Tech tools bring big success for small businesses

After Hurricane Katrina lashed the Gulf Coast, small businesses such as the Silk Road Collection antique store in New Orleans had little hope of surviving. Tourists and local customers had vanished, and it would take years for the city to rebuild.

Donald St. Pierre, the owner of Silk Road, and his business and life partner, Robert Turner, feared that they might have to close the shop. They couldn’t land government or bank loans, and their personal savings were keeping the business afloat.

But then Turner attended a small-business, e-commerce seminar co-sponsored by Internet giant Yahoo and AT&T. After the disaster, it was like tech manna from heaven.

Yahoo offered free online small-business services. E-commerce firm Solid Cactus designed a professional-looking website http://www.silkroadcollection.com . Google provided free online software to analyze Internet traffic to Silk Road’s website. And online marketing firm Constant Contact created an e-newsletter for thousands of customers. Total cost: $5,000.

By Edward Iwata, USA TODAY

Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2008-05-08-small-business-tech_N.htm