As a small business owner, you know that any moment could be your next business opportunity. Therefore, you would never want to lose an opportunity because you were missing one of the key tools in your marketing arsenal.

Whether it’s checking in with the email marketing company you work with to make sure you’re staying in contact with your customers , or revamping your website, now is as good of time as any to take inventory of your marketing efforts. If you’re looking for a place to start, here are 10 marketing tools – some old-school and some new technologies – that you don’t want to be caught without.

1. Business cards: No matter what type of business you own, you need to be able to pass on your information so those you come in contact with will know where to find you.

2. Customized business forms: Whether it’s invoices and statements or sales transaction forms, including your logo on documents is an easy way to make a professional impression on the people you do business with.

3. Brochures: They provide an easy way to let those you meet know what you’re all about when time is short to explain.

4. Promotional items: Putting your logo on useful items given to your potential clients will keep your business front and center.

5. Special events: There’s no better way to introduce new people to your business or promote interaction with loyal customers than hosting a special event.

6. Websites: Make sure your website is up to date and accurate. Your business domain name should accurately reflect the name of your company. It may also be worth it to purchase similar domain names that you could envision your customers using to ensure they’ll be headed to the right place when they search for you on the Web.

7. Social media: Facebook and Twitter are free to use, and are an increasingly effective way to interact with customers and spread news about your company.

8. Email marketing: Keep your clients aware of new developments at your business by sending out a weekly or monthly newsletter.

9. Search engine marketing: Tailor your message to specific demographics using marketing directly related to where your clients are searching from and what they are searching for.

10. Marketing analytics: Analytics programs can tell you what type of marketing works best for you.

By taking stock of all the tools in your marketing arsenal, you can figure out how to improve your message and make sure you aren’t missing any opportunities to attract new business.

Free Garner NC Business Listing

CHARLOTTE
After her husband died in 2006, Mary Logan found herself alone in Lincolnton, N.C. Retired after years of working in the town’s mill, she decided to move closer to her family in Charlotte.

Though she grew up with very little, Logan never once considered herself poor. Despite her limited means, Logan knew there were some things no one should go without. That’s why she was thankful to find the Free Store, a program sponsored by Crisis Assistance Ministry that distributes clothing, shoes and other necessities to people in need.

“Nobody should go without clothes. Nobody,” she said. “I’ve found things that I thought I would never find. I mean, really, it’s a blessing.”

Logan isn’t someone you might expect to see at the Free Store. By her own admission, she has the means to shop at department stores, but she simply said, “I’d rather come here.”

Surprised? You shouldn’t be, said store manager John Wakefield. He said Crisis Assistance Ministry’s goal is to help everyone, including patrons like Logan.

“We don’t care where you live, how much money you make, if you have a job or not, or if you have a home or not,” he said. “We want you to take that money and go help pay your rent, your utilities, your food bill for your kids, whatever it may be, and just come here and help take that extra pressure off.”

Crisis Assistance Ministry began in 1975, during the mid-1970s economic downturn. A group of local clergy set out with the goal of “pooling resources to more effectively meet the needs of low-income families in financial crisis in Mecklenburg County.” The Free Store became a staple of Crisis Assistance Ministry’s offerings in 1978.

Ministry grows in response to need

Today, Crisis Assistance Ministry has grown to become one of the largest nonprofit agencies of its kind in North Carolina. The organization receives most of its funding from government grants and private contributions. In 2009, grants and contributions exceeded $17 million, with almost half coming from the city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rather than reacting in the wake of financial disaster, Wakefield said the organization takes measures to prevent financial distress for individuals before it occurs. Redirecting funds from expenses like clothing and toward more pressing financial obligations is one way to accomplish the goal.

“We have approximately 7,000 individuals in Charlotte right now without homes,” he said. “We want to keep that number from going up, and that’s truly what we’re here for.”

Last year, Crisis Assistance Ministry helped more than 50,000 Charlotte area families through financial assistance programs, furniture and appliance distribution, as well as the Free Store. Communications Director Akilah Luke said it’s not uncommon to see hundreds of people lined up outside their doors every day as early as 6 a.m., especially during the cold winter months. By intervening and helping these families before their situations worsen, Luke said Crisis Assistance Ministry plays a distinctive role.

“We’re that place — that safety net to catch families before they become homeless, and just allow people to just continue on with their lives and live with dignity,” she said.

