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The Ins and Outs of Customer Acquisition for Small Businesses

July 7, 2020
By Jessica Bennett, Salesforce –

Salesforce logoWhy are small businesses so good at what they do? It’s because they are amazing at customer retention. Small businesses know their customers by name. They greet them and are able to personalize their orders. However, small businesses cannot be dependent simply on returning customers. They need to grow their customer base continuously — yet they might not completely understand how to do that, or they may not have the resources to do it.

That’s why small businesses need to understand how to acquire customers in an efficient, effective manner. And the very first step is to begin measuring acquisition. Unfortunately, only about five in ten companies track their customer acquisition, and fewer than that monitor lifetime value. To achieve growth and transition from a startup to a sustainable small business takes an understanding of customer relationship management, sales, marketing, and customer service.

Build New Customers

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KREWE Restaurant Opens in St. Joseph with Minnesota SBDC Assistance

June 30, 2020
Success Story: Minnesota
KREWE Opening
L-R: Brianna Knowles and Devin Larson (Minnwest Bank), Mateo Mackbee and Erin Lucas (KREWE owners and chefs), and Berny Berger (Minnesota SBDC)

Experienced restaurant owners and chefs Mateo Mackbee and Erin Lucas will be opening their much anticipated New Orleans cuisine restaurant, “KREWE,” at 24 North College Avenue in St. Joseph on July 1st. Mateo and Erin will specialize in their Creole and Cajun dishes from Mackbee’s food heritage, which is rooted in his mother’s hometown of New Orleans.

The menu will feature a variety of dishes that hearken back to The Big Easy, like muffuletta, jambalaya, and gumbo from family recipes, and shrimp raised locally in Minnesota. Erin operates their partner business – Flour and Flower, a European style bakery, which opened May 21st, located next to KREWE at 26 College Avenue North. (more…)

Integrity Martial Arts: Staying in Business and Fulfilling Service to Customers

June 16, 2020
Success Story: Connecticut

Integrity Martial Arts is a martial arts studio in Enfield, Connecticut that’s having a big impact on its students. Respect, self-control, and discipline — these are the founding principles owner Jonathan Metcalf teaches the young people who are enrolled in his classes.

Jonathan began working with CTSBDC advisor Denise Whitford in 2016, and since then he has been able to successfully grow his business through her advice, support, and guidance. Anticipating the state-mandated closure of non-essential businesses due to COVID-19, Integrity Martial Arts immediately shifted to serving its customers online. Share on X In fact, since the beginning of the pandemic, the business has been able to maintain its customer base and find new opportunities to keep growing. (more…)

How Surveys Can Benefit Small Businesses

June 9, 2020
By Julia Morrissey –

As states start to open back up and businesses begin to re-open their doors, reconnecting with clients and customers is more critical than ever. One of the most effective ways to understand your customers is by conducting surveys.

Surveys are a proven method of connecting with customers to get feedback that will help you understand how the customer thinks and feels about your product. The goal is to receive unbiased and objective information that can help you make important decisions about your product and business.

It’s important to not only send a well constructed survey, but also to know when to ask for feedback and how to analyze the data. The four best times to send out a survey asking for customer feedback are: during a key milestone; when customers fall out of the journey; after a customer receives a customer service contact; and when there is interaction without conversion. Share on X (more…)

Transportation and Event Company Planning to Ride Out Virus Disruption

June 2, 2020
Success Story: Arkansas –

Arkansas Destinations owner Jana Cohen can point to the exact day the coronavirus pandemic disrupted her business.

“On March 12 all bookings for bus tours, events, and incoming travel cancelled or postponed. That was the last day we ran a trip,” said Cohen.

“Overnight, half of our business disappeared, and we had customers asking for money back from deposits they had made.”Eileen Devereux Dailey of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center advised Cohen as she applied for the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or EIDL. Share on X

In business since 2000, Cohen’s Little Rock-based company offers tours and event planning, primarily for convention groups. She also operates a fleet of mini buses, trolleys, motor coaches, and vans. (more…)