Regardless of the nature of your business, you need to be aware of what is happening in your local economy. Even if you’re a strictly online business and work with clients from all over the world, business trends in your community can have drastic effects on your business. Here are some ways to stay on top of local business news.
Chamber of Commerce
Join a local chamber of commerce for a direct way to determine who your local competition is and what methods they are using to grow your business. It’s also a way to look at the local economic climate and find out who might be able to help you with various aspects of your business.
Get to know the “who’s who” of your Chamber of Commerce and you’ll have access to the business news and information you need to build your business. Most chambers publish regular newsletters highlighting events, trends, and news for both their community and business members. Take advantage of this information so that your company continues to grow.
County or citywide publications
Contact your local business association to see what publications exist for your type of business. Get in the habit of reading these magazines or newspapers every day to see what’s going on with your market, the local economy, and businesses in your community.
PRWatch
Monitor online PR sources for keywords that include your geographic location and industry to see what business news is being reported that could affect your company or the industry in general. Subscribe to RSS feeds from online press release sites like pr.com, pressrelease.com, and 24-7 press release.com, where thousands of companies submit news every day. You’ll be among the first to know what the hottest topics are in your industry.
