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

• How to Launch a New Brand: Five Tips for an Unforgettable DebutStewart Hodgson
  Follow these five steps to create a memorable and effective brand that will help your company stand out from the competition.
  Brand Management, Brand Positioning, Branding, Small Business, SMBs
• How Small Business Owners Got Their StartAyaz Nanji
  Most small business owners worked a full-time job while starting their own firm, according to recent research from Paychex.
  Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs
• How SMBs Are Using Social Media: Platform, Posting, and Content TrendsAyaz Nanji
  Most small-to-midsize businesses in the United States are now using social media for marketing purposes, according to recent research from Clutch.
  Facebook, Research Summaries, Small Business, SMBs, Social Media, Social Networking
• The Small Business Guide to Google Analytics [Infographic]Laura Forer
  Google Analytics: It's everywhere, yet it's still a mystery to many marketers. Put your Google Analytics jitters to rest today with this guide to getting started and using some of ...
  Google Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Dashboards, Metrics, Small Business
• Seven Considerations for Your New Business's Social Media StrategyAmelia Willson
  Creating a social media strategy can feel overwhelming—especially when there are so many social platforms. These tips will help you focus on the basics so you can find your audience ...
  Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing Strategy, Pinterest, Small Business, Snapchat, Social Media, Twitter
• #SocialSkim: Coping With Facebook Changes; WhatsApp Business App Launched: 10 Stories This WeekChristian Neri
  Your social strategy in the wake of Facebook's big algorithm change; WhatsApp launches its business app; Snapchat users unhappy with redesign; Facebook's plans to become more local & declutter Messenger; ...
  Advertising, Content, Facebook, Influencer Marketing, Local Marketing, Small Business, Snapchat, Social Media, Social Networking, SocialSkim
• Small Business Digital Marketing Trends for 2018 [Infographic]Ayaz Nanji
  Most small business owners expect to use social media content to acquire new customers in 2018, according to recent research from Infusionsoft.
  Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Small Business, SMBs, Social Media, Social Networking
• How Local Businesses Are Advertising This Holiday SeasonAyaz Nanji
  Facebook is the most popular channel with local businesses for running advertising campaigns this holiday season, according to recent research from Netsertive.
  Advertising, Facebook, Local Marketing, Research Summaries, Small Business, Social Media, Social Networking
• Valuable Employee-Recognition Tips [Infographic]Laura Forer
  All employees want to be recognized for their good work, but 49% of them say they are dissatisfied with that aspect of their jobs. Managers should take note: Happy employees ...
  Career Management, Management, Small Business
• 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

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