small town advice
What Happened One Day in LA
The Western Association of Chamber Executives came together in LA and for the first time ever, they spent an entire day with the opportunity for small chambers to learn things that related specifically to them. Small Chambers: A League of Their Own. I started the breakout session as a speaker and shared ways to update…
Read MoreYou’re the Expert
I flew back to Iowa on Saturday. Seated next to me was a gentleman from Korea and he asked me what I did for a living. I told him I was an Executive Director for a local Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Jeong asked me what was a Chamber of Commerce. I explained I had the pleasure of…
Read MoreEight Thinks to Do on Small Business Saturday
Buy new furniture. Locally. Go visit your local furniture store and be surprised. The value, the customer service and the attention to detail will simply blow you away. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what is now available in the better lines of furniture and how affordable the pieces are. Don’t big box it…
Read MoreNine Marketing Trends
According to CMO.com (an Adobe site) there are 9 marketing trends for small businesses to pay attention to. They are: Binge TV watching – not only can you watch on tv, but the streaming services are providing new value. Netflix, HBO Now, Showtime, Amazon – you can watch tv online now too. Building Media Plans…
Read MoreBeaujolais Nouveau with Friends
Christine, Cruzanne, Lynn and I used to celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau Day on the third Thursday in November with the new wine from the Beaujolais region from France, crepes and a long and happy meal together. I think it’s where I started to think that everyone’s birthday was in November. It was such a fun evening…
Read MoreChef: A lesson for small businesses
If you have not seen the movie Chef and you own a small business, stop what you are doing and go watch it. I used Netflix to see it. Besides being a feel good movie about a dad and his kid, it’s a better movie about how to use social media for your small business.…
Read MoreGoogle Analytics for Small Business
Click image to open interactive version (via Simply Business).
Read MoreDo Bloggers Tours Work?
This article originally appeared in the Building Possibility newsletter from 12-17-14. We’ve been asked to share it with our blog readers! We hosted a Bloggers Tour on December 13, 2014 here in Webster City. We invited the North Iowa Bloggers to town. https://www.facebook.com/NorthIowaBloggers Six of the bloggers came and spent the day in Webster City.…
Read MoreRural Philanthropy in Michigan
Rural Partners in Michigan, of the Michigan Rural Conference, gives out Rural Grants. Every year they host the Small Town and Rural Development Conference. I’ve been asked to keynote in April and I’m very excited to be a part of this conference. Because these guys get it. This program offers grants of up to $800…
Read MoreWhy I Shop at Wal-Mart
A reader of this blog sent me an email. She wanted to explain why she went to Wal-Mart. Now, she’s a local small business supporter. The lesson is: just because you are a small business, you don’t always deserve the business. Customer Service is VITAL. Here’s her story: The house I recently moved into…
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