The 28 Million Opportunity You Can’t Afford to Miss Gerri Detweiler, Nav Stu Richards, Bredin

Gerri Detweiler Head of Market Education, Nav

Stu Richards CEO, Bredin stu@bredin.com

28.8 million small businesses 9.9 million women owned firms Who Are They? 28.8 million small businesses 9.9 million women owned firms 80% no employees 406,000 start ups 401,00 firm closures Nearly 35% of workforce is non employee workers

Experts In Their Business, Not Business Experts

Consumers Too Budget Credit Taxes Saving Retirement Insurance No safety net

SMBs are most interested in content on technology, and their industry Preferred Topics SMBs are most interested in content on technology, and their industry On a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (very often), how often do you go online to find thought leadership content on the following topics to help you manage and grow your business? Technology Law and taxes Financial planning and management n=302 Top-two box 3

Preferred Topics: Company Size The largest SMBs are most interested in content on financial planning and management On a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (very often), how often do you go online to find thought leadership content on the following topics to help you manage and grow your business? n=302 Top-two box Unweighted 3

Preferred Topics: 2016 Business Outlook Fast-growth SMBs are most interested in content on technology On a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (very often), how often do you go online to find thought leadership content on the following topics to help you manage and grow your business? n=302 Top-two box 3

Preferred Topics: Respondent Age Millennial SMBs are most interested in content on technology and financial management On a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (very often), how often do you go online to find thought leadership content on the following topics to help you manage and grow your business? n=302 Top-two box 3

New Product Awareness: Sources SMBs are most likely to learn about your new offerings directly from you In general, where would you say you first learn about new products and services for your business? (rank from most to least important) 1 Business news media / review sites / blogs Other business owners / peers / colleagues My external team2 3 1 – e.g., email, websites, trade shows, sales call from representative, etc. 2 – e.g., my accountant, attorney or local technology consultant / reseller 3 – e.g., my IT manager, financial manager, HR manager, etc. 3 Rated 1 or 2 n=307

Contact Preferences: First Touch SMBs prefer that marketers send them advisory content as a first touch If you were a marketing consultant, how would you recommend that companies contact you? Please rank these ways that a company can first contact or engage with you from top (most likely to be effective) to bottom (least likely to be effective). 1 n=301 Top-two box 1 – e.g. on news sites 2 – e.g. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn 2 3

Format Preferences: Syndicated Content SMBs are most likely to click on case studies from a text or banner ad On a scale of 1 (very unlikely to read or watch it based on a link or an ad) to 5 (very likely to read or watch it based on a link or an ad), please rate each of these kinds of marketing content. Top 5 n=301 Top-two box 3

Purchase Intent SMBs are most likely to ship a package this year, and purchase new office technology next year What is your best guess as to when you will do each of these things for your business?1 n=310 3

Purchase Intent (continued) SMBs are least likely to change their landline phone service provider this year What is your best guess as to when you will do each of these things for your business?1 Create / launch a new website Apply for a new loan / line of credit Open a new business checking account Change cellphone carriers Set up, or change providers of, a company retirement plan n=310 3

Sales Stage Influences SMBs learn about products and services through mass and social media; use content to conduct research; and rely on sales reps, the product section of your site, and peers to make a purchase decision For each of these sources / formats, please select the stage in the purchase cycle – awareness (i.e., where you first learn about a product or service), research (i.e., investigation / evaluation) or purchase – where you are most likely to use it. n=301 3

Same Topics, New Angles

9 Ways to Monetize #Smallbiz Content Brand Ambassador Social campaigns Email marketing campaigns Affiliate programs Sponsored posts Content creation Lead generation Advertising Create a course

Affiliate Program Examples Want more? Complete list email gerri@nav.com Tax TaxAct Xero Quickbooks Legal JustAnswer USLegalForms CorporateDirect Financial Nav Authorize.net Debt.com

Content marketing strategy Contact Bredin for: Content marketing strategy Develop an effective SMB content marketing plan Original content Tailored, relevant and actionable for SMBs Market research Fast, inexpensive SMB data and insight Stu Richards, CEO stu@bredin.com Twitter: @SBDF 7 21

Thank You