Marketing Internship with the Mansfield IDC
Essential Background
A big part of my Applied Learning Project was writing a research paper on a subject directly related to our fieldwork. I decided to write my paper on the success of small businesses. Because Mansfield, Massachusetts has a business community of mostly small businesses, I decided that focusing on this subject would be very interesting and beneficial to my project.
Context
What are small businesses?
I started my paper by describing what exactly small businesses are and the importance of their industries to the communities they serve in.
Small businesses are considered to be any business with 500 employees or less
Small businesses are crucial to society and efforts can, and should be made, to preserve the backbone of American communities
Employ over 50% of the working population (120 million individuals), providing products and services to their local communities
Small businesses range from auto repair shops to beauty salons, and from dry cleaners to restaurants
Main Points
For my paper, I was trying to prove that small businesses have a lot of positive impacts on society and can be successful if they have certain qualities.
Effective Marketing and Public Relations
Effective marketing and advertising play a crucial role in the success of a small business. Efforts can span from fundraisers
Cycle Money Through the Community
Small businesses are much more successful at keeping profits within the community which strengthens the local economy.
Strengthen Community & Provide Authentic Services and Goods
Local products and services are preferred to big business chains because they provide customers with authenticity.