Small business owners in Southwest Florida must advertise to claim a fair share of the $22.7 billion retail economy.

“Think you have a great product?” asks the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Unfortunately, no one’s going to know about it unless you advertise.”  The SBA goes on to say, “Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business."

During 2019, many SWFL small business owners sought advertising guidance on the advice pages of www.AdvertiseInFortMyers.com. Below are the top ten most-read articles from the past 12 months.

Southwest Florida consumers are expected to spend $22.7 billion at retail this year, according to Nielsen. This means that every household, on average, will be spending $47,869.

To capture a larger share of these dollars, small business owners in the Fort Myers-Naples area need to know the answer to two questions.

The first question is, where is this enormous amount of cash being spent?  The list below details the answer.

In US history, there have been more recessions than presidents, 47 vs. 45.  Many economists believe number 48 could be imminent.  

The textbook definition of a recession is a period of declining economic performance across an entire economy, frequently measured as two consecutive quarters. In other words: it's a time when most Fort Myers area small business owners sell fewer of their goods and services.

There is one thing a recession is not.  It is not a time for Southwest Florida business owners to stop advertising.

One of the greatest marketers of all time, Henry Ford, once said, "The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time."

The bowl of cereal you ate this morning could be all the proof you need that Mr. Ford's observation is accurate.