By Annie Urban SMBs may struggle with limited funds for their marketing plan. As such, SMB owners have to get scrappy and look for low and no-cost opportunities to promote their goods and services. The other common challenge for owners when it comes to marketing is the time commitment it takes. They are busy running their day-to-day business, and marketing is often something that gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. The great news is that there are ways for small companies to market without draining the bank account or monopolizing too much time. Here are four quick [...]

By Annie Urban Are you still stuck working from home and wondering how you can build stronger relationships between colleagues? Are you worried that your teams won’t be as tight-knit as they would be if in person? Virtual team building is a great option—here are eight fun ideas you can try! “Name That Emoji Song Title” Allow each person three minutes for their turn. Step 1: Start a group messaging chain. Step 2: Call on each attendee to go, then put a timer on your phone for three minutes. Step 3: Have each person look at their last played song [...]

By Clare McNeeley Being accurately listed in online directory listings is critical to business success. Mobile phone usage continues to dominate, and it has never been easier for consumers to find what they need online. When customers search for local information, they typically find their way to an online business directory, like Google, Yelp or Yahoo. The listings on these directories come in many forms. Gone are the Yellow Pages; here and now are the directory listings containing the company name, address, phone number, website URL and sometimes other features such as videos and photos. Accurate business listings are vitally important [...]

By Annie Urban As we enter 2021, many small to medium-sized business owners have new goals – especially after the year we just put behind us. Creating a plan to follow can keep you on course and accountable to be able to achieve those goals. Creating an efficient marketing plan might seem scary at first, but it is a process that helps move you forward. Here are some tips and tricks to get your business exactly where you want it to be. Set your goals. State on paper your company’s goals for the year. These goals can be anything from [...]

By Clare McNeeley You have had a dream of creating your own business for so long; why not make your dream into reality? Maybe you have a vision of providing valuable products or services to your community or perhaps you just want to be your own boss and decide your hours. Either way, if you have passion, commitment and a strong work ethic, it may be time to jump. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are a few critical steps to take in order to bring your idea to life. The Plan First, research and learn everything you [...]

By Spencer Gray Facebook is cracking down on the number of ads large businesses can publish – freeing up space for small businesses this year. The company announced it is heavying up its focus on the consumer experience this year rather than on the business or advertising experience. This will lead to a decrease in organic reach for business pages. One might surmise that Facebook is also focusing on the user more than the business in order to prevent people from leaving the app, thus keeping their consumer pool intact for advertisers and businesses to target. Many were angered this [...]

By Kody Ross The new year will be upon us soon, and I probably speak for most of us when I say, “I am glad to put 2020 in the rearview mirror!” What better way to ring in the new year than one more great promotional offer from your SMB? New Year's Eve is the last holiday in the holiday season, so make sure you go out with a bang! Here are some quick ideas: New Products Whether you are adding New Year’s themed drinks to your menu, or sparkly New Year’s Eve outfits, let those new items shine through. [...]

By Kody Ross As Black Friday approaches, the TLC team thought you might want a little refresher on how the craziness started and some trivia tidbits. People have been waiting in lines for Black Friday sales since the 1950s. The name “Black Friday” came about because people would fill the streets, causing traffic jams and creating chaos. In fact, it became a “thing” that the police could not take off work due to such high demand, hence the name Black Friday. History It was not until the 50’s that Black Friday Shopping earned its official title, but there have been [...]

By TE Cunningham At TLC Marketing, we believe we have a responsibility to do good in our community when the opportunity presents itself. Last January, a fantastic opportunity dropped in our laps. In addition to being asked and accepting the role of Board Member for the Fisher House Kansas City, I committed our company services - providing Pro Bono marketing services including website build/hosting, social media management, PR and other services to the Greater KC Friends of Fisher House team. I am proud to say our entire team enthusiastically works on this account. The Greater Kansas City Friends of Fisher [...]