SmallBusinessExecutiveInforming, Inspiring and Connecting Businesses
How to break through social media clutter
Consultant Suzanne Ross of the Aerie Group in Evanston offers tips on making social media communications more meaningful.
GrubHub flush with $20 million in new capital
Without even trying, Chicago-based GrubHub has raised $20 million in new venture capital, bringing to $34 million the amount of private investment in the company, chief executive Matt Maloney said today. “We didn’t go out looking at all,” Maloney said. But following the company’s round of $11 million last fall from Benchmark Capital in [...]
Groupon, other deal sites move upscale
Social buying websites including Chicago-based Groupon are targeting higher-income customers by offering more upscale deals, Bloomberg News reported. “We are finding that people move up and down between categories: Sometimes they want a sandwich, and sometimes, a $100 meal,” Rob Solomon, president of Groupon, told Bloomberg News. “There’s a lot of interest in the luxury category,” [...]
GrubHub aims to double in size in 2011
Chicago-based GrubHub.com is looking to double its current workforce to 200 and expand to reach 26 cities this year, Bloomberg reported. The company rang up $8.3 million last year in revenue from its average 15.5 percent commission on orders and expects to hit $17 million this year, the article said. Founder Matt Maloney said the [...]
How to use handwritten media to get noticed
By Lidia Varesco Racoma, Guest columnist It can be worthwhile for a small business to take a break from social media and focus on “handwritten media.” Being an avid user of social media, I realize its benefits for small business—but I also believe that staying connected with clients and prospects requires a more personal approach [...]
Mcommerce sites add gift centers: Chicago report
Mobile commerce sites are getting more sophisticated with 42 percent offering a gift center for mobile devices, according to Chicago-based e-tailing group’s third-quarter mobile mystery shopping report. That’s up from 30 percent of merchants who offered gift centers a year ago. That means many mobile sites now allow users to shop by criteria, such [...]
Groupon gets personal
To hear founder and CEO Andrew Mason tell it, Groupon is not all about saving money. It’s about encouraging people to try new experiences by reducing the financial risk, also known as the price. That mission promises to mold the Chicago-based company’s new targeted marketing strategy, where customized Groupons are offered to subsegments of its [...]
