The 21st century and the global recession have certainly put the cat among the pigeons where small business is concerned but there are many straightforward no-cost and low-cost solutions for small businesses to maintain and even increase market share.As small retailers find they cannot compete against giant conglomerates they eventually close their doors unless they can offer more to their clients. This is only done with smart promoting and offering more value and a better experience to the local shopper.So, what’s the answer for small business survival?People who’ve got a brick and mortar business have a huge challenge on their hands particularly if they sell anything that is also at the giant chains.To sell the product successfully, you have got to be an expert in your field and unique in what you do. You must provide best buyer services to attract and retain clients.3 of the things large box stores don’t offer are uniqueness, experience and buyer service. These are the same 3 things that a local business can and should provide.Shopping at small local businesses is a matter of small community sustainability, because they’re the core of a community. they family, neighbors and friends, they are invested in the community professionally and personally.Its astonishing how many small businesses don’t consider it necessary to have a website. They perhaps are not aware Google essentially loves small business and always will pull a small business to the apex of a search page, just by somebody putting in the name of a town and whatever they are on the lookout for.This is an enormous advantage to a business owner. Make use of local directories, for example through the local Chamber of Commerce, where you can list your internet site, frequently for a small fee or for free.Many small business owners are convinced that starting and maintaining a site will cost them a lot of money and is difficult. But that is not correct.Cheap construction and upkeep of website has itself has now become a small scale industry. There is often a local resident who would love to support the community by assisting you with a very low cost business online presence. Some communities have taken this on to revive and support local community amenities.You will need to buy a domain name (GoDaddy is a good option) for your website address to get started, then the rest is just a simple process of getting hosting for a small monthly fee (I like to use HostGator for this) You can set up your website directly from HostGator.com. Now you are in business onlineNow All a small local business needs is a Google map of where they are, a page explaining what they do, a section that gives opening hours and contact details, some great photos and perhaps a history of the business and that is it!Add an opt in box and you have provided yourself an opportunity to promote a monthly newsletter to send out, coupons can be sent and sales announced, and with the addition of some affiliate advertizing the site can basically make the business owner some additional money even after covering the minor costs concerned.The goal of marketing is always to build a list of loyal customers that can be contacted and provided with information about the best deals available at your local small business.A business website must provide exceptional customer service, helpful info and must market itself as a unique brand like any other businessWhile it is often difficult to compete with big business, tough competition means you must use well thought out online marketing ideas and SEO strategy, particularly to build a subscribers list.Keep in mind that the goal of marketing is always to build a list of loyal customers that can be contacted and provided with the best deals available right at your back door in your own community at your local small business.

Hi, my name is Walt. I’m an auctioneer with 25 years of experience in the auction business and licensed in the state of MA. I own Quick Auction Service, a company that specializes in building and running custom auctions, I’m also the webmaster of my own site and have been on eBay for 8 years. Besides eBay, the types of auctions I run most frequently are antiques and on-site estate auctions, although I’ve run everything from business overstock auctions to charity & special event auctions.

I enjoy sharing my knowledge and stories of the auction business. My goal for article is to help folks get the absolute most out of their auction experience.

Whether your fresh out of the package or a seasoned dealer I think I can offer something in this article to help you with your auciton adventures.

There may be as many reasons to attend auctions as there are types of auctions to attend. Maybe you want to attend an auction to buy items for re-sale on eBay, or some other market. Maybe you want to furnish your home with wonderful antiques, or you want to furnish your home as inexpensively without sacrificing quality.Some folks are just looking for a fun night out. With a little perseverance all these things are possible.

There are antiques and estate auctions, auto auctions, overstock auctions, absolute and no reserve auctions, real estate auctions, specialty auctions where only one genre of items are sold, tailgate auctions, live auctions, online auctions, sealed bid auctions, silent auctions, charity and fund raising auctions and many more.

Can you really buy for pennies on the dollar at an auction? You bet! Many times I’ve seen folks buy and re-sell at the same auction on the same night for a good profit, although be advised, this should only be done after the auction is over.

There are a lot of ways to find an auction, but here are some tips on how to find and attend the best ones.

Visit the genre of shops in the area that apply to the type of auction you want to attend. IE: If your looking for a good antique auction to attend, stop in the local antiques shops and ask for what there are for good auctions in the area. Sounds obvious right? But listen to what they don’t say as well as what they do say. Oftentimes when a dealer speaks poorly about an auction he or she attends, it may be likely that they are trying to keep a good thing secret. Think for a moment, why would a dealer keep attending a lousy auction?

Newspaper ads: I personally like to find ads in the classified ad section rather than flashy display ads. Flashy ads are usually indicative of an auction that will be high priced, may have reserves, (a set price on an item), and usually an enormous crowd. While any auction can be profitable to attend, it is usually best to steer clear of the glitzy ones, at least for the beginner.

Here’s the minimum you want to find out before you go. If there is a phone number in the ad, call and ask for the terms of the sale. What forms of payment do they accept? Is it an absolute auction? An absolute auction is one that has no minimum or reserve bids on items. These are the best auctions to attend! Is there a buyers premium? A buyers premium is like a tax that everyone who makes purchases at that auction must pay above the winning bid price. Most auctions these days do charge a buyers premium, 10% is not unreasonable but I feel much more than that is greedy, and the auctioneer that charges over 10% is counting on most bidders not doing the extra math as the bids quicken in pace.

A fair auction will have ample time to inspect the merchandise, usually at least 2 or 3 hours. Find out when inspection starts and make sure to attend! Never attend an auction if you can’t make the inspection, not unless your prepared to gamble. Most auctioneers sell at a rate of about 100 items per hour, which is why they sell “as is”. They simply don’t have the time to give a detailed description of all the items. Since almost all items at auction are sold AS IS, there are sure to be some damaged, refinished, fake and incomplete items at any given auction. Beware of any auctions that offer very little or no inspection time.

Good auctions will usually have 150 to 400 lots. A lot may be one item or a group of items. The exception to this are specialty auctions, auto auctions, real estate auctions etc.

When you attend your first sale, take note of the 1/2 dozen or so dealers that buy the most often. See if you can find out about other area auctions they attend.

When you do find an excellent auction, attend it as often as possible. By frequenting good sales, you help increase the bottom line of that business. It’s difficult for many auctioneers to keep the quality of merchandise consistent, so good attendance certainly helps. And when an auctioneer gets to know you as a buyer, he/she will go out of the way to accommodate you, to keep you coming back.