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Social networking is a fast growing phenomenon in both the business and social sectors of the U.S. economy. It is a child of the Internet and provides an electronic way of person-to-person networking. This paper illustrates how small business owners can use social networking to market their business. First we consider the reasons to network online. Facebook and LinkedIn are two social networking marketing tools at the disposal of the small business owner. These are described as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each. The paper concludes with best practices and tips for using social networking., INTRODUCTION Small business owners typically rely on traditional means to advertise their businesses and services. These means typically include direct mail, local newspapers, fliers, radio, signage, and trade shows. With [...]

Entrepreneurs typically work long, arduous hours just maintaining all operations associated with their businesses. Thus, deciding to get involved in an Internet social phenomenon, which could be a passing fad, may or may not be a smart marketing move for small business owners. The excitement about Twitter is hard to avoid. Internet searches regarding Twitter's use as a marketing tool reveal thousands of hits. Although there are claims about the value of Twitter for small business marketing use, there is a lack of empirical evidence to back up grand, sweeping claims about the actual usefulness of the tool. This study was conducted to provide empirical evidence regarding Twitter's usefulness., INTRODUCTION The Internet community is abuzz with talk about Twitter, blogging about Twitter, and of course, tweeting on Twitter. Twitter is a mini-blogging tool that gives its users 140 characters [...]

CASE DESCRIPTION The search for opportunity is the entrepreneur's roller coaster. According to the SBA Office of Advocacy's annual report (Source: http://www.sba.gov/advo/), there are approximately 25.85 million small businesses in [...]

Innovations in international market development by small- and medium-sized businesses are analyzed. Gathering knowledge and building relationships will assist firms in international market development.

A study aimed at investigating the marketing and retail activity on the Web assumed that experiential behaviors of Web users are significant for creating positive word-of-mouth about the site and for developing product knowledge. When the consumer displays commitment with a product or product category, they may search to acquire an information bank or knowledge base in their memories for potential future use. A more interactive or more entertaining site retains customers and attracts purchases.

A theoretical framework that includes a contingency approach and a process model will advance the theory of small business marketing. Small businesses need to adopt a suitable contingency approach that is based on the disciplinary foundation of marketing. Quantitative research methods will aid in determining the specific marketing standards of small firms and their influence on company performance.

Small firms often attempt to grow by attracting bigger customers and/or larger order sizes. A frequent strategy is to add additional sales personnel with the explicit goal of capturing larger buyers. Hypotheses useful in defining the impact of this type of strategy on sales departments in smaller companies are presented. Predictions are tested with data collected from a national sample of sales engineers in the construction services industry. Results suggests that with larger customers come the need for more formalize sales behavior, a greater incidence of team selling, more reliance on approved vendor lists and formal bidding, and a greater role of price negotiation in vendor selection. Adjustments in sales management practice necessary for successful selling to larger buyers are also recommended., INTRODUCTION A common benchmark in the evolution of many smaller firms is the successful attraction of larger accounts. Successful recruitment of the first large order is very frequently the turning [...]

A research proved through several case studies that companies with lower market share can become alternative leaders by planning changes in their competitive profiles. Smaller firms can prosper by filling the demand that industry leaders consider to have insignificant effect on their market position. Larger industry followers can thrive by focusing on market niches that industry leaders have ignored or overlooked., Introduction In many industries there are one or several companies which are leaders. Such firms, whenever possible, attempt to influence their competitive environments advantageously to themselves. They attain their leadership [...]

Marketing approaches for present conditions may no longer be applicable in the future. The winners in the competitive market will be those who are able to come up with effective marketing plans that enable their companies to respond and adapt immediately to market needs. Since most of the literature on effective marketing planning cover big businesses, key principles of marketing planning for small business are presented., Introduction In the fast-changing and increasingly competitive business environment of the late 1990s, the right marketing approach for today's conditions will almost certainly not be right for those of tomorrow. [...]