Marketing

Surveys can be an effective research tool for small businesses. You can use them to collect feedback from customers, learn about the needs and wants of your target audience, or even learn how your employees view your company’s operations.

However, it’s not as simple as just throwing a few basic questions at your customers or team members. Using survey best practices can help you ultimately gather more responses, more accurate results, and clearer data that point your business in the right direction.

Survey Best Practices

A carefully planned survey design can help you get better results from your market research initiatives. Most small businesses should complete surveys regularly, including sending out questions to customers after purchases, researching markets before introducing new products or services, and making sure employees are happy with their current working conditions. Before you start crafting your questions, here are some best practices to keep in

Despite the overwhelming preference for digital media among modern marketers, traditional advertising methods are still being implemented today and driving great results. Newspaper, TV and radio spots can offer tons of potential for businesses looking to reach a local market — if they’re used the right way.

Traditional Local Ad Campaign Tips

To help with your next traditional media campaign, we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

“What is an important thing to remember when planning a radio, TV or newspaper ad specifically for your local market? Why should business leaders keep this element in mind?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. Know Your Audience

“First, know your audience and prepare a script by keeping in mind the kind of audience you are reaching. Knowing your audience is the most important because this will determine the kind of topics, themes and

Many small businesses are struggling as a result of closures and social distancing practices put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are 25 ways you can help small businesses right now.

How to Help Small Businesses

If you want to help local small businesses by supporting your favorite local shops, restaurants, and others stay afloat during this time, here are some ways you can do so.

Purchase Gift Certificates

If you can afford it, purchase gift cards from your favorite local businesses during this time. You’ll be supporting their operations when they need it most, and when businesses reopen, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite goods and services that you’ve already paid for.

Order Takeout or Delivery

Restaurants in many states and cities are not open for dining in. However, you may still be able to get your favorite dishes delivered to your door.

Many small businesses are struggling as a result of closures and social distancing practices put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

How to Help Local Small Businesses

If you want to help local small businesses by supporting your favorite local shops, restaurants, and others stay afloat during this time, here are some ways you can do so.

Purchase Gift Certificates

If you can afford it, purchase gift cards from your favorite local businesses during this time. You’ll be supporting their operations when they need it most, and when businesses reopen, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite goods and services that you’ve already paid for.

Order Takeout or Delivery

Restaurants in many states and cities are not open for dining in. However, you may still be able to get your favorite dishes delivered to your door. Or you could try picking up meals from those that

According to a study from Go-Globe, 18 percent of local searches lead to a sale within one day. And what do people normally use to search? That’s right — Google. So if you want people to find your local business in their searches, you need to make your business really easy to find on Google.

Google My Business is the search engine’s local business listing platform. You can create a profile that pops up right in the search page so people don’t even have to visit your website to get the information they need to visit you, including your address, phone number and hours of operation.

Google My Business Cheat Sheet

If you want to take advantage of this very important tool for your own local business, check out the Google My Business cheat sheet below.

Claim Your Google My Business Listing

Start by visiting the Google

Independent retailers are a huge economic engine in local communities. But in order to find out their role on the U.S. economy, SCORE researched the subject and compiled the latest 2019 retail statistics into an easy-to-understand infographic.

2019 Retail Statistics

Titled “Small Retailers Can Compete and Win,” it is a timely report because July is Independent Retailer Month. This is an annual “shop local” event which encourages consumers to support their local independent retailers.

Just how much are local retailers responsible for growing their local economy? The 2019 retail statistics and quotes throughout this article, which come from the Independent Retailer Month site, provide some insight.

“Each $100 spent at local independents generated $45 of secondary local spending, compared to $14 for a big-box chain.” — The Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Local Retailers

When it comes to numbers, small retailers with 50 or fewer employees