Storm Dawg Marketing

ABC News reported in their article, “Neb. Small-Business Owners Say They Get No Help,” that Small business owners gathered in Omaha Tuesday to discuss what they feel is a lack of help from government stimulus programs and banks. Some of the business owners interviewed recount tales of home foreclosures, lending struggles and land devaluations – all things that significantly impact the small businesses that Omaha representative Lee Terry describes as the backbone of the U.S. economy.

If this article (and the 50 small business owners that gathered in Omaha) indicates anything, it’s that the recession is far from over, small businesses are STILL struggling, and many are having difficulty finding the help they “need.”  … or was it “want?”

We blogged a while back about a few great resources for small business: The SBA, SCORE, local banks to name a few. Now it’s not always easy… handouts (bailouts?) are easy. These are more like hand-ups. Our free marketing contest has even helped-up a few hundred small businesses drum up new customers and breath life into some marketing practices. (For those of you waiting to enter again… February we’re opening the contest back up, and it’s going to be BETTER THAN EVER!)

With all of the cries of small businesses these days, I’m reminded of a saying from another one of our blog authors, Christina Kudym: “Mom said no… … … Da-a-a-a-d!!!”  (She’s hilarious; follow her on Twitter @ChristinaKudym.)

With all the “bail outs” going on for larger industries, are we losing site of our own responsibilities? Do we “need” help or “want” help? Or to say it differently, are we just whining too much? Is there an opportunity to take even more pride from owning a business if you can steer it successfully with whatever resources are made available to you?

Or… does the government have a responsibility to the backbone of the U.S. economy to step in and help when times get tough?

Or further still… is there a risk to the greater economy without greater intervention?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this evolving discussion.

Bryan D. Jennewein

Ever feel like there’s just too much to do? If you’re a small-business owner or entrepreneur, you’re answer is almost always “Yes.” In fact, you’re probably exclaiming, “Yes! Yes! All the time!”

Want a solution for calming the chaos? I came across a great article in the AMEX Open Forum website by the Behance Team titled, “5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety in 2010,” and I just knew these would be tips you’d love.

Check out the article here: http://bit.ly/5W1qFJ

The five tips were surprisingly simple:

1. Avoid reactionary workflow
2. Reduce your insecurity at work
3. Worry only about problems within your circle of influence
4. Practice saying “no”
5. Eat (I LOVE this tip!!)

Now… does anyone have any tips for DOING these things?

Bryan D. Jennewein

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced yesterday that is has run through all of the stimulus money allocated by Congress.  To catch you up, Congress gave the SBA $375 million to help back small business loans.  Typically, the SBA charges a lender for this type of guarantee and will only guarantee a small portion of the loan.  But since the stimulus took affect, the SBA has waived the fees and been guaranteeing up to 90% of the loan amount.

There is the possibility of Congress allocating more funds, but without them…what else can a small business do?  I have a few thoughts that might help:

1. Venture capital or investors. Do you have a proven-successful business, or are you starting up a business based on a proven-successful model?  If so, then venture capital and/or investors might be the way to go.  Remember, though, that what these investors care about most is getting a fast and plentiful return.  Be prepared with financial statements and forecasts that describe, in detail, what the investment will be used for and how quickly the investors will get their return.  Also, be wary of those who offer money only in exchange for equity.  You might just be financing the farm only to have to give it away later.
2. Traditional lending. Often overlooked because many people assume banks won’t lend right now.  Not true.  In fact, some smaller regional banks have actually increased their lending.  If you’re local and looking for a local solution, this is a great one to pursue, but have your ducks in a row.  The key is the details.  These banks will need to believe your business is secure, stable and profitable.
3. Ask for help. Don’t know where to turn?  Look for more seasoned professionals in your community.  Contact the local Chamber of Commerce.  Ask friends or other business owners.  Hop on LinkedIn and “Ask a Question.”  Throw a question up on Facebook.  Use all of your networking resources to find some advice or mentorship.  You might just be surprised by how many people, and who, are willing to help.

And speaking of asking for help… how about it, readers?  Do you have any advice for one another?  Or better yet, do you have a real story about how you successfully funded your business?  We’d love to hear about it and share it.

Bryan D. Jennewein

How social are you and your business? Do you make it a point to get out there and make people aware of who you are and what your business is all about? Or, do you sit back and pray that someone does business with you today? Are you running out of ideas as to how to market your business? Take a moment and honestly answer these questions, then continue reading below about SOCIAL MEDIA.

This morning I read an article by Jeffrey Gitomer, What’s so social about social media? How social are you? As I read the article I realized that social media is the “new machine” that one can either embrace and capitalize on or continue to ignore and watch your competitors embrace the “machine” called social media and witness their exponential growth compared to your dwindling numbers. It’s up to you but for now I highly encourage you to click on the following link to read Jeffrey’s article. Afterwards I would love to hear back from you! Share your story…who knows your story may help another.

