Valuable New Survey Data on Selling To Small Businesses
Recently we conducted an online survey about selling to the small business market. The results of that survey are now available.
The survey established that a whopping 83% of vendors attract small business customers through referrals — more than twice the number that report getting customers through cold calling, direct mail and other traditional techniques. Here is a chart from the report comparing various customer acquisition techniques (not including online):
When it comes to attracting customers online, organic search results are a primary way. A full 73% of vendors attract small business customers through search engine results. This chart compares various online ways of attracting small businesses as customers:
The report is based on data collected from an online survey between October 29 and November 13, 2005. There were 481 respondents. The report consists of 14 pages and 11 charts.
Ron McDaniel, CEO of Buzzoodle.com, a word of mouth marketing agency, was provided with an advance review copy of the report. Here is what Ron had to say, “I think this report is essential for businesses that market to small businesses to read because it really illustrates the opportunities and barriers to getting better results. I can imagine a lot of opportunities for follow up to this…. Just the tip of the iceberg as far as stuff I would love to know. ”
This is intended to be the first of many surveys. Our thanks to all those who participated.
Download our exclusive 14-page report, “Selling to Small Businesses,” here (PDF). The report is available for free until December 18, 2005. Thank you, the open access period for this report is now closed. The report will be available shortly in our online store for purchase at a nominal charge.
December 4th, 2005 at 7:11 pm
Anita,
This is a great survey. It confirms all my beliefs, but now they are no longer just beliefs, I have the data to back them up:-)
The stat’s on how sellers and customers find each other off- and online are great … but clearly those are two separate groups, and I wonder if you had any numbers on the ratio between off- and online?
Thanks a lot,
Zoli
December 4th, 2005 at 9:57 pm
Hi Zoli, You raise a very good question. We will be covering the question you ask in future surveys.
Best,
Anita
December 4th, 2005 at 11:09 pm
[…] Congratulations. We gave away three copies of the book in a random drawing of those who participated in our first survey, “Selling to Small Businesses.” The books were donated courtesy of the authors. […]
December 5th, 2005 at 8:37 pm
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December 6th, 2005 at 9:04 am
this is very interesting… all the online stores had better learn how to beef up their meta tags, then!
would sure appreciate more info on doing that in the future
December 6th, 2005 at 11:05 am
Selling To Small Business
Anita Campbell has copies of the Small Business Trend blog’s survey on selling to small businesses available for download off her site until December 18. And, apparently, I’m not the only one who found it interesting.
December 9th, 2005 at 2:50 am
[…] Source: Small Business Trends. […]
December 9th, 2005 at 8:34 pm
[…] The research online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell […]
December 10th, 2005 at 2:06 pm
[…] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell […]
December 10th, 2005 at 2:21 pm
[…] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell […]
December 12th, 2005 at 5:51 am
[…] Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends writes about valuable new survey data on selling To small businesses. She also provides a survey you can take here. […]
December 13th, 2005 at 12:12 pm
More thoughts on microbusiness marketing
Here’s a recurring complaint that I hear among microbusiness owners: ‘I want to get more customers and make more sales but I don’t have a big marketing budget and nobody knows that I’m here.’ The thing about this plaint is…
December 17th, 2005 at 9:07 pm
[…] But how accurate is that assumption? Well, for starters, who are your customers? If you sell to other businesses, then the odds are that most of your best prospects are other microbusinesses. In that case, as we learned from the recently released survey from Small Business Trends, the most effective way to reach your target market is through referrals and networking (offline), and SEO and your web site copy (online). […]
February 16th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
[…] Acaba de salir publicado un informe en Small Business Trends en el que se han analizado distintos aspectos a la hora de trabajar con el sector de la peque�a y mediana empresa. […]
March 16th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
[…] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell from Small Business Trends […]
May 31st, 2006 at 10:45 am
[…] Small Business Trends published a survey on “Selling to Small Businesses”, which supports the increasing importance of SEM: “A full 73% of vendors attract small business customers through search engine results” […]
May 31st, 2006 at 12:45 pm
SaaS for Very Small Businesses - Show Me the Money
Recently, in SME / SMB Have Become Obsolete Acronyms I discussed how now, that business software and services have become affordably available to small businesses, the SMB term has become inadequate to describe this market, especially from the so…
November 3rd, 2006 at 8:18 pm
Wow. The referral number is staggering, and the online search for attracting customers is less of a surprise. Great info.
http://www.simplifythis.com/
January 14th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Where is the link to the store to buy this survey?
Thanks,
Tejas.
April 14th, 2007 at 11:18 am
[…] The research Online survey courtesy of Anita Cambell from Small Business Trends […] very good
January 28th, 2008 at 12:50 am
[…] a win from the vendor’s point of view. Small Business Trends recently published a survey on “Selling to Small Businesses”, which supports the increasing importance of SEM: “A full 73% of vendors attract small […]