Devotion to the Shopper Makes Kohl’s Unbeatable in the Holidays

On December 4, 2009

Devotion to the Shopper Makes Kohl’s Unbeatable in the Holidays

Macy’s (M) might Believe it has a more elegant marketing program, J.C. Penney (JCP) might be particularly helpful when it comes to gift giving and Target (T) might be flashier in its ability to pop up into the media, but of all the chains focusing on the middle-class consumer, Kohl’s (KSS) is likely to be the big winner this holiday season because it's taking care of its own. In November, which turned out to be a tough month for some retailers, comparable store sales – those in stores open for at least a year – fell by just over six percent at Macy’s, more of a plummet than analysts expected. J.C. Penney’s comp slide of just under six percent also...


On December 4, 2009

Weekend Links: Good Efficiency, Bad Efficiency

Plenty to read over the weekend if you're so inclined:

Can you get your utility company to help you reduce your utility bill? Kelly Spors explains incentives for becoming more energy efficient at SmallBusinessTrends.

Philadelphia approved tax credits for B-Corps (companies with social missions), Anne Field writes at True/Slant.

Congress mulls small business aid in the upcoming jobs bill, Andy Sullivan reports at Reuters, and Geithner floats tax credits for investment and hiring, Glenn Somerville reports.

The Senate Small Business Committee eyes making permanent the expanded tax breaks for business owners under Section 179 (for expensing capital investment).

Employment won't recover until Washington addresses small business lending barriers, Mark Sunshine argues at Seeking Alpha.

Seth Godin offers advice for companies that have ignored the Web and now want to catch up.

Restaurant bartering is up, the WSJ's Julie Jargon reports.

Matt Linderman at Signal vs. Noise explores how making your business more efficient can diminish the value you provide.


On December 4, 2009

Online Video Advertising Opportunities Are Limitless

We've brushed on the topic of online video marketing from time to time at Small Business news. There have been some opportunities in this area for some time now, but those are growing at a rapid pace as online video continues to surge in popularity among consumers.

Strides continue to be made with what exactly can be achieved. New ad units continue to present themselves, for example. Companies test what works and what doesn't, and find different ways that they can utilize this medium to suit their brand.

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On December 4, 2009

8 Tips for Managing a LinkedIn Group

Jessica Faye Carter is an award-winning author and columnist. Her company, Nette Media develops social media technologies for women and multicultural communities, and she blogs at Technicultr. With over 50 million users, LinkedIn continues to be among the most popular social networking sites for business professionals, offering a variety of features for its users. One such [...]


On December 4, 2009

Keeping Your Sanity While Marketing On a Budget

Does any one else feel completely overwhelmed trying to keep up with and manage the social media that is supposed to be helping us market our small businesses? I find it nearly impossible to keep up with the array of social media opportunities – and the way they seem to eat my time. Just when [...]


On December 4, 2009

Verizon’s Tough-Guy Droid Bullies Sissy iPhone

Verizon Wireless and AT&T may have settled their differences over Verizon's advertising messages in the courtroom, but there is little sign Verizon is pulling its punches elsewhere. With its latest ad, though, Verizon may have toed over a line by invoking gender stereotypes. The ad depicts the iPhone as pretty but clueless.


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