Rural Small Business Trends

When it comes to the latest news in the small business world, rural entrepreneurs don't need to know everything that goes on in the big city. The fact is, small-town business owners have different concerns to deal with. Here are a few trends for rural small business owners to keep an eye on in 2010:

1. 2010 Census. When it comes to government grants and programs, population counts matter. Make sure your town finds a way to make every resident count by attending meetings and helping canvas the town. After all, this census could affect your business for the next 10 years.

2. Healthcare reform. As we kick off the new year, new healthcare reform legislation has a few provisions that could affect rural business owners, such as student loan forgiveness for rural doctors. Click here for a straightforward summary.

3. "Shop Local" campaigns are growing. In 2009, small towns put an emphasis on buying from local businesses, and this is expected to grow in 2010. Before to get involved in any shop local campaigns in your area, and improve your customers' experience to attract more business while you're at it.

Click here for more rural small business trends to keep an eye on this year.