Small Biz Survival
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Founded by Becky McCray, this is the rural small business blog. We talk about small-town business, with how-to articles, an emphasis on social media marketing, and a weekly chance to share your good news in our Brag Basket. We've been at it since January 14, 2006.
Small Biz Survival
3w ago
Without making people mad! One common small town parking complaint is business staff taking up customer parking. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this brought up in discussing downtown businesses. Sometimes business owners or business employees park right in front of their business or along the Main Street. They might park out ..read more
Small Biz Survival
2M ago
— How many times have you heard it? Someone lamenting, “There’s nothing to do here!” Worse yet, hearing someone tell visitors that. “What is there to do around here?” “Nothing, really. I don’t know.” Enough with that. Let’s give people an easy way to answer, and let’s do it the Idea Friendly way. Make a ..read more
Small Biz Survival
2M ago
In the small town of Duck Lake, Saskatchewan, Marilyn Pope Francis ran a restaurant with a fenced patio for tables and chairs. She set up hot serving dishes and a cold drinks station in the gazebo to serve customers. Here’s the part where we learn that Marilyn is a low-key business genius. Next to ..read more
Small Biz Survival
3M ago
by Caroline Tremblay, The Daily Yonder August 5, 2024 Kansas: Elevate the work of younger people In rural Kansas, if you’re between the ages of 21 and 39ish, you might be considered a PowerUp — but not just because of your age or location. A PowerUp is someone who is rural by choice. “The name ..read more
Small Biz Survival
6M ago
Guest post and photo by Debbie Saviano
NO GUESSWORK Here! You know exactly what you’re getting! Great burgers and a relaxed boozy atmosphere. Small town businesses have a way of getting to the point. The name is the claim.
About the author
Debbie Saviano helps people learn how to use LinkedIn, online courses and social media to share and grow their businesses. She lives near a small town in north Texas. Find her on LinkedIn ..read more
Small Biz Survival
6M ago
Want to host a quilting retreat? Take small steps to get it started. USDA photo by Bob Nichols
Uniontown, Washington, (population 300) has a strong base of arts, artisan and craft entrepreneurship. When I toured Uniontown, a woman spoke up who wants to start a quilt retreat, a place for people to come and quilt together. More than a local quilting bee, she’s imagining a full retreat space. She owns a historic home that was the site of an old convent in the 1890s. There’s an outbuilding that would be a great retreat location.
Uniontown, Washington, is home to the Artists at the Dahmen Barn ..read more
Small Biz Survival
7M ago
Here’s a pet friendly business in Palouse, Washington, with a pet relief station. Photo by Becky McCray.
Any business can offer pet friendly amenities
In 2023, SaveYour.Town identified pet friendly communities as a Top Topic.
Here’s an example of a business offering a pet friendly amenity. In Palouse, Washington, a local veterinarian has an office in the downtown. Out front, they’ve installed a small patch of artificial turf as a pet relief station. They added a cleanup bag dispenser on a pole and a tiny fire hydrant. It’s not a huge expense, but it adds a big benefit to anyone walking a dog ..read more
Small Biz Survival
7M ago
This building looks like it is in good repair, but there’s no way to tell by looking that it’s an active seasonal business. Photo by Ana Blaisdell.
Marketing tip: keep signs up year-round even if you’re a seasonal business.
When I toured several small towns in Washington and Idaho with the Inland Northwest Partners, I noticed many part-time and seasonal businesses did not have signs up during their off season.
In the town of Deary, Idaho, (population 500) there is a wine tasting parlor in a well-kept brick building on a corner in the downtown. Unfortunately there are no signs to indicate tha ..read more
Small Biz Survival
7M ago
What can small towns do about crumbling buildings in their downtown? They can join together to fix them up and get businesses in them. Our own Jeanne Cole helped to bring this building back in downtown Waynoka. Photo by Becky McCray.
Waynoka, Oklahoma, had a lot of vacant run-down buildings in their downtown. In a town of 900 people, the prospects didn’t look great. At an all-class reunion, a group of alumni got together and decided to change that.
They called themselves Project Waynoka, our friend and early contributor Jeanne Cole said. They started raising money. They bought on ..read more
Small Biz Survival
7M ago
The “Move Your Money” campaign wants you to shift your financial resources to local banks and investment opportunities. That makes a lot of sense for small town businesses who care about having a thriving local economy.
The 2024 Move Your Money Campaign
The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) has been at the forefront of the “Move Your Money” campaign, offering resources and support for those interested in making the switch to local banking. This year, AMIBA has emphasized the critical role that local banks and credit unions play in fostering economic resilience within small towns ..read more