Selling To Small Business Links for 2007-04-19

• Credit Card Companies Go After Small Business Market - Credit card companies want a bigger take of the trillions of dollars spent annually by small business owners who are reaching for checkbooks more often than they are for plastic.
  
  
• More Help for Businesses at Verizon's Small-Business Web Portal - Verizon business broadband customers will now find more features and an easier-to-navigate Web site when they log onto the Verizon Small Business Center at http://business.verizon.net/
  
  
• The Quarter of the Canadian Entrepreneur - Kudos to Roynat, which this year launched a bold initiative called "The Year of the Canadian Entrepreneur." As I understand it, their intent was to build a coalition of marketers interested in reaching small and medium-sized business, and together create events and content that would celebrate Canadian entrepreneurship and help inform and strengthen individual entrepreneurs.

Verizon Continues Small Business Marketing Success

In February I discussed Verizon's targeting of small business owners as it launched its Verizon Small Business Toolbar. It was a great move to engage small business owners and get them involved with the Verizon brand.

Well Verizon is at it again. Small businesses are always on the lookout for valuable tools and information to help get their companies to the next step. Catching on to this need, Verizon released an article on Business E-Mailing Etiquette to help entrepreneurs improve their online effectiveness.

Included on the list are:

• Keep e-mails short and to the point.
• Write the action you are requesting and topic in the 'subject' line.
• Check your grammar and spelling.
• Be cautious. Think before you send an e-mail.
• Remember that e-mail is not private.
• Use out of office response, if available, to alert others of your absence.
• Keep it strictly business.
• Be courteous, considerate and responsible when writing an e-mail message.
• Lastly, make sure your computer is virus-free because you don't want to be the person sending everyone a virus.

"Keeping these tips in mind when writing an e-mail on the job means you'll be less likely to send an embarrassing or sometimes damaging e-mail, and you'll always come across as a professional," said Michael Schaefer, director of business broadband services for Verizon.

Small business owners appreciate companies that try to add value and not just sell them products and services. By establishing themselves as a trusted expert, Verizon is sure to create small business buzz and build its brand.

When will the other Fortune companies catch on?

Verizon a Friend of Small Business?

After a big PR splash was made about the new small business toolbar that Verizon put out, the company has announced less that a week later that it is increasing its small business rates.

Not exactly a great way to win friends in the entrepreneurial communities Verizon.

Small-business customers who buy local phone service from Verizon will be hit with across-the-board increases this month that will raise some rates close to 12 percent.

In addition to monthly service charges, the per-minute cost for local and regional calls will go up by 1 cent. For example, calls within a 10-mile "mileage band" will rise from 6 cents per minute to 7 cents per minute, according to the company.

It's all in an effort to get small business customers to sign up for Verizon's "Freedom for Business" unlimited calling package.

Verizon Targets Small Business Owners

The economics of selling to small business owners makes it impossible to have account managers call on every entrepreneur in the country to introduce your product. A mass market approach is needed and the Internet is one of the best ways to reach out to small business owners.

Verizon recently announced that it has created a new toolbar for small business owners. In a news release, Verizon ISP portal and platform services executive director Bill Heilig said, "There weren't many toolbars for business-minded people, so we developed one especially for our small-business customers. Once it's downloaded to business owners' desktops, relevant resources are just a click away."

The toolbar is powered by Google and gives business owners access to Google search, Verizon email, Verizon Business Center portal resources, and online business links such as SCORE and SBA. Subscribers can also access Wall Street Journal articles, check their stock quotes and weather information, and block popups through the toolbar.

While many of the features can already be found in other toolbars, it is a step in the right direction for Verizon. Nobody has cornered the market with a toolbar for small business owners and by engaging their users and building on the feedback of small business owners, Verizon could have a promotional goldmine on their hands.