Phoenix ASBA Brings Gerber for 15th Annual Enterprise Business Conference

On Friday I was thrilled to hear that the Arizona Small Business Association is bringing Michael Gerber, author of the best-seller E-Myth Revisited and the creator of The Dreaming Room, to Phoenix for its 15th Annual Enterprise Business Conference on April 23. Although I suspect some content may be a repeat from the aforementioned Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference, I'd hear him again and I'd advise EVERYONE to attend. At $50 for non-members, it's money well spent.

This is also nice timing, as I've known that National Small Business Week sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration begins on April 21, with events in D.C. and New York, and I was beginning to feel sad that Phoenix and other cities weren't organizing events of their own. So I am very pleased with ASBA and Jobing.com's sponsorship and timing.

Prospecting and Patience in Economic Downturns

As a small business owner, you may be tempted to be conservative with your marketing and advertising in today’s economy. Joan Koerber-Walker, chief executive of the Arizona Small Business Association, seems to agree. In an East Valley Tribune article on Saturday, she states, “Cutting . . . advertising and marketing expenses are often what come to mind first, but that can make it difficult to find new customers and new markets precisely when they’re needed most.”

But, especially if you’re selling services, the best thing you can do is stay top of mind for prospects and trust that, when the need emerges, you’ll be the one they call. So most importantly, make sure you’re doing whatever you can to solidify your offerings and educate your target market about them. This might include networking events such as the Phoenix Business Journal’s BizMix, ASBA’s networking events, and any industry-specific events.

P.S. The next issue of my quarterly newsletter will feature a list of services. If you’re a small business in need of marketing assistance, please ask! If I can’t help you personally, I can identify someone in my network who can!