Startup Spark

October 4th, 2008

Is the bailout good for small business?

Just more than half of small business owners recently surveyed feel the 700 billion dollar Wall Street bailout will be bad for business. That’s according to the latest SurePayroll survey of 262 small business owners.

When asked, “What is your primary reaction regarding the bailout?” survey participants responded as follows:

•  45.4% “It’s sad that we have to do it.”
• 36.6% “I am angry about it.”
• 2.7% “I am glad that it’s happening”
• 15.27% Other

So what about you? Do you think the bailout will be good for you?

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By ShannonCherry -- 1 comment

October 3rd, 2008

Boost your business by giving back

Yesterday, I talked about a new survey that showed that cause-related marketing works very well.

But how can a small business or startup leverage cause marketing. After all, you can’t donate thousands of dollars, right?

You don’t need to have a national presence or big bucks to make a difference - and boost consumer confidence in you and your product or service. You just need to find a cause that hits home with your target market. And the easiest way to do that is to ask you customers which charities they support.

Then, tie in a sale or other promotion with the cause, donating a percentage of your proceeds to the  charity.

But here’s the key to make the most of this opportunity. Give LOCALLY. Then you can promote your charity marketing, and your donation, to the local media, who love these kind of stories.

Don’t have money to give? How about some time? Some products you have? Anything that will show that you are giving back will work.

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By ShannonCherry -- 1 comment

October 2nd, 2008

Want to make an impact with consumers? Help others

Cause marketing is a big buzz words these days - and big business.

And no wonder! A recent study found that 80 percent of people surveyed would switch brands (if quality and costs were comparable) if the product or service was associated with a good cause.

The Cone Cause Evolution Study shows that about 85 percent of respondents said they have a more positive image of a company when it supports a cause they care about. The same percentage said it was acceptable for companies to promote their affiliation with nonprofit organizations in their ads.

And more than one-third bought a product or service because it was related to a cause near and dear to their hearts.

More on how small business can take advantage of this tomorrow.

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By ShannonCherry -- 2 comments

October 1st, 2008

Be Heard! What are you afraid of?

Another issue of Be Heard!, the free weekly ezine, is now available.  Get tips how to blog for business, info on the improved Penny Pinching Publicity, and contacts at Parents magazine..

Check it out here.

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By ShannonCherry -- 0 comments

September 30th, 2008

Happy Holidays! Small business will still celebrate despite of economy

According to a recent Zogby poll, a majority of small business owners  that typically purchase holiday greeting cards, newsletters, and corporate gifts will not reduce holiday budgets for 2008.

Although consumer confidence is at record lows, the  survey found the following spending trends in store for small businesses:

— 45% of small businesses typically send holiday greetings.

— Of those businesses that typically send holiday greetings, 78% send holiday greeting cards and 25% send gifts.

— 59% of small businesses report that the current state of the economy will not affect spending on holiday greetings.

— 88% of small businesses typically spend up to $500 on holiday greeting cards. Their budget remains the same for 2008.

— While the state of the economy will affect holiday spending for 41%, only 5% will cut out greeting cards and gifts altogether. The remaining 36% will either cut back on the quantity or quality of their holiday greetings.

How about you? will you continue sending out holiday items this season?

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By ShannonCherry -- 2 comments

September 30th, 2008

Startup depression?

Jason Calacanis recently wrote about Startup Depression in an email and on his blog. And I think many of his points are spot on.

I agree that things in the startup world will be drying up for a while, so if you are in the midst of a startup, you need to be focused. Everything you do needs to be analyzed for effectiveness in order to survuve the slump that’s about to happen.

Jason shares his own story of his first startup, and with it shares a ton of ideas and advice to help you with your startup now.

Notice I said ‘now’? That’s becuase the longer you wait, the harder it will be to keep afloat.

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By ShannonCherry -- 2 comments

September 26th, 2008

Prepare Yourself: Recession Proofing 101

With an ominous cloud hanging over the U.S. economy, now’s the time to take precautionary steps. Recession is something most of us have never been through, so you don’t want to be caught off-guard.

With gas prices skyrocketing we make adjustments to our commute. Maybe your walking to work, maybe buying a bus pass, regardless… your making a change Well the same goes for your small business, only it’s a little more important than transportation adaptations.

With the threat of a recession at hand, many may feel necessary to focus on cash flow rather than creating media buzz. Luckily there are certain public relations and marketing methods out there that are inexpensive and with a little knowledge can be taken advantage of during times of downturn.

PR and marketing skills are essential when running a business. Here are several free tips about what to do with your business during a recession.

• Do not stop marketing. Be smart, cut back, but remember the time you spent building up your company. If you drop your marketing efforts, you’ll have to ramp them up again!

• Continue developing your relationships with current customers. Yes, it is always nice to gain new customers, but by focusing on those who already know, like and trust you, you’re more apt to continue to profit. And remember, it costs less to target your current clients, than trying to get new ones.

• Pay close attention to consumers and their actions. By keeping an eye on new trends in your target markets, you can outsmart your competitors and make changes in products and prices.

• Locate and invest in market segments that are continuing to grow during a recession. You want to win these markets whether you are already selling to those markets or if they are new market segments.

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By ShannonCherry -- 3 comments

September 26th, 2008

Should you start a business in this economy?

Before it’s all over, thousands will lose their jobs due to the economic climate.

And many will think that it’s the ‘kick in the pants’ they need to start a business. But is the time really right?

Bill Gates didn’t wait for the recession to pass before launching Microsoft in 1975.

And plenty of would-be entrepreneurs aren’t waiting for today’s economy to improve either: Of the approximately 3,000 job seekers—mostly managers and executives—surveyed by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 7.2 percent said they were starting their own business this year.

I think the way to go is to really evaluate risk.

I started my PR firm after the dot-com bust and found that I no longer had a job. It was rough going but the benefits outweighed the risks for me.

Things were bumpy, and I ended up taking a part-time job while I figured out what worked and what didn’t.

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By ShannonCherry -- 2 comments

September 26th, 2008

Will the bailout make it easier for you to get a business loan?

While Congress is working on a bailout plan for the banking crisis, I’m wondering how much any help will end up helping small business.

Loans are few and far between. And I have a feeling that there won’t be anyadditional funds for business loans.

A Gallup poll of 610 small business owners in July conducted for Wells Fargo found that only 14% had difficulty getting credit, while 41% said it was easy, although a membership survey in August by the National Small Business Association found that two-thirds of business owners had been affected by the credit crunch.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it is hearing anecdotal reports from small and medium-sized businesses across the country that normal business loans are getting tough to secure, even at higher interest rates.

So what do you think?

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By ShannonCherry -- 0 comments

September 23rd, 2008

Want to make money by using social networking?

I’m interviewing Queen of Marketing MaryPat Kavanagh to learn How to Develop Profitable Relationships Using Social Networking tomorrow evening and I am hoping you will join me.

As the kick-off for the all-new Penny Pinching Publicity Platinum teleseries, MaryPat will share ways to increase market share by using low-cost social networking and social media sites to grow your reach.

During the teleclass, sponsored by ReadyTalk, participants will learn:

• how to find possible joint venture partners using social media
• 5 key strategies to develop profitable, long lasting joint ventures
• which social media sites are best for making lasting connections

and much more!

Go to http://www.PennyPinchingPublicity.com to sign up for this exclusive program and teleseminar.

(photo courtesy: MaryPat Kavanagh)

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By ShannonCherry -- 1 comment