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Coupons still a solid small business sales strategy
Coupons are the most common sales promotional tool used by businesses. Their usage continues to grow each year, as they provide a way for the consumer to save money while offering the retailer a way to grow and retain sales. The coupon has consistently proven to be an effective business tool.
How to set your business apart from your competition
As I spend time with friends, I often hear them say, "There is no unique place to go shop these days. They all have the same stuff." To which I reply: "Why do you shop where you do?" This at times leads to an interesting dinner conversation. But it always reminds me that many business owners may not know how to set themselves apart from the competition at little or no cost.
Small business succession planning means success in small towns
Many small rural towns in Missouri have a large population of aging baby boomers. They are retiring at the rate of 10,000 per day or over 4 million annually, according to the Washington Post. But what are they doing with their business assets when they retire?
Where did my cash go?
That's a question many small business owners ask themselves way too often. In other articles, I have written about balance sheets and income statements as financial tools to help entrepreneurs manage their businesses. But what if that entrepreneur could predict how much cash would be coming into and going out of the business on a monthly basis? Or better yet, be able to look months down the road and have an idea of the intake and…
New research identifies behavioral health crisis in agriculture
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Amid mounting pressures — floods, bankruptcies, consolidation and a credit squeeze — rural Missourians struggle to access mental health services. Mental health challenges are a growing public health concern in rural Missouri, according to a new report from the Missouri Hospital Association, Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Missouri Farm Bureau and University…
The calla lily image way of marketing
Many small businesses advertise because they know they should. Only a few put any planning into the ads beyond what they want to say. This lack of planning causes the business owner to miss out on some of the best advantages of advertising.
Business planning 101
Developing a business plan is hard work and at times a daunting task for business owners. However, business planning can help move any company or small business forward. "Why write a business plan?" you may ask. There are many reasons why writing a business plan is essential to any owner.
The secret to a successful business plan
As a current or future small business owner, you will experience the opportunity to write a business plan. It is not an evil invention of the financial or business industry full of hoops to jump through in order to delay your dreams. It is a tool to help you evaluate your idea’s potential before you talk to the bank or share it with other potential partners.
Branding your local business
As we think of a company, what do we remember about it? The logo, the slogan, the price or the experience we have with the store or product? For most shoppers, it is the experience they have that they remember the most and for the longest, particularly if it was helpful in solving a need or involved a pleasant impulse purchase.
Making your ad more creative
We sometimes see an ad that really catches our eye or ear and think, “Why can’t I come up with something like that?” You can, if you follow some time-honored points in advertising creative strategy.The five points for better creative advertising are:
Your banker and your small business
Many small business owners have mixed feelings about their bankers. One day they are happy and the next day they are upset with them. Plus, many small business owners are unaware of how to work with bankers other than to go in and ask for money when they need it. They do not know the importance of keeping the banker in the loop on many decisions affecting the owner’s small business.
Balance sheet – Does it matter to a business?
One of the three forms a business owner often does not understand is a balance sheet. This form is one of the best methods for an owner to determine the financial health of a business and possibly start to see where to improve the business.
10 do's for website promotion
The internet has become a household tool that it seems everyone knows how to use. Even first graders know how to wiz around on the web faster than I do sometimes. But while it is now a commonplace part of our lives, do you effectively use it as a small business owner to benefit your own business?
Using your website to generate repeat traffic
Many small businesses have their own website now. In fact, it is often the first marketing tool used by owners to help increase sales over traditional marketing efforts. Unfortunately, many websites, once hosted, are never changed or updated to keep attracting repeat traffic to the site. This lack of updating causes people to find the site stale and not return to it.
Kathleen Quinn named senior program director for health and safety
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Kathleen Quinn, associate dean for rural health at the University of Missouri, has been named senior program director for health and safety. This new position is a collaborative effort between the MU School of Medicine and the MU Office of Extension and Engagement. One goal of the position is to solve rural health care challenges, a key aim of the NextGen Precision Health Initiative.
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Connecting with science
COLUMBIA, Mo. – More than 600 young scientists and their families joined University of Missouri researchers Feb. 7 at the second annual Columbia Young Scientists Expo, sponsored by The Connector, a program that builds relationships between researchers and communities. Scientists, graduate students and others shared demonstrations and presentations during the afternoon event at the Memorial Union at Mizzou.
Seeding oats and clovers now improves spring grazing
STOCKTON, Mo. – Now is the time to seed oats and clovers to improve spring cattle grazing resources and reduce costs, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis.“Feed is a major cow-calf operation cost,” says Davis. Oats and clovers are forages to seed now to improve spring grazing resources and help reduce supplemental feed costs.“Proper establishment and grazing management of oats and clovers is key for…
Side inlet irrigation demonstration
Side inlet rice irrigation conserves water and improves production management.
Several lessons can be learned from one-room schools
Historic one-room schools still dot the landscape in the Ozarks. Several fine examples exist with others moving toward restoration. The old schools are an icon of America and are historically tied to agriculture in Missouri. According to David Burton, civic communication specialist with University of Missouri Extension and director of the Ozarks Country School Program, one-room schools are still revealing valuable historical,…
Neighboring has both personal and community benefits
How well do you know your neighbors? Can you name each of the neighbors that adjoin your property or apartment? Do you know a personal fact about each one? Do you speak to your neighbors? It turns out that less than two percent of Americans can say yes to all three of these questions.
Rural schools history book updated and available from Greene County Extension Center
The book, “A History of the Rural Schools in Greene County, Mo.,” was updated in 2010 by the author to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the book’s original release in 2000.
“Missouri Directory of Historic and One-Room Schools” is now available for purchase
The "Missouri Directory of Historic and One-Room Schools" has been published and is now available for purchase on Amazon.com or at the University of Missouri Extension Center in Greene County in Springfield.
Are you crazy busy? Setting priorities are key to regaining joy (and sanity)
“Hello, I am busy.” That has nearly become the standard greeting in the United States of America. But there is an answer that brings improvement, and it is not simply better “time management,” according to David Burton, county engagement specialist in community economic development with University of Missouri Extension.
