(StatePoint) Launching and managing a small business offers a complicated mix of challenges and rewards. National Entrepreneurship Week, celebrated Feb. 14-21, is an opportunity to both celebrate the role of small businesses in the national economy, and to uplift individual entrepreneurs.
As the nation’s largest franchisor of retail shipping, postal, print and business service centers and a convenient, one-stop shop for small businesses, The UPS Store is sharing tips to ease the challenges and ramp up the rewards of small business ownership.
Target your customers effectively: Use a mix of email campaigns, e-newsletters, social media advertisements and direct mail campaigns to build brand awareness and boost customer engagement. While there’s nothing quite as effective as direct mail for brand-new small businesses, initiating a campaign can be overwhelming. Lean on the experts at The UPS Store for customer targeting, graphic design, printing and mailing services, and more.
Boost your image: Items that seem like small details can really make a difference when it comes to creating credibility with potential customers. For example, maintaining a real street address, creating high-quality marketing materials with a consistent brand identity, and setting up a professional website with its own domain name all are great steps you can take to boost your professional image.
Focus on your passion: Outsourcing tasks like accounting, reception and recruitment means you’ll have more time to focus your time and talent on your business’s core purpose. Fortunately, there are opportunities to trim expenses where these services are concerned. The UPS Store maintains relationships with various vendors and service providers in order to offer its small business customers exclusive deals.
Seek one-of-a-kind opportunities: What every small business needs more of is support and recognition. Now you can compete for both. The UPS Store, Inc. and Inc. Business Media are teaming up for an inspiring national competition supporting entrepreneurs: The UPS Store Small Biz Challenge. This challenge invites small business owners from across the nation to compete for the chance to win prize money to put towards their business. Following the initial entry period, nine semifinalists will be selected and thereby gain access to expert mentorship and powerful networking connections that fuel growth. During the public voting phase from Mar. 16 to Apr. 5, the nine semifinalists will ask for the public’s support for the chance to be one of three finalists who will compete live in Nashville. Finalists have a chance to win a share of the $35,000 prize pool and a feature in an upcoming issue of Inc. magazine to help grow their small business.
“Our Small Biz Challenge recognizes the driven small business owners across the country who power their communities every day,” said Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales at The UPS Store, Inc. “We’re continually inspired by the contestants and proud to provide them a stage where they gain visibility, guidance and confidence to keep growing.”
Find out the rules and how to enter at www.inc.com/the-ups-store-challenge by Feb. 22. [No purchase necessary to enter. Open to U.S. residents 18 or older who own and operate an independent (non-franchised) small business. Finalists must attend the live competition in Nashville to be eligible for cash prizes. Void where prohibited. See complete official rules, including eligibility and judging criteria, at inc.com/theupsstore/rules. Sponsored by The UPS Store, Inc., 9350 Waxie Way, Suite 520, San Diego, CA 92123 and Mansueto Ventures LLC, d.b.a. Inc. Magazine, 250 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007.]
