Category Archives: Government Information
Finding the Right Address: Part 3—History of Older Buildings
History libraries and other collections often offer really unique sources for researching a building or neighborhood. Collections usually include atlases, building permits, directories, indexes, and photographs. For questions about historical buildings architectural guidebooks are a good place to start. City directories are great for finding the historical records of a building. Heritage Documentation Programs Historic American Buildings Survey provdes some really unique information.
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Filed under Government Information, Market Research
Finding the Right Address: Part 1—Public Records and Periodical Indices
There are many reasons for wanting to learn more about specific buildings and neighborhoods. The questions that can be asked about buildings are endless. Creative marketers can use the tools listed in these posts to find exactly what they need, but it may take some time to locate the best source for your specific purpose. Because there are so many really useful and interesting resources, I have split them into three posts. The first, covers public records and periodical indices. The second will survey many of the free and subscription databases available. Historical records are the focus of the third post.
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Filed under Government Information, Market Research
Is Anyone Out There? Let the SBA Help You Find Out!
It can seem a daunting task to discover how many business entities exist in your market, how large they are, what they worry about, or how long they have been in business. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy can help you discover the answers to these and many other questions.
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Filed under Government Information, Market Research
Shorter Term Business Data Series and Publications
Use of federally produced monthly and quarterly business datasets can be frustrating if you don’t plan your search strategy; this post describes the most popular series, including Economic Indicators and the Survey of Current Business. Continue reading
Filed under Government Information, Market Research
Long-term Economic Census Series
The long-term economic datasets provided by the U.S. Census are described. These include the five-year economic census as well as annual surveys and Business Dynamic Statistics. Continue reading
Filed under Government Information, Market Research, Uncategorized
Sifting U.S. Government Statistics for Business Information: Part 1
The U.S. government is the largest data collector in the world. Use the Bureau of the Census search tools and datafinders to find statistics for a targeting marketing plan. Continue reading
Filed under Government Information, Market Research, Search Stratgies
Sifting U.S. Government Statistics for Business Information: Part 2
Targeted datafinders are an excellent tool for finding the economic statistics you need to fill out your marketing plan. Continue reading
Finding Statistics for Market Research
For a very long time I had a permanent frowny face when I thought of collecting statistics for market research. Most business and marketing students are taught to collect and analyze raw data, but I have found that there are … Continue reading
Filed under Government Information, Market Research, Uncategorized
SBIRs—Have a Great Idea? The Government Might Help You Develop It
To qualify for the SBIR program a for-profit business must have less than 500 employees, be U.S. based, and the chief researcher must be employed by the submitting business. Each agency with SBIR funds publishes periodic lists of requested proposals. SBIR award amounts are from $100,000 to $150,000 for phase I, and $750,000 to $1,000,000 for phase II. Continue reading
Filed under Government Information
Too Much Information! Finding the Lowdown on Federal Contractors
The federal government site USAspending.gov is an almost bottomless well of business intelligence. This massive database is a bit intimidating, but with a little effort you will be rewarded with a lot of information that you can use to find business opportunities. Continue reading
Filed under Government Information, Market Research