Social media called the final frontier for start-ups

Experts say social media is the final frontier for startups who are building a brand or established companies that are expanding their reach. And businesses are buying it.

Entrepreneurs are clamoring for more information about online marketing, which is why nonprofit business counseling organization SCORE devoted two seminars and a keynote address by social media consultant Lena West to the topic at Tuesday’s SCORE Palooza.

Some 250 people attended the one-time only event, held at the JW Marriott Resort.

SCORE Palooza coincided with SCORE’s national leadership conference, which drew 364 chapter leaders from around the country for meetings Wednesday and today.

Local SCORE business counselor Bob Cushman said Las Vegas is “worse off” than any other community, which is why businesses need to embrace creative marketing strategies to survive.

“Our problem is simply bigger than the others,” Cushman said. “You’ve got to be a better businessperson in our environment than you do even in Southern California. You need all the help you can get.”

The decline of big business in the construction and gaming industries decimated small businesses, Cushman said.

“The challenge is to come up with a marketing concept, services or products that work in this depressed economy,” he added.

The recession and ensuing high unemployment rates encouraged — or forced — workers all over the country to explore business ownership. SCORE’s visitors increased dramatically and have remained at high levels over the last few years.

The problem, Cushman said, is that many entrepreneurs are not prepared for the difficulties of starting a business. And while SCORE doesn’t discourage people from following their dreams during the organization’s free counseling sessions, Cushman said he does emphasize the need for planning before proceeding with a startup.

According to SCORE, clients who have worked with the nonprofit started 58,637 businesses in 2010. Of those businesses, 91 percent are still going strong.

Cushman continues to meet with business owners after they’re up and running.

“(Successful business owners) keep thinking. They keep pouring money back into the business. They keep rethinking who are their customers,” Cushman said.

Small businesses must continually evaluate their strategies, especially on the marketing front, which is where social media becomes key.

Action Words Entertainment owner Mona Fletcher has worked with SCORE in the past and is establishing her writing and publicity business. She attended SCORE Palooza to learn how to use social media to promote her brand.

“Social media marketing is taking over,” she said.

She brought Denette Braud, owner of the mobile Funnel Cake Cafe, who launched her business five years ago but recently began ratcheting up operations.

The pair sat in on a session about email marketing presented by Constant Contact representative Ron Cates.

Jannhet Pascual also attended the marketing presentation to learn more about positioning her online marketing startup company.

Pascual, who moved to Las Vegas from San Diego, plans to target dentists with her new business. She used SCORE Palooza to meet with counselors, network with other entrepreneurs and learn about business trends — including, of course, social media.

Contact reporter Caitlin McGarry at
cmcgarry@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5273.