As summer hits its peak (yeah, it’s hard to believe) and the back-to-school buzz begins, this is the perfect time to refresh your marketing. It’s also a great time to connect with your customers in meaningful, fun, and creative ways. And you don’t have to be a retail shop to “sell summer” or “back-to-school.” 

No matter what your industry, aligning your brand with what your customers are already thinking about can drive real results.

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Facebook continues to be one of the most powerful platforms for businesses to connect with customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales. With over 2 billion users and tools that support everything from video marketing to community building, it remains a key part of many business marketing strategies. And that’s why it’s important to keep an eye on it. 

Two big pieces of news about the platform just hit (one planned, one not so much). Every business should be aware of:

1. Facebook is merging all video uploads into Reels, streamlining the posting process and pushing businesses toward short-form, mobile-friendly content. 
2. A sudden and unexplained deletion of thousands of Facebook Groups shows that access to your audience on social media is never guaranteed—even if you haven’t violated any rules.

This news carries big implications for businesses, not only how you create content, but how you protect your access to your customers and followers. 

Keep reading for what these updates mean, how to adapt, and why now is the time to get serious about owning your audience through email.

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​When you want to get to know someone better and have a great conversation, what do you do?
 
You ask them questions, of course. Questions get the conversation started and they show you have an interest in the person you’re speaking with.
 
The same is true of your business.
 
Asking and answering questions about the operation of your business can increase your efficiency and knowledge. By taking the time to perform a self-audit, you will get to know your business and process better and that means greater alignment with the needs of your target audience.

Even though being part of the chamber is one of the easiest ways to increase your network, we understand that some business pros can’t make it to networking events. But networking is incredibly important because people want to do business with those they know, like, and trust. If you don’t have the time to attend networking events, there are ways to network. 

You don’t need a name tag and a stack of business cards to make powerful connections. In fact, some of the best networking happens outside of formal events (even though our events are lots of fun and you should check them out for yourself). As a business owner, every week is different and sometimes you just can’t get it all done. But while event attendance may not always be possible, networking is.

Here are 7 real-world ways to build relationships that help grow your business:

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Who isn’t feeling the pain of being stretched too thin these days? If you’ve dabbled with AI, you may have cut the time it takes you to do administrative tasks by as much as 26 minutes a day (at least according to a recent survey in the UK). However, it’s possible to do a lot more than that when you move past administrative tasks and see where else you can do more with less.

One of these areas is content. Most businesses are sitting on goldmines of content and don’t even know it. This article will show you five genius ways to get more out of what you already have by repurposing and restructuring the media.

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Small businesses everywhere are realizing that success isn’t just about how good your product is—it’s about how connected your customers feel to you and each other. The new growth model that’s gaining serious traction? Community-led growth.

This approach focuses on creating value and shared experiences before the sale ever happens. When done right, it doesn’t just build customers—it builds advocates and connections. 

But when done incorrectly, it turns potential fans into skeptics.

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Have you ever wondered how you can compete with large companies like Amazon (or Walmart)? Well, the more important question may be more not be how but why. Mega retailers, like the two mentioned, aren’t looking to only sell their own products. They have launched large programs encouraging small businesses to use their distribution platform. 

So, do you really need to compete when you can harness their traffic to sell your goods on their sites?

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Since this is Small Business Month, we thought it would be the ideal time to call attention to some of the resources out there for the small business. With an increase in awareness of how important small businesses are to the local and national economies, large businesses are getting into the groove and pledging their support to help small businesses too.

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