Small Business Trends has made available November 2005 survey titled Selling to Small Businesses, free for download until December 18, 2005. Referrals are still the most popular ways to attract small business customers offline, followed by networking events, cold calling, direct marketing, trade shows and others.

Search engines and direct website visits are two primary ways vendors attract business customers online, at 73 percent and 71 percent respectively. Twenty three percent vendors use links in third party blogs to attract customers.

The most comment buying objections that small businesses raise insufficient budget, inability to perceive benefits, and handling in-house.

The 14-page report includes 9 charts and several tables, a must read for those of you who sell to small business markets.

You probably should consider to change your marketing strategy accordingly according to the results. For example, the next time you send direct mail, write web copy or send e-mail marketing campaign, address more on the benefits to raise their awareness and perceived values.

Lots of things can be learned from this report, make sure you download it. Thanks go to Anita Campbell. Visit her blog to download and get link to current survey.

Source: Small Business Trends.