Innovation for the sake of innovation might not be the answer to building your business. And yet today as we scan the business world, it would seem that the opposite is true – innovate or disappear. So what’s the truth? The truth about successful innovation is “it depends.” And it depends on your current customer…
Lots of small towns struggle with retail, both retaining existing stores and encouraging new stores to open. In Elk City, Oklahoma, the municipal government actively encourages retail experiments by rebating some sales tax to new retail businesses. Economic Development Director Jim Mason told me about it at a regional meeting, and I thought it…
The Brag Basket is open! This one is for October 27-29, 2017. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your…
Have you ever just felt that your business and what you do is nothing special? No matter what you sell or where you are located or even where you market, your business faces lots of competition. And as you dig deeper into who your competition is and what they are doing, your feel nothing distinguishes your…
Reader Dave Tucci sent in this terrific question that you may identify with: Here in our small town Unionville, Ontario, Canada, (pop 9000) we have a free concert night every Thursday night from 7:30 to 9pm. We have awesome cover bands like Elton Rohn, Hotel California, Absolute Journey and many more. We draw crowds…
Let’s celebrate the work of your hands, or any other good news this week. The Brag Basket is open! This one is for October 20-22, 2017. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate…
Successful small businesses depend on customers who return. Such customers form your core audience. They buy regularly and as research notes, they buy more than the more casual customer or the one-time customer. Yes, their regular purchase may be less but, over time, they are your stars. Second, your returning customers are most likely be…
Live streaming video provides you new ways to reach customers and promote your small business. Today’s tools include Facebook Live, Instagram and Snapchat Live Stories, Google Hangouts that stream live on YouTube, Periscope video that streams on Twitter, and even stolid old LinkedIn that will let you pipe in live video from your Facebook…
Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.
We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.
Meet our authors on the About page.
Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.
Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.
We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses.
