America’s SBDC Blog

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Get Ready for Your Annual Website Spring Cleaning

March 9, 2020
By Ramon Ray –

Spring is on the way, and according to one survey, 77% of households do some form of spring cleaning. As a business owner, the concept of spring cleaning can be applied to the place where much of your information resides — your website. An annual website “spring cleaning” is a great idea for your business.

The Basics

If you’re going to do a major cleaning, you’ll want to tackle the most important parts first.

As reported in Smart Hustle, in a VistaPrint survey, respondents considered up-to-date and accurate content to be most important on small business websites. They were bothered by outdated product and contact information and a lack of address, directions and business hours. In addition, consumers were less likely to buy from a poorly designed website. (more…)

These 5 Myths Cause Small Businesses to Fail

January 1, 2020
By Charles “Tee” Rowe –

Every year, Americans start businesses with the hope of achieving financial success, independence, and personal fulfillment. Unfortunately, many times those dreams are never realized. Too often the enthusiasm and energy that small business owners put into their business isn’t matched by the planning and skills needed to survive.

At America’s SBDCs — 62 small business development center networks nationwide and their nearly 1,000 centers — we find that a solid business plan and a brilliant business concept need to be married to a serious understanding of the financial and management needs of running a business.

Too many businesses believe marketing is their key to success, but hemorrhaging cash is the secret, silent killer. So for aspiring entrepreneurs, here are five myths small business owners believe in that lead to failure:

1. Don’t ask for help

“You’re smart, you’ve got this.” Nobody has got it. There are so many free resources out there, and the biggest mistake many small business owners make is not using those resources. There are nearly 1,000 small business development centers nationwide — why would you ignore free help? (more…)

12 Small Business Podcasts That Will Help You Sell More

September 3, 2019
By Gerri Detweiler –

PodcastRunning a business is often about setting goals and putting in long hours and hard work to achieve them. Regardless of what type of business you run, it’s likely that “selling more” has a frequent, if not long-term, place on your to-do list. It’s a goal that requires staying up to date on new techniques, honing strategies, and being in touch with the latest industry news.

The sad part? It’s difficult for small business owners, many of whom have little downtime. Podcasts, however, afford busy professionals the opportunity to digest powerful and life-changing information while they’re commuting, working out, making dinner, or participating in any number of daily tasks that are well suited for audio media.

You can spend hours — if not days — sifting through all the many podcasts out there, but if your goal is to sell more, these 12 podcasts can help. Plus, many of them offer valuable information for not only running a business, but living the entrepreneurial life. (more…)

B2B Marketing Trends that Make a Difference (Tips)

June 18, 2019
By Jackie, for Koble –

Koble - helpful tipsComing up with an effective marketing strategy is all about what works for you and what does not. Whether you are a big or small business owner, you have to come up with a plan that will suit your needs and budget.

The first step to doing so is learning the market trends. We are in a competitive world, especially in the B2B market, and that is why you have to do all you can to stay up-to-date with the trends. It helps you maximize your selling power and stay ahead of competitors.

We take a look at the leading B2B marketing trends to look out for this year to help your business grow and optimize leads.

Account-based B2B marketing

This marketing strategy has been in existence for years, but with the rise of digital marketing channels, most B2B companies are now shifting back to account-based marketing. Time changes are making it hard and super expensive for businesses to market and reach their target customers on digital marketing platforms. (more…)

4 Lessons Your Small Business Can Learn From the Big Mac

August 27, 2018
By Linsey Knerl –

Small business ownerThe Big Mac – the special burger from McDonald’s that features “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun” – is almost as much of an icon as the fast-food chain itself. While the world is pretty much split on the one-of-a-kind sandwich (the sauce has a way of being fairly polarizing), no one can deny that it’s an unchanging staple that’s been branded into our culture.

The sandwich is 50 years old this year, proving that some things are still a good idea half a century later. Here are some other hard truths about its success for small businesses that cannot be ignored. (more…)