City of Largo, Florida

National Small Business Week is May 20 - 26

This year, National Small Business Week is being held from Sunday, May 20 through Saturday, May 26. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrates National Small Business Week as a time to recognize the big contributions made by small businesses around the country. The City of Largo celebrates the Largo Small Businesses this year from November 19 through November 26, 2012 to coincide with the nation-wide event, Small Business Saturday.

The week-long celebration serves to remind American consumers of the importance of small businesses and the economic benefits that locally-owned and independent stores bring to sustaining a region. Here are some ways that your business can participate in this event:

1. Contact your local SCORE chapter. SCORE, also named the Service Corp of Retired Executives, offers free one-on-one business counseling to start-ups and small business owners. They offering events to help small businesses raise their profile. In Pinellas County, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be hosting its free 3^rd Annual business Growth Conference on Tuesday, May 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more information, visit the Pinellas County Business Classes page.

2. Bring your community together through a local deal. Introduce your deal for Small Business Week and put up a sign in your window, advertise it on your social media sites or on your website, and tell your regular customers about it. Test out your market by offering two different redemption codes, one for your regular customers, and the second for your new customers. Make the deal even more irresistible by partnering with a neighboring business so you can reach a broader audience.

3. Notify your customers that it's National Small Business Week. If you have a special newsletter, now is the time to send a special edition. Let customers know the special deals you will be offering and let them know about the activities you will be presenting, such as demonstrations, tastings, signings, samples, etc. If you have a the capability to do a poll, ask your customers what they would like to see during National Small Business Week and in the future.

4. Give your business some TLC. Has it been a while since you made up a disaster plan? The local SBA offers help with emergency preparedness classes and resources for disaster recover assistance. Brush up on your insurance policy and business liability insurance to see what is covered. What are your plans for paying your bills even if you are closed for business? If you are an owner tenant or are responsible for improvements, check out the lifespan of your roof and look for any structural vulnerabilities that can be fixed before a disaster strikes.

For more information on National Small Business Week, visit http://www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com

For past stories of the week, click here.