Small Business Sales & Marketing

May 09, 2008

How to Build Brand Friendship

To create a truly powerful brand, you need to establish a sense of belonging, friendship, and dependability between product and customers.

April 21, 2008

From Bricks and Mortar to Digital Music Master

As music merchants struggle to adapt their business models, one New York shop is embracing the Web.

April 14, 2008

Low Prices Are Not Always Your Friend

Cutting prices might seem reasonable given the state of the economy, but doing so could backfire over the long run, argues our columnist.

April 11, 2008

Business Advice for Artists from Artists

While most fine artists will not see Picasso-size deals in their lifetime, they have ways to promote themselves and boost their sales.

March 21, 2008

From South Asia to iTunes

How a husband-and-wife team turned an Indian music podcast series into a business and is making the most out of its Apple storefront on its Web site.

March 07, 2008

When Your Ad Tactics Don't Fit Your Brand

It's a common mistake advertisers make—falling in love with a novel idea and force-fitting it (or not) to the overall strategy for their brand.

February 11, 2008

A CEO Manning the Phones Each Day?

What sounds like a customer-service gimmick is helping the co-founder of a personal finance Web site build trust.

February 08, 2008

Get the Most Out of Your Ad Agency

Instead of thinking of your advertising team as an outside vendor, treat it as a partner, argues columnist and advertising veteran Steve McKee.

February 06, 2008

A Conversation with Barbara Brabec

The crafting veteran talks about what distinguishes the hobbyist from the professional. Start out by pricing your creation right.

February 06, 2008

Creative Artists Confront Sales Anxiety

From jewelry designers to painters, many creative artists recoil from salesmanship. But making a living from your work requires some hard-nosed marketing savvy.

January 11, 2008

Advertising: Think Before You Speak

Just as your funny bumper sticker might offend the guy behind you, your ad may not be saying what you want the target audience to hear.

January 09, 2008

The Hot Dog Professor

Practical business tips from Mark Reitman, the founder of Hot Dog University in Milwaukee, include choosing the right soundtrack.

January 09, 2008

Market Research on the Cheap

There's no need to spend a bundle on professionals when you can do Internet surveys, mine government data, or even take a clipboard to the mall.

November 16, 2007

A New Entertainment Destination for Latinos

Mio.tv founders Manuel Garcia-Duran and Moses Frenck think the time is right for a bilingual Web-based entertainment network.

November 08, 2007

The Cost of Bedbugs

Hotels and rental housing are hit by a resurgence in bedbug infestation—and lawsuits are proving it's not a problem that can be swept under the rug.

November 08, 2007

Brands: The Power of Emotion

The savviest marketers understand that successful products appeal to the heart, not the mind.

November 07, 2007

Firefly Mobile: Calling All Tweens

Its kiddie cell phone was a smash. Can a version for older children compensate for a gruelling management shakeup?.

October 12, 2007

Building a Better Brand

Giant companies know their brands are worth a fortune. The key to marketing your business is finding a timeless position and staying focused.

September 14, 2007

How Solid Is Your Brand?

Our columnist details the six key characteristics a well-positioned brand needs to possess.

August 15, 2007

How to Hire an Ad Agency

Our columnist offers 10 guiding principles to consider the next time you're looking for an advertising agency.

August 15, 2007

A Hotel in a Box

Amsterdam's Qbic—a prefab hotel that makes its home inside an existing building—offers a deluxe, self-service option for budget-minded business travelers.

July 27, 2007

The MySpace of Mobile?

New startup Mozes is trying a new model to captivate advertisers and consumers—offering its platform for free. Will its gambit work?.

July 18, 2007

Buy Local?With Town Currency

Dollar alternatives, such as BerkShares in Massachusetts, are shoring up local economies by keeping money in the community.

July 11, 2007

When to Fire Your Ad Agency

As a client, you're paying your agency to push you to keep your brand relevant in a shifting competitive landscape, not to simply take orders.

July 09, 2007

China vs. Vermont: A Toy Story

A recall of some Chinese-made Thomas & Friends trains due to lead paint both boosted and created challenges for a Vermont wooden-toy maker.