Staples Survey Reveals Small Businesses Are Optimistic About 2015

The majority of small business leaders (87%) are optimistic about the year ahead according to a recent Staples’ small business survey conducted online by Research Now.

The top three small business goals in 2015, according to the survey: 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.

The survey also showed value is key to small businesses, with nearly 90% saying they search for bargains in both their personal and business lives. And small business leaders want to be rewarded for their loyalty, with nearly 80 percent wanting to use vendors that offer rewards and points that can be used toward future purchases.

“At Staples, we’re committed to helping our small business customers with new services, competitive prices and the great products they need to make more happen in their business,” said Alison Corcoran, senior vice president, marketing, North American stores and online, Staples, in a press release “We’re a resource for small businesses and have expanded new business services, adding Staples Business Loans and Design Services, to help our customers succeed.”

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.

Staples Offers New Services for Small Businesses

To help small business customers make more happen in 2015, Staples has launched new business services including:

• Staples Business Loans powered by Lendio to help small business with quick and easy access to capital. Visit Staples.com/BusinessLoans to learn more.
• Staples Design Services at Copy & Print Centers nationwide to help small businesses bring their brands to life, from concept to creation, with professionally designed logos and marketing materials. Visit Staples.com/DesignServices to learn more.
• Plus an established suite of technology support from Staples EasyTech™ Services, and the ability to earn Staples Rewards on everything in the store and take advantage of free shipping on Staples.com.

The Staples 2015 small business survey was conducted online within the United States by Research Now between January 3-February 6, 2015 among 999 small business leaders in each of the four regions (Northeast, Midwest, South and West).

Headquartered in Framingham, Staples operates throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.