But contrary to what one might expect, the majority of their patrons aren’t living in extreme circumstances. Just looking around the expansive waiting room inside Crisis Assistance Ministry’s main branch, there are faces that are not immediately associated with financial hardship. Instead you see folks like Mary Logan, the people you interact with every day.

“The families we serve are the working poor,” Luke said. “These are people that are your school bus drivers, the people who are checking you out at the grocery store, maybe it’s the barista at your coffee shop. These are the people that you’re helping, your neighbors.”

The number of people seeking financial assistance has increased significantly since the beginning of the financial crisis. Before the recession hit in 2006, Crisis Assistance Ministry served just over 40,000 families. Today, due in part to increases of more than 60 percent in hunger and homelessness since 2007, the organization is serving more than 10,000 additional families.

Charlotte city officials are also involved in fighting the growing number of homeless, and the almost 40,000 citizens living in extreme poverty. The city’s communications manager Jamie Banks said one way they are attacking this problem is by seeking to increase the amount of affordable housing throughout the city.

Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill found that traditional measures of poverty did not adequately reflect the dispersion of poverty in North Carolina. As a result, scholars discovered that large – and largely affluent – metropolitan areas like Charlotte and Raleigh contain sections of concentrated poverty.

READ MORE:REESENEWS

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FREE! Wake County NC Business Listing, Over $350.00 Value Free!

(NAPSI)-When buying a car, there’s more to consider than the make and model. Price, size, gas mileage–even the way it feels behind the wheel–affect your decision. You should also weigh your options when buying auto insurance. With many brands and features and price ranges out there, it pays to do your homework.

Here are some common questions people ask Progressive when they shop for insurance:

What type of auto insurance can I choose from? There are two types of auto insurance: Liability coverage pays for damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people that you cause. Physical Damage coverage pays for damage to your vehicle. These two coverages are the foundation of your policy.

How much coverage should I buy? The state defines the minimum amount of coverage required, but after that, the amount of coverage you buy is up to you. You choose based on your comfort level, budget and lifestyle.

Some people want as much coverage as possible for all of life’s “what ifs.” Others are satisfied with bare-minimum coverage. If you have a newer vehicle, you may want more coverage to protect your investment. If you can afford higher deductibles (the amount you’ll pay out of pocket in the event of an accident), you can raise them and pay less premium.

How is my rate determined? Rates are based on a combination of pieces of information about you, your driving record and your car. It’s important for you to provide accurate information to your agent or to the insurance company. It helps determine the best options and rates for you.

Can I get a lower rate? Many insurance companies offer discounts that can help lower your rate. For example, Progressive offers discounts for good student drivers, paying your premium electronically and having more than one policy.

Some companies offer rewards for renewing your policies with them. At Progressive, the longer you stay a customer, the more benefits you gain, such as lower deductibles and accident forgiveness. Ask your agent or customer service representative about available discounts and programs.

Where should I shop for insurance? If you prefer to look on your own, begin your search online. If you want to talk to someone about insurance, contact an agent. To find an agent, visit www.progressiveagent.com.

Support Your Local Chamber Of Commerce

Wooden Bird Houses

by Richard L. Trumka

(NAPSI)-Every night, 15 million people in this great country go to sleep hoping that tomorrow will be the day they find a job. Hundreds of thousands of employees of our states and cities wake up hoping this won’t be their last day on the job. Five million people wake up trying to save their homes from foreclosure by the big banks. And nearly 17 million children go to bed hungry. This isn’t the America I dreamed of.

It’s time for all Americans to remember that patriotism is about more than fighting abroad. It’s also about fighting for ourselves, our neighbors and our communities here in the United States. It’s time for economic patriotism. How can we be patriotic?

First, I call on every American to make a choice to be patriotic in our everyday lives. That means demanding to know which products are made in America and then choosing them. We can buy products made in countries where workers make a few pennies an hour with few if any protections on the job, or we can support products made here where our neighbors and community members make a living from what they create. It’s time we buy American and buy on Main Street. And when we do that, we’ll invest in our communities and ensure that our jobs are good jobs and our children have a thriving future.

We need policies that allow corporations to be economic patriots without being penalized. Over time, corporations made choices that put short-term profits over humanity, and the world market over American communities, and it hollowed out our great nation.

