From lean start-ups to stable profit centers that are looking to grow, small business is a world where the bold are successful – and the resourceful seek new opportunities and knowledge. There are countless resources available for any small business looking to grow.
Local and Government Websites:
Let your tax dollars work for you (for once). There are ample resources available from the various levels of the government with rules, resources and even funds available.
U.S. Small Business Association
Your first stop for ideas and resources on a small business are the government and local websites that give you the legalities and requirements to start or run a business in your area. In the United States, the Small Business Association (SBA) has information on any number of government programs, regulations and grant opportunities.
State Website for Small Business
Your state, city and community should have websites dedicated to small businesses as well. For example, you should be able to find resources at the state level, often through the Secretary of State.
Local Website for Small Business
Your city or area will likely have a chamber of commerce as well as local business organizations. These meetings and websites can be a treasure trove of municipal resources, connections and networking opportunities. Some areas will have a strong web presence, while others may require you to spend more time attending meetings and network events to gain access.
Online Resources for all Small Businesses:
Leaving legalities behind, there are seemingly endless blogs and website dedicated to small businesses and the issues they face. While individual industries will have specialists offering advice, excellent advice about small business practices, strategies and techniques can be found on these sites that stand out from the rest.
Designed for small businesses in tiny communities, the principals guiding a small business in a rural setting aren’t much removed from what you need in a major city. In fact, some larger businesses thrive on the “hometown” mentality of business described here.
Marketing for Solos: The Ultimate How-To Guide For Marketing Your One Person Small Business Successfully
by Jeanna Pool
If you’re like most solo small business owners…chances are you’re fantastic at what you do. Your clients love the services you provide. But, when it comes to the marketing of those services, you could probably use a little help in that department.
Keith Ferrazzi
Keith Ferrazzi is the author of Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
, an excellent book for small business owners, and also runs a regular blog of simple, effective advice. Fortunately, since some of his advice is heady stuff, he offers it in small doses.
Duct Tape Marketing Revised & Updated: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
With an effort to offer realistic, practical advice, John Jantsch’s Duct Tape Marketing is almost exactly what it sounds like – finding problems, finding solutions, and finding ways to continually improve your small business.
An entrepreneur himself, Dom Moorhouse offers advice on service-related firms including consulting services and common questions about small business. Rather than a traditional blog, the Five-Year Entrepreneur is presented as a series of modules including eBooks and training guides.
Online Resources for Online Small Businesses:
When you start a business online, you’re working with a different set of playing cards. The basic concepts are often the same, but buying and selling online requires a certain knowledge set that may not always be cut and dry. These websites will help web-based business owners stay focused on an often distracting world.
SEO is the heart of many online businesses – even if they don’t know it yet. The SEOMoz blog helps to break down the necessary strategies for the ever-changing algorithms of SEO as well as offering general business tips and advice that stem from the digital nature of these businesses.
Sean Ellis, the successful CEO of Qualaroo, has made a habit of being one of the first to market many online powerhouses including Dropbox, Lookout, and Uproar. He shares his personal experiences and extensive knowledge of starting up businesses and running them successfully on his blog.
Online businesses must be in touch with the various application and opportunities including social media and gadgets. Marketing TechBlog delves into all of the various latest and greatest applications, modules and platforms helping small business owners determine the best resources for their business.
Eric Ries is a big name in the Lean Startup movement – in fact, he started the movement with his book. On his blog, Startup Lessons Learned, Eric takes small business people through any number of related topics including business strategy, marketing, and operations.
photo credit: dgray_xplane via photopin cc
