Marketing Patience is a Virtue
Small-business owners, who are not necessarily professional marketers, often believe that throwing money at something will do two things: Increase sales and work immediately. Neither of these is true. Marketing is like fishing—it takes knowledge, time, and a little luck doesn’t hurt either. Read more …
Make More Money by Charging Nothing
Looking for new ways to keep customers? Consider giving them something of value for free. It may seem counterintuitive when running a for-profit business, but companies like Pandora, MailChimp and Dropbox have proved the “freemium” model has merit. Read more …
Millennials are driving an $18 billion food revolution
Millennials are responsible for an $18 billion shift in the food industry, according to panelists at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women summit. That number represents the market share lost by the top 25 U.S. food and beverage companies in the past five years. Read more …
7 Tips to Reduce e-Commerce and Retail Fraud over the Holidays
Holidays are a critical—and fun–time for e-commerce store owners. The holiday season gives merchants a chance to showcase new products and services that can increase their bottom lines. Sales generated during this period also generally contribute to the bulk of a company’s annual revenues. However, the holidays can also...
Use Online Communities To Build Your Brand
You’ve spent years mastering your craft to assure the success of your business. Now use that experience and advanced knowledge to build credibility. Where? In online communities. Read more …
Local food is a draw for grocery shoppers
More than a third of shoppers would go to the store specifically to buy local food, and grocers that offer a selection of local products could have an advantage in the market, according to a report from A.T. Kearney. Read more …
Why No PIN on EMV Credit Cards? A Case for the FBI
The new “EMV” credit cards slowly making their way into consumers’ wallets are somewhat better at stopping fraud than their magnetic stripe predecessors. But the U.S. version of EMV is not nearly what it is cracked up to be. Read more …
3 Easy Ways to Beat Your Fear of Failure
Fear of failure—the beast that has the power to drive a wedge between us and what we really want. We have probably all experienced the universal feeling early on in a school setting, and it’s something we must continue to face, even as adults. Read more …
A Stake in the Business
Bringing in an employee stock ownership plan isn’t right for every company, but there can be very real financial benefits—and not just for staff. Read more …
5 Factors to Consider Before Expanding to a Second Location
Expanding to a second location requires skilled planning. Here are 5 questions to answer before you make the leap. Read more …