To give small businesses a leg up, Comerica Bank is offering a variety of free resources to its small business customers. Comerica SmallBizCo-op provides valuable assets including free marketing (in the form of radio and digital ads), access to free market research, discounts on office supplies, free tickets to professional sports games and more.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and are most often at a disadvantage compared to their bigger competitors because of their smaller budgets and limited number of employees,” says Omar Salah, Comerica executive vice president and director of small business banking. “Comerica believes in doing everything possible to empower small businesses to succeed and to provide resources that small businesses typically don’t have access to.”
Introduced earlier this year, the program is ideal for budget-conscious firms and those in need of better technology and/or fresh marketing strategies to cultivate new customers. Small business customers receive a free radio advertisement during the broadcast of a professional sports event, such as a Dallas Stars or Texas Rangers game, as well as a free digital ad that appears on a Comerica banking center monitor of their choice.
Customers can also access free market research via SizeUp by Comerica to evaluate local competition and make data-driven decisions. The bank introduced the platform last spring as part of SmallBizCo-op. SizeUp by Comerica enables users to build performance benchmarks; compare revenue, wages and more; discover potential customers, suppliers and competitors in a geographical area; understand local consumer spending; and optimize marketing to target new clients.
SmallBizCo-op also gives customers two free tickets annually to a home game of a Dallas pro sports team. The seats can be used to entertain a client or reward employees for their contributions.
Customers may also leverage Comerica’s buying power and receive discounts of up to 40% on office supplies from Office Depot, and they can access reduced prices on software and hardware through SHI International. In addition, participants have access to Comerica CoReward$ for discounts on national-brand products in 25 categories, including travel, dining, cars and more.
The Dallas-based bank is piloting the SmallBizCo-op program here in Dallas-Fort Worth as part of its larger initiative to help small businesses grow and prosper.
“Small business startups have seen the highest growth rate in years, and we know this growing segment needs support,” Salah observes. “The unique product and service offerings we provide to small business customers are a direct result of conversations we had with small business owners to identify their specific pain points and needs.”
Comerica SmallBizCo-op complements a separate program, Comerica CoWorkSpaces, that offers free office space to Comerica’s small business customers in North Texas. CoWorkSpaces provides customers with Wi-Fi, audio-visual presentation equipment, reservable conference rooms, hospitality stations and other amenities.
Small businesses represent 44% of U.S. economic activity and create two-thirds of net new jobs, according to the Small Business Administration. Numbering nearly 8 million in 2020, these firms function in retail, manufacturing, services and many other sectors of the economy.
“Comerica is investing in its customers and has double downed on its efforts to support small businesses with resources that will help them take their business to the next level,” Salah says. “Part of that includes establishing a dedicated organization that specializes in small business.”
To access SmallBizCo-op offerings, you must be a Comerica customer with an active business checking account and have a physical business location in Texas. Visit comerica.com/succeed for more information on Comerica SmallBizCo-op.
Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. Terms and limitations may apply.