Small Business Development Center
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Different - "Escaping the Competitive Herd"

I first came across the book Different by Youngme Moon in my MBA Marketing Strategy class, and I will admit, it was a required reading. However, it provides a new perspective on how to view competition in a business setting and provokes thinking about your own business differently.

 

Youngme’s message of modern business is extremely simple yet also very powerful: most companies have too narrow of a view in their respective market, and will blindly follow their direct competition. Companies will compete time and time again usually on one focus: price, margins, t... Read more

Papers and Practices of Importance

 

Part III in a three part series on the Basics of Mananging a Business

This is the third and final part on the basics of how to manage a business. See Part I and Part II for info on understanding the mechanics of your business and the importance of cashflow.  
 
 
 

... Read more

Three Ways to Grow a Business

When it comes to growing a retail business there really are only three ways to grow.

You can:

  1. Increase the number of customers you serve.
  2. Increase the average transaction value.
  3. Increase the frequency of customer visits.

Is one of these three ways to grow any better than the others? I would argue, yes. But it depends…

First, it is helpful to engage in a little analysis and self-reflection. Because knowing why you want to grow and which way you intend to grow helps you focus on the variables you can change.

Kn... Read more

Two of the Most Powerful Words

A couple weeks ago, our office needed the backdoor repaired. The repair person greeted me that morning with a friendly, “How are you doing this morning?” I replied, “I’m really happy to see you this morning. That door has been so sticky lately, we all feared we’d throw our back out trying to open it! You’re going to be our hero today!”

The repairperson’s next comment spurred the idea for this blog post. He said, “It’s really nice to be appreciated. Most people highly underestimate the value of being recognized.”

Take a moment to reflect on that statement.

... Read more

Great Sites for Royalty Free Images

Let's face it...most stock photography sucks.

Perhaps worse, it can cost a small fortune to hire a real photographer to shoot what you want.

So what's a marketer to do?

Fortunately for you, there ARE a number of great resources to find awesome images for little to no cost!

Below you will find a curated list of the best sites for finding free photos. 

For the most part - they are free to use and made available under the Creative Commons Zero License. 

... Read more

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