bake - June 2018 - 8

management

In terms of getting started with your marketing, it's critical to
ensure you have a website that is easily ﬁndable online, that
you're listed accurately on all relevant online directories, that
you have a good email marketing strategy, and that you have a
strong logo and consistent branding. These are the areas where
entrepreneurs will see the most immediate ROI, while setting
them up for sustained success.
What resources do small businesses need to survive that may
be lacking now?
Between the millions of small businesses that Deluxe works
with across America, to the insights we've gleaned during our
Small Talks interviews, to the small businesses we've helped
transform on Small Business Revolution-Main Street, we've
found that the two most common challenges for small businesses are marketing and knowing their numbers. From a
numbers perspective, many businesses lack an understanding
of fundamental accounting, and by extension don't have
a good grasp on how their company is really performing.
Similarly, small business owners are often overwhelmed by the
Bakery owner Michelle Gayer shares insights in the new Small Talks videos.

daily trials of actually running a small business that they have a
hard time ﬁnding time to focus on marketing.

What about small business is so important to the future
of America?

That's why resources like Small Talks and the rest of the Small
Business Resource Center from Deluxe are so important. They

In 2015, Deluxe celebrated its 100th anniversary by visiting 100

are designed to be easily digestable and helpful so that entre-

small businesses and telling their stories. We even produced a

preneurs can quickly grasp marketing and ﬁnance concepts,

documentary (starring everyone from Harvard historians to the

put them to use - and get back to the parts of running their

head of the U.S. Small Business Administration) about the crit-

businesses that they love.

ical importance of small businesses to our national economy.
So it's something we believe passionately. Perhaps most impor-

What do you think about the current movement in America to

tantly, we realized that small businesses and the entrepreneurs

support local businesses - how can others help build on this

behind them are pillars of local communities. The success of

momentum?

these small businesses and their entrepreneurial spirit is paramount to the future of communities across the country.

I think it's fantastic - in fact, it's why we at Deluxe very
purposefully focused on creating a "movement," rather than,

As a small business owner, what are the most important

say, a one-off ad campaign. We wanted to build momentum

things to work on in terms of building a successful brand?

and create a ripple effect. Every time people support a local
Small businesses have such an enormous role in making each

started a business and what makes him or her passionate about

community across America special. One thing small business

that business. For small businesses, in particular, the owner is

owners can do to keep building momentum around this move-

inextricable from the overall brand. And that passion they bring

ment is to support each other. By working together to share

to the table should be reﬂected throughout all of their branding

experience and ideas, individual owners can add value to their

elements.

businesses, as well as the local economy as a whole.

08 < JUN 2018 | bakemag.com

COURTNEY CONK

business, that money gets reinvested into their community.
The ﬁrst step for any entrepreneur is to identify why he or she

http://www.bakemag.com

bake - June 2018

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