BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Sam’s Club announced #SmallBizHelp, an interactive social campaign that supports America’s small business owners with expert advice on starting and running a business. Sam’s Club, the membership warehouse division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), invites small business owners to submit business questions on Sam’s Club Facebook and Twitter @SamsClub using #SmallBizHelp.
Based on feedback from Sam’s Club Business members, American small business owners’ chief operational concerns aligned with six categories: accounting and tax preparation, identity protection, digital marketing, payments processing, human resources and business lending. In collaboration with industry experts, Sam’s Club will respond to #SmallBizHelp questions with solutions, tips and resources for saving time and money on managing a business. Through September, Sam’s Club will also post #DidYouKnow small business facts on social media and a series of tip-based articles accessible at SamsClub.com/benefits.
“Small business owners often lack a network of experts to tap as they navigate day-to-day business issues,” said Seong Ohm, senior vice president of Merchandise Business Services for Sam’s Club. “At Sam’s Club, we provide smart solutions by listening to our members. The #SmallBizHelp program extends a new, direct line of communication between time-starved business owners and trusted resources when issues arise that are beyond their expertise.”
#SmallBizHelp is part of Sam’s Club’s broader initiative to help small business owners save time and money through savings on merchandise, technology-enabled benefits and anywhere, anytime member service. Sam’s Club offers online, mobile and phone support for critical business operations, including:
- Payroll and Human Resources Solutions from Execupay (@Execupay), allowing small business owners to access employee management tools and run payroll in under one minute by desktop, tablet or mobile app.
- Identity Theft Protection by LifeLock (@LifeLock), a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection services and identity risk and credit worthiness assessment for enterprises.
- Accounting and Tax Preparation from 1-800Accountant (@1800Accountant), the nation’s leading accounting firm for individuals and small-business that combines mobile and desktop applications with a dedicated accountant to make tax prep and bookkeeping simple and affordable. Business members enjoy huge savings compared to local CPA and tax preparation chains with no contracts or hourly fees.
- Access to Capital through SmartBiz (@SmartBizLoans), providing access to SBA loans with low monthly payments and single digit interest rates through a simple online application process. Sam’s Club members save up to 20 percent off loan fees on loans from $5,000 to $350,000.
- Business Payment Solutions by First Data (@FirstData), offering access to in-club business consultants who can help streamline and centralize payment processing, point of sale technology and customer data with app-based Clover business tools. Payment processing rates start at 1.29% or a flat rate of $19 per month.
- Online Marketing Solutions by Web.com (@Webdotcom), helping businesses grow their customer base through digital marketing, including website design, search and social media strategy. Web.com offers Sam’s Club members a free Online Marketing Health Check and up to 36 percent savings on DIY (do-it-yourself) and DIFM (do-it-for-me) online marketing packages.
Sam’s Club is also enlisting the help of business members to “deliver” the message of new business benefits: local pizzeria owners in 14 cities, including Austin, TX, Nashville, TN and Chicago, IL, will deliver a special lunch in Sam’s Club-branded pizza boxes to select small business advocates and entrepreneurial incubators.
For tip-based articles and savings on solutions for critical small business needs, visit SamsClub.com/benefits.
About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products, savings and services to millions of members in 653 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. To learn more about Sam’s Club, visit the Sam’s Club Newsroom, shop at SamsClub.com, and interact with Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.
