Small Business Tip #11 for 2011: Check out HARO for Free Publicity Opportunities
Posted in Closely Held Businesses and Business Start-Ups on June 10, 2011
Some media and marketing experts will tell you the best marketing for your business will often come for free. Referrals and testimonials from satisfied customers obviously come to mind. But don't underestimate the value of traditional media (not social media, but newspapers, trade journals, periodicals, and other print and online publications). I recently came across a cool website (http://helpareporter.com/) that specializes in matching media professionals (authors, reporters, TV producers) with people looking to share their expertise and experiences on a wide variety of topics. A business owner or professional can register on the HARO web site and each day he or she will receive an e-mail listing media inquiries on a virtually unlimited collection of topics. If you see something that interests you or that you feel you can contribute something of value, then you choose that topic by reply e-mail and await a follow-up from the media person who posted the inquiry. It is that simple. A small investment of your time can result in a growing portfolio of quotes in prominent publications around the world, building your personal brand as an expert in your field.
Small Business Tip #10 for 2011—Have You Explored SWaM Opportunities?
Posted in Closely Held Businesses and Business Start-Ups on June 10, 2011
The Virginia SWaM Procurement Initiative was established in 2006 to provide new business opportunities for small, women- and minority-owned businesses. A SWaM vendor is a business that has been certified by the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise and is listed in the SWaM Vendor Directory. Many entrepreneurs do not realize that the three categories of SWaM status are mutually exclusive. In other words, thousands of unsuspecting Virginia businesses qualify for SWaM certification in the "Small Business" category--defined as any independently owned business with 250 or fewer employees OR less than $10 million in gross revenue averaged over the last three years. There are a variety of initiatives in place to encourage state and local government agencies to do business with SWaM-certified businesses.
The SWAM certification process is easy to navigate and there is no filing fee. Virginia business owners should not overlook this program; they might just find some untapped opportunities to pursue. To learn more about the program, visit: http://www.dmbe.state.va.us/faq.html#program.