News
Grand & Toy launches new networking site for small businesses

Nov. 3, 2008 – Time-strapped small business decision makers searching for an easily accessible forum to connect with peers, learn new trends and techniques, and grow their business through sales leads can now take refuge at Grand & Toy Empower, a new website.

Time-strapped small business decision makers searching for an easily accessible forum to connect with peers, learn new trends and techniques, and grow their business through sales leads can now take refuge at a new, one-stop business networking website.

Grand & Toy Empower (www.grandandtoyempower.com) is geared to small businesses, and will offer them the opportunity to get all their online activity done in one place, saving them the precious commodity of time and ultimately making them more productive.

"Business decision makers are always on the lookout for opportunities to use the Internet to gain insight on industry trends; learn new strategies; make connections with consumers and other businesses; and find valuable advertising and sales opportunities," said Valerie Jones, general manager of ecommerce, Grand & Toy. "With the average small business owner working more than 50 hours per week, they can now meet all their online needs at one web location rather than going to various different websites to accomplish the same tasks."

The site's timely launch comes on the heels of an economic slowdown, a time when small businesses are looking for solutions to emerging problems, including how to promote themselves in a cost-effective manner.

Users will have the ability to put up ads on Grand & Toy Empower at no cost and leverage the site's viral nature to develop their reputation through word-of-mouth advertising. Business decision makers will also use the site to form new partnerships, source new suppliers, and share ideas with business owners within their industries. The site offers a vast array of multimedia, including informational videos and podcasts, as well as expert advice on a breadth of topics. Users can participate in online seminars and receive tips and tricks to make their business run smoother. Employers can also leverage the site's job board to post employment opportunities, while employees can use the same board for their job search.
 
This offering is part of the company's strategy to serve as an advocate on behalf of small business, whose voice is often overshadowed by the needs of large organizations. In addition to offering superior products and services, the company has developed numerous new tools to help small businesses obtain the resources they need to make their operations more viable and profitable.

New members to the site will automatically have one friend added to their network – a Grand & Toy technology expert with whom they can liaise directly for technical related problems or information.