Growing means marketing yourself like a pro, but some small businesses struggle with picking the right mix of marketing ideas to strengthen their brand, and build business.   more »

Business.gov suggests that by paying attention to existing customer relationships and taking a proactive attitude to encourage those customers to return to your organization could be good customer service and potentially free marketing.   more »

Some small business owners are interested in attracting new customers to boost profits in a down economy. To do so, many are considering expanding their current product or service offerings to attract a different client base   more »

Given the decreased demand for goods from some major trading partners including the U.S., one Canadian province is taking new steps to help businesses market their products.    more »

Turning Slow Into Grow: Using Business Downtimes to Prospect for New Business, one of the most popular business Webinars presented by NEBS Canada is now available in a variety of formats.   more »

NEBS Canada Business Products is pleased to present a FREE 45 minute webinar on April 1st at 2:00 pm EST, where we will show you the key points of why every business should invest in a Search Engine Marketing Campaign.   more »

As tracked by The National Federation of Independent Businesses, 25% of small business owners are citing poor sales as their #1 concern. This is the highest this figure has been in 22 years. These concerns are not being fueled by fear, but by actual results. However, small businesses are perhaps the best positioned to be able to take advantage of the slower times in business life-cycles to develop and implement a strategy to grow business and eliminate slow periods in the future.   more »

Growth trends in mobile advertising suggest that it is a new emerging trend worth investigating. The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada has released statistics that show explosive growth of mobile advertising since 2006. According to the IAB Canada, mobile ad revenue in Canada was $1.1 million in 2006 and grew to $2.7 million by 2007. Forecasts show that 2008 revenue could double and top $5.2 million when actual figures are released.    more »

Consumers are logging more hours online these days - some for online shopping - but largely to do research on products and find discounts. According to a new report by eMarketer called Search Marketing Trends, online search is rising in importance to marketers given how increasingly selective customers are becoming.   more »

As marketing materials and tactics continue to go digital, industry experts are advising business owners to increase their online presence. Consumers are interested in saving money by surfing for coupons online, but now business can cut costs too by reaching out to customers on a variety of social networking sites.   more »

Consumers opening their wallets these days are often doing so with increased trepidation. However a number of businesses are making offers they hope consumers cannot refuse. Forbes reports on the growing trend of marketing to the masses of unemployed consumers who are increasingly taking their time and waiting for discounts before making many purchases.   more »

Though not a new concept, the idea of buying local products - from a nearby farm, for example - has grown increasingly trendy in recent years. Some independent businesses that advocate the buy local mantra now say it has helped them fare better than the average business during the recession.   more »

A number of experts agree that remaining relevant to customers during a recession is important to retaining their business down the line. Whether they see your company logo on the web, on branded clothing at a tradeshow or even on a social networking site online, customers are reminded of your product or service. Given the limited resources many businesses are struggling with in today's economy, marketing can remain effective on a shoestring budget say some industry insiders.   more »

Small businesses looking to improve sales may be wise to crunch some web traffic numbers to better understand why customers buy products and how they decide to make purchases. In today's explosive age of ecommerce, online shopping and social media, small businesses have an increasingly level playing field on which to compete for business.   more »

With a unique logo, many customers will be able to retain a visual picture of your business and your brand. And while logo design is the first step in publicizing your products or service, one camera company is offering a fun, distinctive way to remind customers, clients and colleagues about your business.   more »

A blase attitude won't help win over customers, say many small business owners. But owners, salespeople or a company spokesperson with passion for the product and an ability to connect with the customer base are key to business success.   more »

One healthy food and beverage company is taking its product on the road and setting up new micro-outposts at colleges and airports. While it seems like a non-traditional retail path, Jamba Juice is reaping benefits from its beverage kiosks at JFK, Denver and Newark international airports as well as among students at Boston University and UCLA.   more »

Dipping commercial real estate prices and vacant storefronts present a prime opportunity for some merchants to expand - even during a recession. Restaurateurs and auto dealerships are among the optimists noted in a recent Boston Globe article that discusses some business owners' decisions to capitalize on the current economy.    more »

According to Inc. magazine, building an attractive, usable website and using word-of-mouth marketing are two important ideas.   more »

One Canadian marketing guru is putting her years of message delivery experience to work in her new book. Muddled, Meager and Messy - Marketing performance repair manual for small business is author Wendy Moore-MacQueen's way to help small businesses position themselves competitively even during a down economy.   more »

Building new relationships and retaining loyal customers in the long-term is plausible despite tough economic times, many experts say.   more »

Successful small businesses are recognized throughout Canada 

A restaurant group, a bookstore, and a telecommunications firm took top honors for ...   more »