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May
22
Is Entrepreneur Still A Dirty Word?
May 22, 2007 | 4 Comments
Back when I wrote the Selling to Small Business column for BNET.com, one of my articles was about how “entrepreneur” could be a dirty word in certain parts of the world, especially Europe.
Here in the United States we associate “entrepreneur” with startups and innovators — outsiders who buck the existing business establishment. To us the word […]
May
21
Those Tech-Savvy, Well-Off Small Biz Owners
May 21, 2007 | 3 Comments
Experian, the credit reporting agency, conducted a study of the small business market, dividing it up according to incorporated businesses and unincorporated businesses. The study covered 1.2 million small businesses with no more than 25 employees and $10 million in sales.
The picture it painted was of business owners being wealthier than the general population. Business owners are […]
Apr
6
Is Your Company Easy to Do Business With?
April 6, 2007 | 2 Comments
A business owner whose company serves other small businesses (RV and recreational equipment dealers) once said to me that his small business customers, “… are like water. They follow the easiest path.”
What he meant was that small businesses go with whatever offering makes it easiest on them. Now, he did not mean this in a condescending way. He simply accepted it […]
Mar
19
Economy Slows - How Does it Impact Sellers?
March 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The current U.S. economic expansion has been going strong for several years. But indications suggest that the economic growth is slowing down.
Small business owners apparently feel much the same way — that things are slowing down (not stopping or declining, just not growing as fast).
This is reflected in the NFIB’s Small Business Economic Trends report […]
Mar
13
How Important is Price Versus Service to SMBs?
March 13, 2007 | 1 Comment
Here’s an interesting tidbit that deserves some exploration. eWeek Channel Insider reports on a Gartner study of the SMB market:
Service and support trump price for small and midsize businesses. Seventy-three percent of SMBs rated the service and support they received from their technology providers as the most important factor in a buying decision, according to […]
Feb
5
Influencers: How to Create a Dialogue With Them
February 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Articles defining “influencers” are not too hard to find. However, it is the rare article that gives actionable advice about how to create a dialogue with influencers.
A recent article by Nilofer Merchant at MarketingProfs.com is one of those rarities. Five Ways to Develop a Dialogue With Key Influencers offers insights into how to develop a communication program with influencers […]
Aug
26
Best Day to Send Email Marketing Messages
August 26, 2006 | Leave a Comment
EROI.com has come out with a new survey on the best day of the week to send email for marketing purposes.
For business customers, the best day is Tuesday. The worst days: Thursday and Friday.
For consumer customers, pretty much the opposite holds true: the best day is Friday.
But these statistics bear some explanation.
My own experience with my […]
Jul
30
Carnival of the Capitalists - July 31, 2006 Edition
July 30, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Welcome to the Carnival of the Capitalists, a weekly roundup of the best in business and economics blog posts. I am your host, and I am pleased to present this July 31, 2006 edition with over 50 entries. Many thanks to all those who participated this week.
This is now my fourth time hosting Carnival of […]
Jul
16
Perhaps this story will sound familiar.
A technology entrepreneur leading a tech company wanted to jump start sales, which had fizzled. New sales were next to non-existent. A competitor had come out of nowhere and was proving a formidable challenge.
This particular entrepreneur did what many CEOs who are comfortable with technology do: he spent most of his time focused […]
Jun
21
Small Businesses Have Consumer Buying Behaviors
June 21, 2006 | Leave a Comment
Small businesses buy like consumers, and not like other businesses.
Hey, it’s no longer just me saying this. Other people are talking about this, too.
Charles Jolley, CEO of Sproutit.com, writes:
”… small businesses (and agile teams inside large companies) don’t buy like a business; they buy like consumers! Small teams work on a limited budget and short deadlines, […]
