If you haven't been to a convention yet, you should really consider it. Going to a convention can be a great catalyst for gaining new customers and investors. Check out these steps on how you can get the most out of attending.

Some of the largest and most successful companies today started from almost nothing. Although many small business owners might not dream of becoming a corporate powerhouse, there is proof that it can be done. With a great idea and hard work, anything is possible! Here are some examples for inspiration:

Social media has become a great tool for businesses. Using social platforms the right way can get you more exposure and connect you with potential customers. If you're not using these networks, you can be seriously missing out. Starting out with a plan is always a good idea. When it comes to social media, it's no different. These networks have become very user friendly, and taking the time to establish a strategy will be worth it. Here is an outline of steps to take while developing your plan:

Your customers want to feel valued. They want to feel like their business matters to you. Gaining their trust and continuing a profitable, long-term relationship is essential, so consider these suggestions on how to do it.

Your marketing goal is to maximize your outcomes and minimize your efforts. As a small business with a small budget, that can be difficult. Check out these tips that make strengthening your marketing plan a whole lot easier.

It doesn't have to be hard to grow sales in the world of eCommerce. Trying new things and getting creative is a great way to do it. Check out these tips that make it easy to increase revenue in your business.

Email marketing can be a tough nut to crack. If you don't send enough emails to your customers, you'll miss out on reaching a prime group of your customer base, and they'll forget about you. Send too many emails, and you risk being marked as spam and completely missing your audience there as well.

So what do you do when you want to start sending more emails to your customers, but don't currently have the tools to gather leads, create your emails, and schedule them to be sent?

One solution is to…

Do you work with florists that sell your products to customers in their flower shops? Are you looking for a way to help them remember your business when it comes time to restock their inventory of gifts and supplies?

Thanks to FSNf2f.com, Flower Shop Network's portal for helping member florists manage their website, product inventory and more, florists will have no problem buying from you over and over again!

It's all thanks to FSNf2f's My Favorite Vendors tool. This handy tool allows florists to…

Are you feeling like your ranking on Google could be improved? Do you feel like you're not getting all you can out of your website?

Chances are, you're not doing as much as you should be doing to ensure that people can find your website when they search online.

If you're looking for simple tips to improve your rankings, or maybe a quick refresher, we've got some great advice for you today.

Use Keywords That People Are Searching

Are you using trending keywords on your website that people are…

As a wholesaler, you're always looking to work with more retailers to get your wonderful products into their stores, and in turn, into the hands of happy consumers.

Whether you've been in the wholesale game for years, or your brand new to the experience, we've got five great tips that can help you revitalize your wholesale strategy, and get more wholesale sales.

Customer Service

Treating your customers right is crucial to gaining their trust and their business. When you're a wholesaler, your…

So, let's say you're a master at creating engaging and informative content that other businesses love to read. You have a few dedicated viewers who read your blog every time there's a new post. Then, you have the people who occasionally check out what you have to say, but it's not as scheduled. But what about those other people who may not know who you are, or know that you have a great blog? How do you reach them?

Thankfully, there are plenty of online services where you can share your content…

As a wholesale vendor, do you know who your target audience is? When we talk about target audiences, we're talking about the people that are most likely to buy your products or services, and the ones that will be the easiest and most reliable to market your products to.

Your target audience can be anyone from international buyers who are looking for awesome Made In America products, or people in your community, who would rather buy from a local business that they know and trust.

Knowing your…

The buying cycle is a step-by-step journey your customer will make before they finally buy your product. Your job as a company is to deliver the right information, at the right place, and at the right time, to make the process easier for customers. One excellent and effective way to do so is through your website.

The buying cycle is made of 5 steps:

Awareness - In the first step, possible customers become aware of an unfulfilled need.

Research - Your audience's attention is captured. They conduct…

If you're a wholesale vendor, you know how important it is to make a good deal with a buyer. Your business relies on establishing a longtime relationship with a buyer who loves your products enough to sell to their own customers in their store.

You might be an industry veteran, or you might be someone who's just starting out in the wholesale industry. Either way, you might be struggling to get your products into the hands of hungry buyers.

If you're looking for some direction in the wholesale…

Customer service is important. You know it, your employees know it, and your customers definitely know it. Many of the purchasing decisions made by consumers are based on a myriad of different factors, but one that comes up more often than all the others is a desire to be treated respectfully by employees.

Good customer service may seem hard to come by in this day and age. In a time where most purchases can happen online without ever having to interact with another human, people seem to be…

Do you know what B2B Marketing is, and how it affects your business? As a wholesaler, you probably already know that B2B stands for business-to-business. Instead of marketing your products to consumers, you're marketing your products to other businesses. As a wholesaler, that means marketing your products to retailers who want to sell your products on their shelves.

Wholesalers should make sure they're doing B2B marketing right, and presenting products in the best way to potential retail buyers.…

Reviews can be one of the most vital tools for getting more business, and more repeat business, from customers. In fact, according to a 2013 study by BrightLocal, 79 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. It's not wonder that many businesses are hungry for lots of positive reviews!

Your reviews, whether positive or negative, reveal a lot about your business. It tells consumers so much about you that most people, 85 percent according to BrightLocal, read…

Online contests are an integral part of how most businesses uses their social media accounts. On places like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you can't scroll for 5 minutes without seeing a business you follow posting a "like and share!" or "Retweet this post!" contest.

One thing you'll notice about these posts is that, above all others, these are the posts that get shared the most. Not that story about your new shower head you're trying to sell, or pics of the last tradeshow you attended. Nope,…

Technology changes very rapidly these days. That brand new iPhone or Samsung Galaxy you own right now? Just wait for a year or two and a better, faster, more advanced version will have already come out, and you'll be looking at your already amazing piece of smartphone tech like it's a sack of dirty gym socks.

So, shouldn't it stand to reason that with new technology being developed at alarming rates, one of the oldest and most useful tech developments-- the website -- should keep up with these…

Successful entrepreneurs usually don't start with riches and fame (well, that is, unless you're Donald Trump). Most had to work hard to get where they ended up, overcoming obstacles as daunting as poverty, education, resources, and more.

If you ever feel like quitting, and don't think your dreams could ever become a reality, just remember these 7 famous entrepreneurs and the steps they had to take to achieve their dreams!

Henry Ford

Ford grew up as a farmer's son, a profession that is generally…