Plan Ahead for Small Business Week, June 17-21

Did you even know there was such a thing as National Small Business Week? There is! For the past 50 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week.

In this year’s proclamation, President Barack Obama said, “For centuries, America’s progress has been driven by pioneers who think big, take risks, and work hard. Where their ideas take root, we find inventions that can change the way we live. And when their businesses take off, they fuel an engine of economic growth and job creation that moves America forward. During National Small Business Week, we celebrate the generations of entrepreneurs who have given their all to realize a dream, and we renew our promise to help their businesses grow, hire, and succeed.”

Nice! Some recognition for all your hard work sure feels good, and you deserve it. This year, National Small Business Week is June 17-21, and the U.S. Small Business Administration plans to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories alike. For the first time, events will take place in multiple cities from coast to coast, including Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. If you’re planning on attending any of these events, be sure to have a fresh set of business cards printed so you can get the most out of your networking!

In the meantime, prepare your small business to take advantage of the upcoming press about small business week.

1. Develop a business plan. So often small businesses start up without one. You had a great idea and just went with it! Well, that might have worked for a little while, but to take it to the next level, you need a plan for growth over the next three to five years. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a Business Plan Tool that provides a step-by-step guide. All you have to do is register your business with them. It’s free to do so!

2. Amp up your email marketing. For starters, if you don’t already have an email marketing service set up, consider using an easy-to-use (and pretty budget-friendly!) option like Constant Contact. Then, use their simple tools to design a template that represents your brand’s look and feel, making it match your business’ colors and incorporating your logo. Make it look good. If you can’t figure it out (don’t worry, we’re not all amazing with design tools), consider hiring a graphic designer to help. Next, load in all your contacts. Need more subscribers? Check out our blog on “6 Ways to Grow Your Your Email Subscriber Base.” Then write your newsletter. And make sure that your June newsletter calls out your small business week promos!

3. Plug in your social media channels. If you haven’t put together a social media marketing plan, this is the year to do it! Seriously, take a look at the social networks you should be on, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, and put a plan in place to take advantage of these no- to low-cost marketing vehicles. Remember: you’re not going to gain the search engine optimization benefits or the customer engagement if you’re not doing anything with them! If you start building your presence now, you can use social media to promote your own small business week sales and events.

What are you doing in anticipation of National Small Business Week? Leave us a comment on our 123Print Facebook page, tweet us @123Print or write a note below. Good luck with your business this year!