National Small Business Week is upon us again! Since 1963, National Small Business Week, fostered by the Small Business Association, has been a yearly celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit and contributions to our communities that small businesses make on a daily basis.
This year, from May 4-8, business leaders, political figures and even celebrities will be hosting events and bringing attention to the millions of small businesses that form the bedrock of the American economy. These events will take place in Washington D.C., Miami/Boca Raton, Los Angeles, San Antonio and New York.
But you don’t have to be in one of these big cities to be a part of the week’s festivities. Small businesses are a staple of every community throughout the U.S., no matter how distant they are from the nation’s commercial hubs. But don’t think the celebration of small businesses is all about entrepreneurs resting on their laurels.
Jump on board with SBA branding
The National Small Business Week brand is well known, so take advantage of that fact by incorporating it into some of your own promotional materials. Develop some print materials that include your logo side by side with the SBA’s to show your participation. Additionally, you can make use of the #SBW2015 and #DreamSmallBiz Twitter hashtags to help your Small Business Week-themed content gain visibility. Naturally, this is also a great time to be active on LinkedIn, contributing to discussions and building your brand as a leading small business.
Go to SBA events
The best part of Small Business Week is that you don’t have to be in one of those major cities to join and and be a part of it. The SBA has offices in locales all throughout the country, and it’s very likely that your local Chamber of Commerce will be participating as well. These events will feature other local small business owners who are looking to network and maybe even form partnerships that can benefit all parties involved. While this isn’t a directly promotional activity, it will be in your best interest to make these connections for the chance to work together with other leaders in the future.
Collaborate with other small businesses
Competition is a big part of the business world, but there’s also a place for cooperation. Small businesses are often local businesses, and if there is a thriving community of leaders and entrepreneurs, it’s better for everyone. Look for other businesses whose offerings complement yours and see if you can work out a cross-promotional marketing strategy that will attract customers to both of your locations. One simple yet effective promotion is simply to let your customers know that if they show a receipt from one business at the other’s, they’ll get a discount. But really, even just sharing each other’s social content will go a long way toward creating local buzz and getting people excited about the week.
Week-long promotions
Discounts, free trials, deals – all of these should be part and parcel of your Small Business Week push. Position your promotions as a “thank you” to the loyal customers who have helped your business thrive. Not only do the promotions get people in the door, but they reinforce the emotional attachment that your customers have to the small businesses in their communities. If you have the capability, use offer codes for your loyal customers (on your email list). This will help you gather data on your audience and see who the truly loyal buyers are. This will be valuable information for future promotions.
Get the influencers on your side
The Zoomph blog explained that one great way to amplify your messaging throughout Small Business Week is to reach out to local influencers on social media and ask them to promote your content. Chances are, the best influencers in your area will be discussing the same things you are, so why not team up and help promote each other? Find out who has a megaphone in your locale and find ways you can both benefit from a little extra buzz.
Visit the special “Small Business Week” section of CoxBlue.com
In honor of National Small Business Week, let’s work toward your success together. At Cox Business, we want to help your business make it big. So let’s get started. Join and engage with us as all this week as we celebrate and recognize the important contributions small business makes to local communities across the country. Link: http://coxblue.dreamhosters.com/smallbusinessweek
Neutralizing all digital channels, we accelerate performance by applying data driven optimizationin real-time across a superior blend of mobile, video,display and email inventory. Converting the right people at the right time, we drive brand solutions, while securing optimal impact, engagement + results.
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