By TE Cunningham & Shea Eckert YouTube provides many opportunities for SMBs to get creative and get the word out about their products and services. If you have been considering starting a channel, go for it! Here are some brief guidelines to get you started. Start by creating your YouTube account. Subscribe to other YouTube pages related to yours to stay updated with your industry and have the most robust page possible. Be consistent in your branding and make sure all graphics follow it, especially your YouTube profile picture and cover photo. We recommend a logo bug for the profile [...]

By TE Cunningham & Shea Eckert Have you been wondering if TikTok is a fit for your SMB? If you don’t have a marketing team member to get you set up, here are some helpful tips to get you started on this exploding social network. Start by creating your TikTok account. Follow businesses related to yours to stay updated with your industry and have the most robust page possible. You can also follow current customers and potential new customers. Be consistent in your branding and make sure all graphics follow it, especially your TikTok profile picture. We recommend a logo [...]

By Shea Eckert At TLC Marketing Consultants, we are fortunate to work with many small and medium-sized business owners, including several independent retailers. It is our pleasure to celebrate them during Independent Retailer Month. Independent Retailer Month focuses on continuing the success of independent retailers by encouraging individuals to shop locally. In the United States alone, there is a growing number of 150,000 independent retail stores. By supporting independent retailers, you help your local community thrive, as well as support entrepreneurs who took a risk by creating their business. According to a study done by Civic Economics, independent retailers return [...]

By Shea Eckert We are proud to be Americans and proud to honor our Flag every day at TLC Marketing Consultants! Today marks National Flag Day, a nationally recognized holiday in the United States since 1916. In celebration and memory of the day the United States first approved the design for our American Flag in 1777, former President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Flag Day to occur annually on June 14. Since his proclamation, cities across the nation have organized Flag Day celebrations, including parades, fireworks and parties each year to show their patriotism for our country. Although attending a celebration can [...]

By TE Cunningham & Shea Eckert Are you a small business owner toying with the idea of using LinkedIn? What are you waiting for? Go for it. The following outline will get you started. Create your LinkedIn account and fill out every possible field. Like and connect with all businesses related to yours to stay updated with your industry and have the most robust page possible. Be consistent in your branding and make sure all graphics follow it, especially your LinkedIn cover and profile picture. We recommend a logo bug for the profile pic; make sure your entire logo shows [...]

By TE Cunningham & Shea Eckert Social media can seem overwhelming to the small business owner just starting out. If you don't have marketing assistance, here are some brief guidelines to get you started. Create your business Pinterest page and fill out all fields. Choose topics of interest for your boards that make sense for your business to have the most robust page possible. You may also follow other boards that are related to your business. After creating boards, start pinning! Be consistent in your branding and make sure all graphics follow it, especially your Pinterest icon. We recommend a [...]

By Sofie Thompson SMB owners often struggle with finding new employees for their operation. There are many important steps to consider to attract potential candidates to your company to start the hiring process. Here are some tips to get you started. Establish a referral program. Since referrals are usually the best source for finding potential candidates, chances are pretty high that someone you previously hired will understand the qualifications and recruit other suitable candidates. With a referral program, employees can get rewarded if their recommendation is hired. This will help your business gain other well-trusted employees. Also, ask around your [...]

By TE Cunningham & Sofia Thompson Social media can seem overwhelming to the small business owner just starting out. If you don’t have a marketing employee to take the reins for you, here are some brief guidelines to get you started. Create your Snapchat profile and fill out every possible field. Be consistent in your branding and make sure all posts include some indicator of your brand. Although there is no profile picture on Snapchat, content within your stories should be consistent with content from other platforms and easily recognizable. Turn on Snapchat Insights to gain information about your story [...]

By Sofie Thompson Every April, Stress Awareness Month is recognized worldwide and is an important reminder to take care of your health. Finding healthy and effective ways to cope with stress is critical for your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. There are a ton of perks that come with working for yourself, but owning a small business can be incredibly stressful. Whether it’s the administrative tasks or keeping up with compliance, SMB owners are constantly under pressure to keep their staff, clients and families happy. One of the leading causes of stress for SMB owners is the amount of work [...]