Currently, our policies favor companies that ship our good jobs overseas to countries where there are few laws in place to protect workers’ safety, their rights and the environment. We must stop rewarding outsourcing and promote manufacturing in the United States instead. Our leaders must also hold China accountable for manipulating its currency, which hurts America’s workers and creates a massive trade imbalance. We must invest in our crumbling roads, schools and bridges, which will create good jobs and create a solid foundation for the next generation. And we must elect leaders who share these goals.

Every one of us has a choice. As patriots, let’s choose the path forward to create good jobs, jobs that can’t be shipped overseas, jobs that can support a family. It’s about time to invest in the country we love.

Trumka is president of the 11.5 million?member AFL-CIO, which represents firefighters, teachers, nurses, electricians, scientists and communications workers.

Photo credit: Andre Martenez

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(ARA) – If you’re torn between your concern for the environment and your need to make a living, good news is on the horizon. Rising demand for environmentally friendly alternatives for fossil fuels is opening up new career opportunities for professionals in a variety of fields.

Growing environmental concern and limited fossil fuel supplies are driving the growth of domestic and international markets for renewable energy systems, the U.S. Department of Energy reports. Rising demand for cleaner energy directly affects career opportunities in industries related to renewable resources.

“The 2008 economic forecast suggests that one of the newest, fastest growing markets for jobs will be alternative energy,” says Sheryl Decker, director of career services at Brown Mackie College – South Bend, Ind. Decker recently attended a business outlook panel presented by Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. “Growth opportunities appear in companies that are exploring the use of wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower and bioenergy power technologies.”

Millions of professionals already work in alternative energy industries, yet more are needed, including:

* chemists
* engineers
* sales and marketing professionals
* administrators
* managers
* clerical workers
* human resources
* information technology
* business
* finance
* law

“Professionals who are already in the workforce, and students seeking to enter into a green career, can prepare with a number of degree programs and continuing education courses,” Decker says. “Many different types of skills can be applied to these upcoming industries.”

“Alternative energy companies are seeking professionals to fill a wide variety of positions, including mechanical engineer, project manager, programmer analyst, IT sourcing specialist, administrative assistant and marketing director,” she says.

”Business Week” magazine reports that a growing number of professionals are moving to jobs in renewable energy fields to promote their own personal environmental concerns. While some intend to transfer existing skills to a different industry, others are making a mid-life career change simply to become part of the solution for the many environmental issues we face today.

The rising cost of oil is proving to be a catalyst for the further development of alternative energy sources. While substantial growth is happening now, Decker points out that many people don’t yet realize the opportunities it affords.

“People tend to overlook many untapped markets and job opportunities in their local employment arenas,” she says. “Networking can be an effective way to gauge the hiring needs in your area. I encourage everyone to join industry-specific organizations, volunteer in community activities, and become involved with the Chamber of Commerce. By becoming involved in the community and networking, you will see new doors opening with different job opportunities.”

To learn more about career training opportunities in alternative energy, and how to prepare for working in this quickly growing business sector, visit www.brownmackie.edu.

GARNER, N.C. – Each year the Triangle Business Journal bestows its SPACE Awards to the business leaders behind the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill region’s most prominent economic development projects, innovative commercial real estate developments, and largest commercial real estate transactions. This year’s Economic Development Award for New Industry was presented jointly to the Town of Garner and Butterball, LLC in recognition of the impending relocation of the company’s corporate headquarters from Mt. Olive, N.C. to Garner.

About the Garner Chamber of Commerce
The Garner Chamber of Commerce is an active organization made up of nearly 600 businesses and community groups. For more than 40 years the Garner Chamber has worked to advance Garner’s economic vitality and enhance the area’s quality of life. For more information, visit www.garnerchamber.com, call (919) 772-6440 or e-mail info@garnerchamber.com

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APEX, NC – Dancing Elephants Achievement Group (DEAG), a sales training firm dedicated to teaching ethical selling, and the Apex Chamber of Commerce have partnered to provide a series of educational seminars to the community under the name of “Apex Chamber’s Business Summit Series at Noon.”

Located at 220 North Salem Street, the Apex Chamber of Commerce currently boasts a membership of over 540 area businesses. To learn more about the Chamber and its activities in the community visit www.apexchamber.com or call (919) 362-6456.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire