StormDawg Small Business Stimulus Package
Hey all,
*** Click Here for September’s Contest Page ***
THE PROBLEM: Small businesses are struggling…
You’ve shared your stories, read the news, seen my face, and read the research. People aren’t buying, products aren’t selling, banks aren’t lending, and the help from local and national governments just isn’t enough or isn’t there. Banks are seizing businesses, homes, and assets. Small business owners are intimidated, frightened and don’t know where to turn.
THE FACTS: The economy *NEEDS* small businesses to fight this recession…
They say money turns over in the economy at least seven times… well… it needs to start with small businesses. Small businesses outnumber large businesses by the millions! If anyone is going to turn this economy around, it’s the small businesses and smart small business owners. We keep hearing about all this stimulus money from the government, and the Small Business Administration agreeing to back loans, but as the Boeles tell us, they’ve been turned down for loans four times. How are these small businesses supposed to become the catalyst for change without the help they need?
THE SOLUTION: I want to stimulate small businesses by paying for your marketing!
You read it right. I’m offering my own StormDawg Small Business Stimulus Package. I’m going to pick one small business every month and pay for their marketing. My colleagues at infoGROUP and I will put our heads together, create a StormDawg Take Charge Marketing Plan, and get it off-the-ground by sponsoring the initial costs.
It’s *FREE MARKETING* for you and your business. It gets you what you need to get your business going again, and gives other business owners a plan they can follow to do the same.
Want me to pay for your marketing? Here’s how you enter:
Just send me an email, StormDawg@infoGROUP.com, and tell me your story and your struggles. Tell me about yourself, your business, and what you’ve experienced with this down economy and recession. Every month, I’ll pick one business to sponsor from everyone who submits their story. There are, of course, a few simple rules:
- All entries must be submitted via email, to StormDawg@infoGROUP.com
- Businesses must be based in the United States
- By entering, you consent to having your stories shared on the blog
- Selected winners must be willing to submit a short video testimonial
(I’ll supply the camera) - There might be other rules… if there are, I’ll let you know
Send your story RIGHT NOW to StormDawg@infoGROUP.com for your chance to be selected!
Don’t work too hard!
StormDawg
We started our web site in March. It is continuing to evolve. Everyday I am learning more about everything it takes to have a successful web site. This week I am learning about search engine optimizing. I never realized what all it takes to be seen and to get people not only to come to your site, but to get them to spend money at it. The problem I am having right now is getting the web site noticed by enough people. The web site to must pay for itself. The following questions must be asked. 1)Are we getting enough traffic to justify having and maintaining the site. 2)What does it take to make it go and does the cost justify the ends?
Greg thanks for the post. This is an emerging area of concern and opportunity for small businesses. You are the first applicant for the stormdawg stimulus plan. Will pick a winner in a few weeks for August. Either way I think I can put some tips on the blog about how we can help.
@Greg Nees
Hi Greg,
I work with StormDawg and thought I’d throw you a bone. I’m the Director of Social Media for infoGROUP, and one interesting article we came across recently talked about Dell Outlet’s success selling merchandise via Twitter. They built a strong followship because they would “tweet” exclusive deals. First follower to click through and purchase got the special price. You might think about combining your website with some social media tools like this to help supplement traffic (and revenue!). I’m looking forward to reading more of StormDawg’s tips for you. Best of luck!
Regards,
Bryan D Jennewein – Director of Social Media
infoGROUP, Inc. http://www.infogroup.com
(402) 537 7743
Bryan.Jennewein@infogroup.com
Follow me on Twitter – @Tweet2Market
need help getting this business off the ground
I began my business in 2006, after a terrible corporate experience, where I was harassed by my boss during a time of extreme personal stress. I quit my job and began doing contract work. I have been working on promoting my part-time management consulting business since then. Of course, the economy has been working against me. I don’t have any real budget for marketing, so I’ve been spending most of my time and energy networking and improving my website. I get a fair amount of traffic on my site, but converting traffic to business is another story.
