National Small Business Week (NSBW) 2016 is being held May 1st through May 7th throughout the United States.
“National Small Business Week is a chance to honor our nation’s 28 million small businesses and renew our commitment to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit that is central to the American experience,” said Maria Contreras-Sweet, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Do you have plans for this week? Here are a few ways you can celebrate and jump-start your business!
Contact your local chamber of commerce or SCORE office.
Ask what events they have planned for Small Business Week and how you can get your small business involved.
Create a special edition email newsblast.
Inform customers about the week and highlighting any specials or promotions you are offering.
Join a networking group.
Visit BNI.com, your local SCORE chapter, the Chamber of Commerce, MeetUp.com to explore opportunities within the small business community.
Create a long lead marketing campaign.
Take advantage of the boost your business will get from Small Business Week and use it to kick off a longer campaign to bring customers back.
Partner with another small business.
Is there a small business that compliments your product or service? Consider partnering with them to offer special deals or discounts.
Get social.
Put some money behind Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn ads. Test out a few different ads against each other to see how they are performing. Make sure to use great images to attract more eyeballs.
Thank your employees.
Showing appreciation goes a long way with your small business employees. Bring in a special lunch, host a fun event or hand out gift cards. Happy employees equal happy customers!
Support other small businesses.
You won’t have to look far to find a small business. From the corner flower shop to an Etsy store, find a way to spend some of your hard earned dollars helping another entrepreneur.
Spring clean the office.
Take a look around – do you see lots of clutter? That can hamper creativity and productivity. Clean up, buy new office supplies, consider fresh paint or new plants.
Explore additional financing.
The holidays are just seven short months away! If your sales are picking up, consider getting additional funding to help with holiday cash flow, staffing, inventory and more.
Do you need extra funds for your small business? An SBA loan is the best bet for small businesses with low rates, long terms and low monthly payments. Visit SmartBiz today and discover in about five minutes if you’re qualified for an SBA loan.
