Newcomers Guide to Tucson and Southern Arizona
If you are new to the Old Pueblo, the Arizona Daily Star's newcomers site will help you get acquainted, figure things out and see what your new friends and neighbors are raving about.
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The Mayor's Good Business Partnership Program
This program seeks to recognize businesses that offer a positive and promising work environment for their employees.
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Tucson Public Library's Business Information Center
This small business information center is an excellent resource for finding answers to your business questions.
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Worth Reading:
Marketing Tips
10 tips for reaching the Hispanic market
from Tucson Citizen, Business Edge, October 8, 2007
"A tamale is not just a tamale" says entrepreneur and international marketing consultant Roberto Roque, and "Spanish isn't just Spanish" when it comes to understanding Hispanic culture.
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Marketing Designer Says to
Keep Your Logo Simple But Memorable
from Scripps Howard News Service, April 4, 2007
By Bruce Freeman
HQI am a small business owner looking to give my organization an identity by developing an effective logo. What are some tips to keep in mind?
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Population Forecast for Arizona in 2036: A Top 5 State?
By Marshall J. Vest,
University of Arizona
Economic and Business Research Center
September 9, 2006
During the next 30 years, Arizona will add another 8.5 million residents to the 6 million-plus who already call Arizona home. That will boost Arizona's population to more than today's Illinois, the fifth largest state.
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PR Corner
Never say 'No comment'
from Inside Tucson Business, August 14, 2006
By Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA
As a journalist turned PR pro, I have a major aversion to the words "no comment," from both sides of the situation.
As a reporter, "no comment" means "go away," "I don't have to talk to you," "It's none of your (or your readers or the public's) business." From a public relations view, it means "I'm guilty," "I have something to hide from you (or your readers or my clients and customers)."
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10 Tips for Effective Print Advertising
from Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Outlook, January, 2006
By Michael Bolchalk
How many times have you paid a great deal of money to place an ad in a publication just to get zero results? The answer could lie in the lack of effectiveness in your ad.
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MySpace.com clicks with Tucson merchants
Small businesses say it's a great way to reach youth market
from Arizona Daily Star, June 29, 2006
By Levi J. Long
Among the many things Steven Valdez had to check off his to-do list this week was one item that emerged as a top priority — to send out a MySpace.com bulletin announcing the reopening of his Midtown skateboard shop.
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Logos: Put Your Best Face Forward
Morgan Lynch, LogoWorks' CEO, says your company's emblem is a key part of its public image, so it's worth hiring experts to design it
from BusinessWeek Online, June 23, 2005
By Kyle Schliesman
An unprofessional or inadequate logo can mortally wound a small company's image. At the same time, a slick-looking letterhead or business card can create an impression of professionalism and experience. Many small-business owners, however, don't have the money or the clout to hire a graphic-art company for a smartly designed custom logo. Others simply don't understand how important such a logo is.
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Mitsubishi Autoplex to Close; Automaker is Blamed
from Arizona Daily Star, June 6, 2005
By Lynda Edwards
Mitsubishi Autoplex, 3701 W Orange Grove Road, is closing Friday, and in an unusual press statement the dealership's chief operating officer is blaming Mitsubishi.
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Marketing Plan Integral to Startups
Budget Must Be Part of Business Plan
from Inside Tucson Business, March 24, 2004
By Kyle Schliesman
After months of preparation, an eager entrepreneur hangs the “open” sign in front of the store and waits for that first customer. Without a marketing plan in place, however, waiting is all that business owner may do.
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Difference Between Advertising vs. Marketing
Their differences may seem academic -- until the impact of each intertwined element of a successful sales drive lifts the bottom line
from BusinessWeek Online, By Karen E. Klein
Q: What is the difference between a marketing plan and an advertising campaign? What are the dependencies between the two? -- D.D., Santa Clara, Calif.
A: An advertising campaign is one of the important components of a company's marketing plan, but certainly not the only one. "The advertising campaign is the media that you use during a certain time frame to promote a product, service, or an event," says Marc Slutsky, author of Smart Marketing. An advertising campaign focuses on the creative positioning and media through which a product or service is sold.
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What's In a Name?
As many entrepreneurs have discovered to their dismay, incorporating is merely the first step toward securing the rights to a company name
from BusinessWeek Online, By Karen E. Klein
Q: Recently, I incorporated as a limited liability company (LLC) after being in business for about a year. After incorporating, I did a Web search and noticed another company with a similar name, though it is not exactly the same. To top it off, the company is in the same business as I am, but they never incorporated. Should I be concerned? Doesn't the first-come, first-served rule apply? -- V.W., New York City
A: Business owners often think that registering a company name with their Secretary of State, or register their domain name on the Internet, secures exclusive rights. As many find out, however, this simply isn't the case. In order to obtain nationwide legal rights to a particular term or business name, you must register it with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and/or use it in interstate commerce.
