Good news for the Texas public relations market. According the inaugural Texas Small-Business ConditionsSM report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)/Texas, the outlook for Texas’ small-business economy is positive. Two out of three small employers in the state’s four primary regions see economic growth ahead for the next quarter.
Public relations spending typically tracks closely with business sentiments and grows as expectations brighten. However, the report also found that small-business owners say the overall business climate could be better. The number one reason that small-business owners say they are pessimistic? Unfriendly government policies.
|
Texas Small-Business ConditionsSM |
||||||
|
This chart shows the results within Texas and its principal regions. |
||||||
|
|
|
Texas |
North- |
South- |
South |
West |
|
Business Climate |
Survey Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overall state business environment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net % supportive of small business |
2/2005 |
33 |
33 |
29 |
40 |
38 |
|
Business conditions in market area |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net % "good" |
2/2005 |
44 |
42 |
45 |
45 |
49 |
|
Net % "improving" |
2/2005 |
27 |
29 |
24 |
31 |
21 |
|
Outlook for business |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net % "good" in next three months |
2/2005 |
67 |
67 |
67 |
67 |
67 |
|
Reason for optimism |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% Sales prospects |
2/2005 |
41 |
39 |
44 |
40 |
40 |
|
% Lower costs |
2/2005 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
|
% Price increases |
2/2005 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
|
% Greater productivity |
2/2005 |
16 |
15 |
18 |
15 |
16 |
|
% Government policy |
2/2005 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
The Poll
NFIB’s Texas Small-Business ConditionsSM is a telephone survey of a random sample of Texas’ small employers regarding business condition within the state. “Small employer” is defined here as someone employing between one and 250 people (not including the owner(s)) in a for-profit business. Four separate regional surveys are conducted, each with a minimum of 350 respondents.