Small Business Trends

Do you want to start a new small business? Here at Small Business Trends we pride ourselves on creating the best content available to the small business community. But we also strive to help others join their ranks. Think of the resources below as an owner’s guide to your new business. We’ve kept it basic because no one can build your business but you. But we hope the links below serve as a blueprint for creating the small business of your dreams. Join us today.

Getting Started

When is the best time to start a business? Mike Michalowicz says, “Whatever age you are at this exact moment, regardless if you are 12, 25 or 81.  The key is not the age as much as starting now.  Clearly you have time on your side the younger you are when you start.  So regardless of your age today, you will be older tomorrow.  So start today, before you get older tomorrow.” Read more. Entrepreneurship Interviews

The ultimate resource. What is the ultimate resource for small business owners just starting out? Information, according to Mike Holmes who, like many other entrepreneurial Websites has become publishing a list of top online resources for the week and your input is welcome. There are many books available on small business and entrepreneurship and you may avail yourself of this valuable information as well. But don’t forget the wealth of free information available online. Michael G Holmes.com

Content Marketing

Challenges for small to medium sized businesses. With few exceptions, an important aspect of any small business today will involve content marketing, a very different approach to marketing your product or brand than existed in the world before the Internet. TV ads and bulletin boards with catchy slogans will no longer be sufficient. Engaging potential customers and broader community offering your business referrals is hugely important. Here are some of the major hurtles. Global Copywriting

The full report. The importance of content marketing for B2B business cannot be overstated. These businesses can often be easier to start with lower capital investment if done right since they can often rely on a founder’s expertise in a particular field. But attracting clients in the beginning is another matter. Check out the free downloadable report compiled after querying 1,100 North American B2B businesses to learn more about their marketing techniques. Content Marketing Institute

Social Media

60-plus free social media monitoring tools. Using social media to grow your small business means more than simply Tweeting and friending but also has to do with measuring your overall impact, the effect you are having on your community. To do this requires a variety of tools but many are free or at least free to start. Browse our mega-list, shared by Travis Campbell over at BizSugar.com and learn more about maximizing your social media marketing efforts. Sales Rescue Team

Creative social media marketing. Talking about your product or idea through social media can do more than simply generate direct sales from customers. Read Daniel Beere’s explanation of how his company used social media to generate financial support for their business as well using not only traditional apps like Twitter and Facebook but also YouTube videos (watch “Daisy the Cow” near the bottom of the post) to get their idea out. Tweak Your Biz

Operations

What NFL Star Chris Johnson can teach us about small business success. Like underestimated NFL star Chris Johnson, small businesses have a great opportunity to best their stronger better funded big business competitors if they follow some simple steps to maximize their natural advantage. Here are the tips your small business needs whether you’re out of the starting gate or have been going on for some time that will help you compete against the giants in your small business. Catalyst Marketing

The number one entrepreneurial attribute. So what does it really take to start and run a small business? The answer business advisor Ken Kaufman would give is resilience. The ability to pick oneself up when everyting has fallen apart and try again. Read more about what may be the single most important characteristic you’ll need as a business owner. CFO Wise

Are You Ready?

Best laid plans. The best way to prepare for starting a small business is to understand that there are some things you can’t plan for. This is what separates those who dream forever of someday owning a business of their own and those who go ahead and do it. It separates those who plan forever for the perfect campaign and those who understand how quickly everything can change in the heat of battle. Very little about the entrepreneurial journey will be perfect, but learning to patiently confront the uncertainties of that journey is the secret to success. How To Split An Atom

118 Ways to prepare for entrepreneurship. If you ask 118 small business owners what they think the most important preparation you can make to start or own a small business…well, you’ll get 118 different answers. And that’s just what happened in the above post. You’ll likely have your own answer to the question once you’ve launched your own venture. For now, consider the advice given and see which ones make sense to you. Carol Roth