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Giving Women a Helping Hand
Female entrepreneurs are making tremendous strides, in part because so much help and advice is available for the asking
from BusinessWeek Online, By Karen E. Klein
Q: I am considering starting my own retail furniture business, selling mainly unfinished wood furniture in country styles. As a woman, what things should I take advantage of when starting a new business? Are there special grants, loans, or incentives I should know about? -- M.H., Gladwin, Mich.
A: Women are launching businesses in record numbers. The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. is expected to reach 6.2 millionby yearend, and those outfits' sales are predicted to surpass $1 trillion thanks to a growth rates that continue to exceed national business averages. Women-owned businesses have increased nearly tenfold in the past 25 years -- and their numbers continue to grow at twice the pace of overall business starts. They employ a third again more people than the Fortune 500 and boast better loan-repayment records. If anecdotal evidence is any indication, they also treat their employees better.
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Using E-Mail the Right Way
It can be an incredibly effective sales tool -- and if you target your audience wisely, there's no risk of suffering the junk-mail stigma
from BusinessWeek Online, By Michelle Nichols
Do you know anyone who isn't getting enough e-mail? No, I didn't think so. So why is everyone in such a rush to sell using the Internet? In a word: results. Used appropriately, e-mail is an inexpensive way to reach thousands of people and sell to some of them. It's great for post-sale follow-up and to encourage happy customers to buy again.
Here are some tips for using this powerful sales tool wisely -- and avoiding the dreaded tag "spam-meister."
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Want New Customers? Go Guerrilla
Ad campaigns can be expensive.
Word-of-mouth marketing, by contrast, is a cheap way to
win clients -- if you have patience and people skills
from BusinessWeek Online, By Karen E. Klein
Q: I've started a home-based business as an independent agent for a long-distance company. The cost of advertising is enormous -- averaging $1,000 to $2,000 for ads on well-known Internet sites. How can I compete? Are there special funds or programs available to women-owned, minority businesses that can help me? -- A.G., Orlando
A: The U.S. Small Business Administration offers specialized loan programs for disadvantaged women- and minority-owned businesses. You can get information on how to apply at the SBA's Web site. The SBA also funds Women's Business Centers that might be helpful for you, not only for financing but for training and mentoring. There is a center located in Pensacola, Fla.
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In Praise of the "Thank You" Note
Want to make an impression? Here's a simple, easy, and inexpensive way to be remembered: Sit right down and write your client's a letter
from BusinessWeek Online, By Michelle Nichols
It can sometimes seem like Mission Impossible when small outfits try to compete against the big marketing budgets wielded by large corporations. Actually, there are at least a hundred sales and marketing tactics that entrepreneurial Davids can use to beat the Goliaths. I'm just going to focus on one: writing "thank you" notes.
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Networking's Human Connection
To build a list of business contacts, do the research, compose the pitches, make the lunch dates -- and then listen
from BusinessWeek Online, By Karen E. Klein
Q: The concept of "network marketing" is based on knowing people, getting to know people, and working with people to market a company. But how can a person who does not have many friends or relatives who take an interest in his business get started building a good network? -- A.C., Singapore
A: If your family or current network of friends is disinterested, start building a new network. Family and friends are not always the best source for networking or business referrals anyway, experts say, because they may not know much about your chosen industry.
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You've Got a Free Business
Consultant in the Census Bureau
from the Tucson Citizen, February 18, 2002
By Rhonda Abrams, Citizen Staff Writer
Ever wonder why there seem to be three or four fast-food joints at one intersection? Why all of a sudden, not one but three big office-supply stores open in a community?
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14 Actions Your Company Can
Take to Earn Customer Loyalty
by Bob Shaff, Customers for Life Consulting
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Job No. 1: Collecting the Cash
How to handle deadbeat customers? By screening them out with presale credit checks, for starters. After that, persistence is key
from BusinessWeek Online, By Lisa Bergson
Some companies go to great lengths to avoid paying their bills. Picking the right customers can be a big help in the accounts-receivable department. Persistance doesn't hurt, either
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Research Resources For Beginners
Developing a business plan? There's lots of information you'll need, and most of it is available on the Net
from BusinessWeek Online, By Karen E. Klein
Q: I am an entreprenuer developing a business plan for an IT services company. Where do I find market analyses, surveys, and demographic information about my competitors and potential customer base? -- A.T., Inglewood, Calif.
A: One of the first stumbling blocks many would-be entrepreneurs encounter while writing business plans is this lack of research resources. In order to flesh out your business plan and decide whether you even have a viable market for your company, you need specific market information. But where do you go to find it?
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