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Marketing help and resources for the small business owner. You know you need to market, hate to spend hard-earned money on advertising that may or may not work, and you need more business. Here you can educate yourself and find lots of resources to help.
I have marketed both multi-million dollar businesses and teeny-tiny start-ups, as well as those firmly in the middle of the pack. In almost every case, I did it by being smart about marketing. Doing what works is vital. I can help you with ideas and education that will help you market your business better, faster and more effectively.
I have marketed both multi-million dollar businesses and teeny-tiny start-ups, as well as those firmly in the middle of the pack. In almost every case, I did it by being smart about marketing. Doing what works is vital. I can help you with ideas and education that will help you market your business better, faster and more effectively.
Table of Contents
- Marketing Articles
- Six Hot Business Markets for 20008
- Recession and Your Business
- Best Small Business Marketing Websites
- Marketing Green
- Marketing with Great Service
- Great Marketing Stuff on eBay
- Marketing Books
- Small Business Resources
- Subscribe to my Small Office/Home Office Newsletter
- Other Great Lenses for Small Business Owners
- Reader Feedback
Marketing Articles
Here are some of the marketing articles I have on the BellaOnline Small Office/Home Office Site.
- Four Great, Affordable Promotional Products
- Promotional Products are so much fun! Find out how to use these inexpensive tools in your business.
- Find your Target Market and Make More Money
- How targeting your marketing efforts can not only save you wasted marketing dollars but also increase your sales.
- Five Marketing Tips for Wedding Planners
- Five great ways for wedding planners to build their business
- Marketing with your Business Cards
- When marketing your business, don´t forget how valuable your business card is! It´s a mini brochure. Most are fairly cheap, too, so spread them around. Make sure all your contact info is there-- -
- Making More Money during the Holiday Season
- Jazz up your holiday sales with some simple ideas. How to sell your products and services to the gift-buying customer. - Making More Money during the Holiday Season - Small Office/Home Office is a personally written site at BellaOnline
- Marketing Tips for Writers - Small Office/Home Office
- Many times, writers hate the very idea of marketing their work. Marketing smacks of sales and if you wanted to sell stuff, well, you wouldnt be a writer now would you? Here´s how to overcome your distaste for promoting your book and get to work making money from it. - Marketing Tips for Writers -
- Marketing Tips for Writers
- Many times, writers hate the very idea of marketing their work. Marketing smacks of sales and if you wanted to sell stuff, well, you wouldnt be a writer now would you? Here´s how to overcome your distaste for promoting your book and get to work making money from it.
Six Hot Business Markets for 20008
What markets should you explore for 2008? Read Six Hot Business Markets for 2008 for ideas on targeting your marketing or expanding your business this year.
Recession and Your Business
- Recession and your Business
- Can you recession-proof your business? Five tips for weathering the economic downturn.
- Home-Staging Business
- The real estate market is in the dumps in most places right now. So, why on earth would one want to start a home staging business? Because the timing is perfect!
- Your Business Can Survive the Recession
- Tips on surviving, even thriving, your way through the recession.
Best Small Business Marketing Websites
- Smart Marketing Works
- My website has articles and information for small business owners to learn how to market their products and services. I offer free advice as well as coaching, consulting and training services for a wide variety of businesses.
- Entrepreneur
- Entrepreneur magazine has a great small business marketing section.
- Duct Tape Marketing
- Long one of my favorites, Duct Tape Marketing is practical, simple and useful.
- Small Office/Home Office Help and Information
- The latest and most up to date home business news, opportunities, advice, tips, ideas, articles, discussions, everything and anything about small offices, home offices and small businesses.
Marketing Green
How can you market to the green customer and take advantage of the growing ecological movement?
Read Marketing to the Green Customer for easy tips & ideas.
Read Marketing to the Green Customer for easy tips & ideas.
Marketing with Great Service
The more customers you keep, the fewer you have to find.
- Make sure you show appreciation for your customers--say "thank you", for pete's sake, and mean it. If you can find a cute way to say it (free cookies, anyone), all the better.
- Smile. It's totally free and it should be a job requirement for anyone interacting with your customers.
- Listen when customers complain. Sometimes, that's all they want. Other times, consider it an opportunity to create a fan.
I "complained" once in a restaurant (hardly a complaint, I just asked someone to find our server because he'd disappeared and I thought he'd forgotten that we were waiting on something) Anyway, they went overboard in apologies and gift certificates and truly, I wasn't even mad, but I've been there countless times in the six or so years since then. They invested time, effort & a hundred bucks--they've recouped at least a dozen times over. - Be helpful. You are the expert on your product or service and I'm not necessarily an idiot because I don't know it needs a special part, or I'm supposed to tip your employee. Find helpful ways to tell me how to be a good customer!
Great Marketing Stuff on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Marketing Books
Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business
This has been one of my favorites for years--still good info.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009) 
Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide: Over 1500 Great Marketing Tricks That Will Drive Your Business Through the Roof
Useful tools and info
Amazon Price: $17.21 (as of 07/13/2009)
Guerrilla Marketing for Free: Dozens of No-Cost Tactics to Promote Your Business and Energize Your Profits
Free ways to market your business
Amazon Price: $10.98 (as of 07/13/2009)
Marketing Your Services: A Step-by-Step Guide for Small Businesses and Professionals
Amazon Price: $35.33 (as of 07/13/2009)
Small Business Resources
- NASE
- The official Web site of the National Association for the Self-Employed - the Nation's Leading Resource for Micro-Business. The NASE understands the unique needs of micro-business owners and removes many of the hurdles to starting and growing a business by providing the most comprehensive range of b
- Small Business Administration
- SBA - Services provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration Offices and Partners.
- SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business"
- Great information from retired executives.
Subscribe to my Small Office/Home Office Newsletter
You'll get weekly newsletters telling you when I've put new articles on the SOHO site at BellaOnline.These articles are how-to's, business ideas, marketing tips and other great information for small and home-based businesses.
Just click here and sign up today. (We never sell or share your email address-in fact, I never even see it! We also have a no-spam policy, so no worries about getting unsolicited cr*p in your inbox.)
Other Great Lenses for Small Business Owners
- Affiliate Marketing Lens
- Great affiliate lens. From what it is to how it works. Includes top affiliate sites.
- The Personal MBA
- A do-it-yourself MBA program. If you want a good foundation in basic business, check out this lens. The suggested books are categorized so you can go right to what you want to learn about.
Reader Feedback
Practice_Builder wrote...
Nice lens! You've got a great collection of tips and resources here. I'd love it if you'd drop by my lens and say hello when you have the chance.
Posted March 14, 2009
by Deborah
Deborah Crawford is a marketing coach in Memphis, TN and owner of Smart Marketing Works. Her interests include cooking, walking, readi... (more)
