There's one thing about small town USA that is true across our country – your neighbors are like family. The business community is made up of people who understand the importance of relying on their neighbors, delivering value, and giving back. They also understand the need to invest in their business to keep current if they want their community to thrive. In southwest Arkansas, Buddy & Howdy's, Inc. operates as regional chain of gas stations with convenience stores using that important philosophy. (Read More...)
We previously covered the importance of protecting yourself and your business from Identity Theft but, due to the recent Equifax® data breach, it's important to reiterate what steps you can take when your personal information may already be in the hands of hackers.
Access to credit and financing is crucial for any business. Without the ability to supplement cash flow or acquire new technology and equipment, many companies would see their growth severely impacted. And with personal credit profiles continuing to be a factor for many small business financing transactions, business owners are asking: What actions can I take to protect my credit? (Read More...)
The tried and true press release as a communication vehicle for small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) all over the world follows a certain format, but it has changed in recent years. One word to describe the new formatting style of today's modern press release would be robust. And part of that robustness includes multimedia and invisible, yet very important, search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. (Read More...)
We began our Anatomy of a Press Release series covering the various aspects of preparing, distributing and making the most of press releases. We continue with the first W: Who. How can you ensure you are targeting the appropriate prospective audience and in the most effective way possible? We will help you address these important considerations. (Read More...)
Sending company personnel to exhibit at a trade show is typically an expensive endeavor* considering booth cost, travel expenses, promotion, show services, etc. To achieve a positive return on investment, SMBs should take time to plan objectives and ensure attendees are armed with best practices. You can start your implementation of trade show best practices by identifying your show goals and developing the brand message to share with the visitors to your trade show booth. It is important to provide every visitor with a positive experience so that they leave the booth with a good impression and know what service or product your company offers. This can be achieved by professionally and politely communicating your message with as many qualified visitors as possible. (Read More...)
Binson's locations were still using fluorescent lighting. Not only was low fluorescent lighting a challenge for seeing properly and scanning barcodes, but it did not showcase their products very well. In addition, fluorescent lighting did not offer the cost efficiencies of LED technology. With the number of locations, and sizes of the warehouses and retail spaces, making a dramatic change over to LED in a low margin business was looking cost prohibitive – until they found Ascentium Capital. (Read More...)
Small business executives wear many hats. Often, when a company is just starting off, the roles can be blurred and some necessary functions can be overlooked or even avoided. Growing your business requires marketing to get it off the ground. With 63% of marketers stating that their top challenge is generating traffic and leads, according to State of Inbound, small businesses should not overlook one crucial item in their tool box: The Press Release. (Read More...)
Summertime, and the living is easy . . . unless you are a small to mid-sized business (SMB) owner. If that is the case, instead of relaxing on a deck and enjoying the weather with a tall cold drink, you may be strategizing tactics to stay top of mind with your customers now that summer has officially begun. (Read More...)
