Small Business Stats Tuesday — Staples Edition

March 24, 2015

By Bob Coleman
Editor, Small Business Stats Tuesday

The majority of small business leaders (87%) are optimistic about the year ahead according to a recent Staples’ small business survey. Main Street is focused on results, with the top three small business goals in 2015: increasing revenue (76%), driving profits (70%) and gaining more customers (70%).

Promotional marketing (46%), better organization (38%) and software technology upgrades (35%) are the top tactics small businesses plan to use to meet these goals.

Additional Staples Small Business Survey facts:

  • Manage costs: 25% of small businesses plan to increase technology use to help manage business costs.
  • Improve marketing: Nearly half of small businesses (47%) want to stop spending money on ineffective marketing and promotional campaigns.
  • Better customer service: More than two thirds (68%) want to attract more customers this year, and more than one third (38%) want to retain current customers longer.
  • Invest in employees: About one third (32%) report they want to provide bonuses to their employees as part of their 2015 plan, and 29% said they want to give their employees a raise.
  • Bargain hunters: The majority of small business leaders are both bargain hunters in their personal life (88%) as well as at their business (85%).
  • Rewards: Most small businesses leaders (79%) want to use vendors that offer rewards and points that can be used toward future purchases.
  • Products and services: More than one third of small business leaders want to grow their business by expanding their product line or services.