I am the CFO of a small Architectural Company that my husband is President of. We design any residential, commercial, industrial project’s, and specialize in church related facilities. We have at least 30 contracts signed for new construction but our clients – mostly churches can not obtian financing. They can’t pay us , if they can’t obtain adequate funding – and there perishoners are not contributing as much as they ususally do , because of layoffs ect. We need to reach clients that have the resorces to fund there own projects. Can you Help!
Susan Adams, CFO
Adams Architectural Associates
TrueShare.com is an online file system that is competing in a marketplace that is highly competitive and lined with VC backed start-ups with “money to burn”. Whereas we are not VC backed and must operate within the limits of our revenues. We can’t simply throw bodies or dollars at a problem – we must be agile and innovative to compete and we wouldn’t want it any other way. We are blessed to have exceptional leadership and staff and are holding our own after 7 years. The TrueShare solution is feature-rich and offers many benefits over the competition, but we struggle in the PR realm and in generating interest within the journalist and blogger communities where we would like to get our solution reviewed and our story told.
Thank you,
Eric Matt
Founder and CEO
TrueShare.com
10500 Barkley Suite 200
Overland Park, KS 66212
Tel: 913-341-2100
877-700-4999
Fax: 913-341-4664
http://www.TrueShare.com
I am The Conivin’ Cowboy. I used to drive big trucks for a living, and that is my handle on the CB. Back in ‘02, I stopped to get fuel one day, and when I climbed down out of the truck, I fell, due to the uneven ground around the fuel pumps. I broke my left foot in two places, and blew out the L-5 in my back. This accident left me permanetly disabled. I get social security, and to supplement what little they give me, I became an author, as people had always told me what good stories I tell.
I paid i-universe $750 to publish my first book, Magic, Luck, or Guardian Angels. They told me they’d help with publishing, promotion, and everything else I’d need to become successful. All they really did was take my money, and do everything they could to hamper my success.
Meantime, I moved from Pa. to Tx., as my book wasn’t selling in Pa. I’ve been selling books at book fairs, business fairs, and anywhere else I can. I’ve also come in fourth at the Third Annual International Book Fair at the downtown Dallas Library. My book is on the shelves there, as well as the Denton County Library System. I’ve been on radio, on stages here and there, And I’m a member of the Little Elm Library Writers Group, having written a play, which I’ve been invited to act in.
I’ve received three royalty checks, although not for much money. As a matter of fact, I took the second check, and bought as many copies of my book as I could, and paid cash. Yet, the next check was for less than the second.
I sure could use some kind of help. I keep coming up with ideas, but any you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Susan, As a senior commercial loan officer for a faith based mortgage broker (MARANATHA FINANCIAL LLC), we represent a number of faith based lenders that specialize in church loans. While some stipulations apply, many are afforded the opportunity to seek funding (financing or re-financing) for their special projects. Every attempt will be made to secure the required funding following a Q & A conference call or short qualifier form by email. I, personally, will work with you in reaching out to your clients who are seeking funding and Building for His Kingdom. May I look forward to hearing from you.
I have been in the Construction business in phoenix since 2005 and before that a contractor in Anchorage, Alaska. Previously I had gotten enough work from a lead service but when the economy got bad the leads started to dry up and were not worth the extra money. I have had a website since 1995 in one or more various forms and use FrontPage to create my own site. I had signed up for adwords with Google and have had some success getting jobs. but i have also had a few large bills. I get at least one call daily from a a marketer who says they can get my website listed on the first page of Google. which it is if you do a local search. the few marketers I had talked to have not been able to give me one customer whom they had gotten in the top spot without adwords. the majority of websites that are in the top list are not even business. they are more often than not free websites geared toward the advertising links. and are looking to get hits for their sponsored links. I have signed up for a trade show and am in the process of getting mailing list to create flyers in neighborhoods that have the potential for decent jobs. so far I have yet to see a market deliver on a promise to get jobs.