As a small business owner, marketer, or entrepreneur, taking advantage of the amount of online resources available to help you grow and manage your work may come naturally to you. This isn’t always the case, but if you find yourself in that category, have no shame, because we’re here to help you out.
The Small Business Administration reported that, in 2010, there were 27.9 small businesses and that over 75% were nonemployers. What this illustrates is that you are definitely not alone in this industry, and even if you do not employ additional staff, the network opportunities and resources available should be more than enough to keep you from feeling lonely. Below, we’ve highlighted some great resources to add to your toolbox, and set you on a path for success.
Business 2 Community
The mission statement for Business 2 Community states that they’re a place where, “business professionals can establish their thought leadership, increase exposure for their business/organization, and network with others.”
If you are in the business size of one, this is an excellent resource to gain opportunity into the business experiences of others and how you improve your own practices.
Their content covers a lot of ground, but their ‘Sales and Marketing’ section combined with their ‘Digital and Social’ section provide a lot of great tips and tricks to help any business owner.
Ever wondered the best way to find images or share your content? Do you wonder where you should start when building your social media strategy? Well Business 2 Community has the answers for you and enough constantly updated helpful information to last a long time.
Small Business Bonfire
The small business and entrepreneurial worlds are truly a community, and nothing illustrates that more than Small Business Bonfire. Their articles feature actionable tips and tools to breakdown the challenges a small business owner might face, and give them the confidence they need to tackle them headon.
Here you’ll find everything from methods to make your home office space more productive, how to manage and encourage business growth, and methods to handle your online reputation. Aside from putting out an awesome newsletter, they also have a request form on their site where you ask for marketing help with your business directly.
As a business owner, and especially if you are on your own, there are only so many hours in a day, Outsourcing the work you don’t have the time to do, or don’t have experience in, is all a part of using your resources wisely.
Don’t Forget the Major Players
While the above lists options for possibly lesser known, but more accessible content, we can’t forget the major publications who have the resources and full-time staff to be a major media platform.
Sites and publications such as Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Inc. have been in this business for many years, and their expertise shows in the vast amount of content they provide.
Want to know the best and worst cities for small business hiring or have you ever been interested in the benefits of hiring employees who show high emotional intelligence? They’ve got that covered.
They offer everything from inspirational pieces to in-depth industry insight, and topical news stories that relate to current events. Their magazines may have even been your first go-to resources when you first started on your business journey, because their huge followerships definitely represent the value of their content.
