Staples starts contest to give businesses cash for marketing

Need money for marketing your small business?

Staples wants to help.

The office-supplies retailer has launched its "Give Your Small Business the Push It Needs" contest. The company will grant five small businesses nationwide up to $50,000 each in television advertising in their home market.

Results from the sixth-annual Staples National Small Business Survey spurred the contest. Seventy percent of survey respondents said they're optimistic about the future, and 52 percent said they would grow their business if they had a larger marketing budget. Small-business ad budgets average just over $2,000 a year, Staples found.

Small-business owners can enter the contest by submitting a 15-second video about their company at Facebook.com/Staples.

Winners will receive 15 seconds of advertising in a 30-second Staples ad to run locally, for an airtime value of $50,000. Winners could also take $40,000 in advertising plus $10,000 in cash.

Contact reporter Jennifer Robison at jrobison@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4512.