Mike Shults

Agents & brokers alike are jumping on the social media train.  It is abundantly clear that in this economy it is important to get more exposure in social networks if you are a small business.   Realtors have figured this out and are learning quickly the advantages.  A survey conducted by the NAR found that 84% of it’s agents use SMS (Social Media Sites) for business purposes.  I’m sure that you may have seen this at one time or another and not realized it…  Your friend telling you on Facebook that their home is for sale…and inserting a link to their realtor’s site.   It’s Social Media at it’s best.  Word of mouth Social.  So not only are realtors doing it…their clients are as well.  Imagine how much faster you can sell a house when you put it on your facebook wall….your clients puts it on theirs and between the two of you, you have 300 friends.  Those friends then share it with their friends…and so on.  Well now you’ve just gone viral with your listing and it didn’t cost you a thing.  Please see the attached research from our friends at ORC Guideline.  There are some great stats that you should see.

If you have any questions or stories about using Social Media Sites to get word out about your business please write in and share them!  I’d love to see what you are doing.

Have a great week!
Christina

Good morning blog fans,

You know, I was poking around the AMEX Open Forum website the other day (it really is a tremendous resource for small businesses…talented contributors, tips for marketing, strategies for managing and more…if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should.)

One article caught my attention: “Partnering for Growth: Women-Owned Businesses as the 5th Largest GDP in World” by Marcy Shinder. The title pretty much says it all. If women-owned businesses were grouped together as a single country, they would be the 5th-largest GPD in the world. This is a fact that deserves some attention and reflection.

Shinder goes on to discuss briefly some of the challenges facing women with a desire to start their own business. The biggest? MONEY! After money, the next biggest challenge is growth. Shinder gives a few tips for growing, namely through networking. Building relationships and meaningful connections, she believes, can help these small-business owners bridge the gap between where they are today and where they’d like to be tomorrow.

Are there any women-owned businesses out there with a story to share?  We’d love to hear what your biggest challenges have been, and more importantly, how you overcame them. Or maybe one of you successful business women has a story about how networking helped you build your business!

Bryan D. Jennewein

Is your business protected from an online invasion?  As a business, you need to be aware of three major online threats you can face today: spam, viruses and phishing.  You have the ability to protect yourself from these things but are you?

Whether it be by online subscription services such as McAfee or SpyWare, there are many resources out there.  If you want to know about other resources, go to the National Cyber Security Alliance.  Their site offers useful information on how to protect your business.   You can also check out SpikedSecurity.com, a blog by infoGROUP’s Kevin Russell. Do some research on what solution best fits your needs.

Spending the time and money up front will save you much more in the end.  Please check out this research from our friends at ORC Guideline about how small businesses are protecting themselves & their customers and the fines that could apply if they don’t.

Thanks and like StormDawg would say, “Don’t work too hard!”

Christina Kudym, StormDawg S.W.A.T. Team

Hey StormDawg fans,

I saw this great article in the American Express’s OPEN Forum written by Julia Rogers of Recession Wire titled “New Business in the Downturn:  Desperate Times Do Not Call For Desperate Measures” .  I thought you might like it.

Don’t Work Too Hard – StormDawg

Hey all,

This is going to be a wild week.  I am getting ready to head out to San Diego to the annual DMA conference.  I will be interviewing folks and putting some of their comments on the blog via a webcam.  It should be fun and hopefully informative.  Later, I will be in New York speaking to a group about how the economy is affecting consumer behavior.  I will share some of that research with you all later.

My small business antennae went up last week because of a conversation I heard about one of our stimulus package contestants.  A young man named Keith Fix (who I shouted out to a couple of weeks ago) was getting interviewed by Entrepreneur magazine.  It turns out Keith has a great business model but is at a crossroads with his business.   Is he really ready to make it grow?  Check out his website: http://www.provenpowerful.com/

Keith’s business does tech support for computer owners, much like the Geek Squad, but he does it at a much lower cost.  Keith is very particular about who he hires.  He looks for people who not only have the skills but also are an exact fit for the culture of his business.  It only takes him about one hour to bring a new hire up to speed and put them to work.  The problem is,  because he is so particular, his pool of potential employees is quite small.

In order for Keith to grow his business he will have to hire more employees and he may need to compromise his standards.  This is an example of a decision that needs to be made and it might not be the economically rationale decision.  Keith is a college student and maybe he isn’t ready to have his business take off quite yet.  Maybe he should finish school?

That is Keith’s decision to make!  P.S.  14 of the top 50 billionaires dropped out of college.  14 out of how many drop-outs….the odds aren’t that great.

What do you think Keith should do?

Send in your comments and don’t work too hard!

StormDawg

Small businesses are large contributors to charities and their local communities.  I am sure this is not a surprise to some of you, but did you know that small businesses donate in excess of $40 billion in cash, products, services and time?  That is incredible!

Despite the current economic situation and the fact that small businesses are getting hit hard, they are still out there lending a hand.  Wow!  In fact, according to a survey from our friends at ORC Guideline, small businesses feel they can do even more! Are you one of them?  If so, what are you donating?  Would you rather donate products and services instead of cash? Read the attached research and see what businesses like yours are giving away.

Thanks, and as StormDawg would say, “Don’t work too hard!”

Christina Kudym, StormDawg S.W.A.T. Team