SAN DIEGO, May 4, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As an extension of its commitment to the small business
community, The UPS Store®
today announced the launch of its Small Biz Salute campaign, which
celebrates small business owners nationwide during National Small
Business Week.
Small Biz Salute rewards and honors small businesses for their
hard work and gives them an opportunity to network and support each
other. According to survey results released by The UPS
Store1, 73 percent of small business owners would find a
firsthand connection with others in their industry helpful. In
addition, 82 percent of small business owners who worked with a
mentor while starting their business found the experience helpful
in getting them through the process.
In an effort to facilitate the link between small business
owners, The UPS Store is launching the week-long campaign to give
entrepreneurs in several of the nation's top small business cities
- Seattle, Austin and Atlanta - special opportunities to make
meaningful connections with other entrepreneurs in their
communities and gain valuable advice from small business
experts.
"National Small Business Week is a special week for The UPS
Store as it gives us an opportunity to further our support and
commitment to small business owners," said Michelle Van Slyke, vice
president of marketing and sales at The UPS Store. "Support for
entrepreneurs comes in many forms, so Small Biz Salute was
established to recognize small business owners for their hard work
in their communities and help small businesses meet, celebrate and
support one another."
The UPS Store's Small Biz Salute events in the three cities will
celebrate and unite local small business owners. The week-long
activities include:
- Local coffee shop takeovers. To help raise
awareness about locally owned businesses, The UPS Store will be at
select coffee shops in the three cities giving away free coffee* to
consumers who choose to patronize small businesses. The UPS Store
will also surprise co-working, startup and small business spaces
through surprise coffee deliveries to their front doors.
- Evening happy hours hosted by The UPS Store,
featuring local small business experts and chapter representatives
from SCORE, a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses
through education and mentorship, who will offer valuable advice on
topics relevant to small business owners. The events will provide
an opportunity for entrepreneurs to make one-on-one connections,
learn from other small business owners and expand their network.
"The UPS Store is committed to helping small business owners
launch and grow their businesses in any way we can," said Van
Slyke. "Small Biz Salute is our chance to take a moment to pause,
recognize and celebrate those who do so much for our local
communities and economies."
The UPS Store is encouraging people nationwide to show their
support of small business owners by sharing and celebrating their
favorite small businesses on social media using the hashtag
#SmallBizSalute.
With more than 4,400 locations across the United States, The UPS
Store is committed to helping small business owners launch and grow
their business - from meeting their packing and shipping demands
and their mail and print needs to offering complimentary online
resources and discounted referral products and services. The UPS
Store's innovative approach to helping the everyday entrepreneur
includes offering
3D printing services, business consulting, and opportunities
for mentoring among small business owner customers.
For more information about The UPS Store's Small Biz Salute
campaign, visit theupsstore.com/smallbizsalute.
To learn more about The UPS Store's services for small businesses,
visit
theupsstore.com/small-business-solutions.
1 - Survey Methodology
The results of the survey are based on an online survey conducted
January 20 - 26, 2015, by The UPS Store, Inc., franchisor of The
UPS Store network, with general consumers age 18+ and small
business owners. The online study was conducted with 1,200 general
consumers and 506 small business owners. For more results from The
UPS Store survey, visit theupsstore.com/score.
*Free coffee will cover each patron's entire tab between the
hours of 8am-11am in Austin and 7am-11am in both Seattle and
Atlanta. No purchase necessary.
About The UPS Store
With more than 4,400 locations, The UPS Store network comprises the
nation's largest franchise system of retail shipping, postal, print
and business service centers. The UPS Store locations in the U.S.
are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees of The
UPS Store, Inc., a subsidiary of UPS (NYSE: UPS). Services,
products, pricing and hours of operation may vary by location. For
additional information on The UPS Store, visit theupsstore.com. For information
on franchise opportunities for opening a The UPS Store location,
visit theupsstorefranchise.com.
Follow The UPS Store on Twitter at @TheUPSStore and like
The UPS Store on Facebook at facebook.com/theupsstore.
CONTACT: Nicole Cox
(858) 455-8846
ncox@upsstore.com
