| The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate if small business owners in McMinn County, Tennessee consider marketing when making business decisions and how the small business owners can use social media and organizational websites in marketing strategies. Through the exploration of the small business owners' views of marketing and the decisions impacting marketing strategies, insight was gained into how successful marketing initiatives help boost sales and increase the potential for the success of the organization. Fourteen small business owners from McMinn County, Tennessee were interviewed for the study. Questions were centered on organizational competence, stakeholders, strategies, profitability, chance of survival, networking, social media and Internet, competition and growth. The main themes identified relating to research question one were customer service and business strategies. The main themes identified relating to research question two were word-of-mouth marketing and Facebook. As small business owners utilize social media and organizational websites, the growth potential of the business increases as supported by the findings of this study. Study participants indicated a web presence is crucial to the success of any small business and must have consistent messages to increase brand loyalty. To expand on this study, additional research could focus on particular industries or minority owned small businesses. A quantitative study could examine the variables which influence successful marketing strategies in small businesses. |
