Small Business Opportunities
Posted by Amy Clickner on April 14, 2011
According to the National Federation of Independent Business, small business has created roughly two out of every three new jobs in the United States since the early 1970s. We all know that the majority of Marquette County’s commerce is made up of small businesses, and it’s truly a part of what makes us unique and distinctive. One of the most essential pieces to growing a new business is making connections. People are always more likely to do business with those that they know and trust.
A great way to make connections is to get involved in a local service club. It’s a great cost-effective way to tell your story and to learn about other businesses and community leaders. Plus, getting out and doing service work for your community is always positive exposure!
Joining the Lake Superior Community Partnership and attending networking events will also help you get to know people and make invaluable connections. The LSCP is primarily made up of small businesses, with almost 94% of our partners having 100 or fewer employees. That is why many of our membership benefits and programs are designed with small business needs in mind.
To optimize your networking and to get the most out of your LSCP membership, be active! Get involved in our efforts and participate in a committee, host a Business After Hours, participate in the Key to the County and Gift Check programs, sponsor an LSCP event, put your brochures and business cards in our lobby, send us your press releases and follow us on social media sites!
Speaking of social media, there are plenty of opportunities online that can help you build relationships locally. Use Facebook to promote and help other community efforts besides your own, and be sure to “Like” their business or organization. Follow a business colleague on Twitter and “Retweet” a post you find interesting. It’s a great way to get to know them on a casual level as well as the important happenings of their business.
Also, give someone you respect a recommendation on LinkedIn. After putting your reputation on the line to endorse them publicly, they are definitely more likely to do business with you in the future!
For further information on the small business membership benefits of the Lake Superior Community Partnership, call our office at 226-9658. You can also see our Membership Benefits Booklet on our Web site, www.marquette.org, under Members in the About Us menu.
