Some Small Businesses Become Big


Some small businesses become big and some stay small. Some run by solopreneurs never grow beyond the single professional who launched them. But no matter what, many aspects of starting and running a small business successfully are the same. Drive, determination, imagination and hard work are always part of the equation. Here are some examples of small businesses that grew and some tips and trends to run your small business regardless of its size.

Startups & New Trends

Small businesses that grew to be giants. Most big businesses start small, but here are perhaps some of the best examples of companies that started as small mom-and-pops and grew to become huge companies and household names. Business Insurance Quotes

Do you need branding or lead generation? An important consideration when starting a business (or starting a marketing campaign) is to identify what is most important. While brand will certainly have an impact over time, leads are also critically important. Without them you will make no sales, have no cash flow and thus will not need a brand. 365 Days of Startups

Selling direct to consumers. Gary Vaynerchuk is talking up what may be the latest trend in business everywhere. Amazon’s decision to enter the publishing business has profound impact for “middle men” in the economy and should get you thinking about whether you can take your product or service directly to consumers. Next Wave

Entrepreneurship

Reasons to fail. Are there reasons you can’t create a great small business, or a small business that grows into a big one? Sure there are. Lots of them. In fact, here are a bunch. But be warned. They’re easy to find even without a Website. Chris Brogan

Who are you working for? Obviously even entrepreneurs work for customers and clients, but the question here is actually a bit deeper. Becoming an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you can “do your own thing” all the time, but it implies making certain decisions about how you spend your time. Seth Godin’s Blog

Self-development

Make your point and have it stick. Do you get the feeling that you’re not getting your customer’s or perspective client’s attention when you are communicating with him? Maybe it’s you? What is your I-you ratio? Do you start most sentences with I? I did this. I can do this for you. Remember, the customer doesn’t care about you. He only cares about himself and his problems. What can you and what are you going to do for him? Use 10 “you’s’ for every “I”. Inc.com

Take action on your goals. You work hard all day and you’re not really accomplishing what needs to be done. Are you working on the right things? Are your goals real or something you put down on a paper some time ago? Review your goals and prioritize them. Then consider what it is that motivates you to accomplish them and find someone who will hold you accountable. Inc.com

Operations

How to find great people. Certainly, recruitment is constantly changing, but as in the case of marketing, find out more about what’s causing the buzz before jumping in head first. Here’s a look at one of the latest recruitment trends. Should you be involved? 365 Days of Startups

Marketing

Don’t make these marketing mistakes. Small business operation is a learning experience, but there are certainly some tips you should consider to avoid wasting time and money. Marketing errors can be more serious and damaging to your business than you may think. Bloomberg Businessweek

How targeted is your campaign? A new service targets customers based on local check-ins and even positive and negative response to a product or brand. How are you targeting your marketing campaigns to be sure you reach relevant customers? Chris Brogan

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