Words of Wisdom: Inspiration for Marketers, Small Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

"Wise Bytes" was born from a collection of posts focusing on short pieces of marketing advice, memorable quotes, and words which uplift and inspire. With pages of scribbled phrases and messages piling up, it finally seemed time to compile them here as a series, with the goal of encouraging and motivating fellow marketers, brand promoters and small business owners.

Follow-Up to Small Business Saturday on Delmarva 2022

Thank you to everyone who "Shopped Small" this weekend! Our independent businesses are so important to the flavor and vibe of our Delmarva communities, and they bring such character to our area. Most importantly, these establishments provide jobs and essential economic benefits to our cities and towns, which in turn contribute to the vibrant and thriving place we call home.

Free "Buy Local" Holiday Pins for Towns and Cities across the Delmarva Peninsula

Just in time for Small Business Saturday, more of the "Buy Local" location pins are ready to go! Free to download, use and share to support our independently-owned businesses right here on Delmarva this holiday season.

Ten Years of "Shop Small" | Holiday Prep for Small Business Saturday

We are just one week away from the year's biggest celebration of independent businesses! If you are prepped and ready for #SBS2022 that's excellent - if not, here are some theme images and graphics to download, print, and post online and in your retail location for November 26th.

November Marketing Tips, Tools & Resources for Small Business Owners

Greetings, marketing fans and small business owners ~ 

Month eleven is here and the holiday season has officially begun! Celebrate November by creating marketing campaigns around clever "alternative shopping days", offering brilliant opportunities for indie retailers, business owners & artists.

Chamber of Commerce Departments for the Delmarva Peninsula

Our unique area located along the East Coast, commonly referred to as the Delmarva Peninsula, is actually a collection of multiple counties spread across three states. Taking it's name from the abbreviated names of each state, it was originally referred to as "Del-Mar-Va", referencing eight counties from the eastern shore of Maryland, three counties from Delaware, and two from coastal Virginia.

Holiday "Choose Local" PNG Images for the Delmarva Peninsula - Free to Download & Use

What is one of the best ways to build stronger communities and healthier economies? Choosing to spend with small businesses, ones owned and operated by neighbors and friends, helps strengthen our towns and cities by keeping more money locally invested where we live, own homes, and raise our families.

    

Want to Look Like a Hero? Make "Yes" Part of Your Vocabulary

The simple phrase and words "Yes, we can do that for you" may be a winning strategy....why? Because consumers want to hear you're going to solve their problems, fix a situation or make them happy. And making people happy IS your goal, right?

   

Content Creation: Material That Matters

"The strength of your social media is determined by the strength of your content". Well, then.....who has good content? What makes posts POP or fizzle? Heck, if I knew the answer to that I would be so successful, there'd be no need to even write this post (HA HA), but it's not that simple.

Why Hand-Written Notes Still Matter

September 1st is World Letter Writing Day, not to be confused with the National Day on Writing, which is observed October 20th. Although you may think the old-time art of putting a pen to paper has gone by the wayside, there are still some excellent reasons to utilize this form of communication in business.

  

Quotes and Images for Independent Retailer Month

Independent Retailer Month kicked off for July 1st, reminding us of the value and contributions of locally-owned and operated shops, stores and establishments everywhere. We are devoted fans of our small businesses here on Delmarva - committed to spending where we live - so we're participating all month long with posts and messages on our social media channels.

Stop Saying "But I'm Not A Writer"

A quick blog which grew out of an Instagram post: Writing gives you the freedom and power to paint compelling visual images for your business or cause, yet many people tell me "I can't write". When getting to know business owners or those who operate nonprofit organizations, I frequently ask them to share their mission statement with me, explain how they got started or what vision they hold for the future.

Tremendous Tuesday: Hashtags for Your Tuesday Marketing Topics

What to post today? Why not try a new hashtag or fresh topic you don't normally chat about? Adding unique content to your daily routine of social media interactions can steer you in a different direction and open up a fresh avenue of conversation online.

March Marketing Idea: Shamrocks of Inspiration

Hello there! It is a rainy Saturday and I wanted to quickly share this lovely idea with you. It's perfect for anytime of the year, as you could incorporate it into just about any holiday or season to decorate your retail shop windows, promote a positive community-wide movement or simply celebrate the local businesses in your town or city.

Life Truths for Entrepreneurs

Thoughts from a Sunday morning....not just any Sunday, but the first warm day of 2022, I believe. Temps are expected to reach the upper sixties today, followed by seventies tomorrow! I'm headed outside to do something, whether it's photograph my incredibly slow-to-bloom daffodils or clip a wooly dog....but first, an Instagram post that started out simply and then took on a life of it's own (I KNOW, isn't that always my problem in life? HA HA)

National Entrepreneurship Week, February 12th - 19th

Welcome to "National Entrepreneurship Week", a volunteer-led effort focusing on education and encouraging the exchange of ideas. Join activities online, pass along useful resources to fellow entrepreneurs and participate on social media using the hashtag #NatlEshipWeek.

"Share the Love" | Best Quotes About Small Business & Community for Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's (AND Super Bowl!) Weekend and we'd like to share a short post with you featuring words, sayings and quotes about the love of small business - both for entrepreneurs and the people who adore their favorite local places. Perfect for adding to your social channels! To download, simply click on an image to open the larger version in a new window to save.

 

National Handwriting Day, January 23rd

On this Sunday winter morning, as I usually do for holidays relating to communication or personal skills, I searched online for some interesting facts to share about Handwriting Day. I looked for a striking image or inspiring article of some kind, and then I came across a website with a few words that leaped out at me.

National Pharmacist Day: Honoring Delmarva's Independent Businesses

January 12th is National Pharmacist Day, created to honor the hardworking individuals who fill such important roles in our community.

   

We're Fighting Social Isolation: Universal Letter Writing Week

Universal Letter Writing Week ~ Recognized during the second full week of January, this is meant to encourage us to pick up a pen and paper and write to someone. Sounds kind of old-fashioned, doesn't it? Yep! But in today's often frantic world, where taking time for genuine interactions has become so overlooked, I think this is a wonderful opportunity to get in touch with an old friend, relative or a couple of your most loyal customers.

The Importance of A Real Social Media Manager

Double-dipping into the talents of valuable team members is a common practice in today's workplace. One of the areas where this becomes highly problematic is in regards to social media management roles, where instead of designating a specific individual for such tasks, a company may farm out responsibilities onto multiple people, as if assigning chores; "Okay, Al can take the Twitter account, Julie can manage Instagram, and hey, Tom wouldn't mind keeping an eye on the Facebook page, would he?"