to names that attract customers and taglines that sing. Get your small business on the track to marketing success.
  Naming, Positioning, Positioning Statements, Small Business, Taglines
• Small Biz How-To Guide: Market Research
  Need to learn about your customers without the big price tag of market research firms? This guide on do-it-yourself market research will help you get the information you need to position your business without emptying the corporate coffers.
  Market Research, Measurement, Metrics, Small Business
• Small Biz How-To Guide: Avoiding Key Pitfalls
  Let's face it, more small businesses fail than succeed. Make sure yours is one of the winners with this guide to getting your small business off the ground and solidly on the road to success.
  Marketing Budgets, Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips, Small Business