FedEx launches small business competition

FedEx recently launched its first nationwide grant competition for small business, which will give six businesses in the country $50,000.

The postal delivery company defines small businesses as having fewer than 100 employees. Small companies will compete for the grants by complete profiles that are voted on by Facebook users.

"FedEx has long recognized that small businesses are incredibly vital to the health of both the global economy and local communities," said T. Michael Glenn, executive vice president of market development at FedEx. "Providing these grants is yet another way for FedEx to show our support for small businesses as we continue to create programs to help give them a head start and access to new opportunities."

Registration has already opened for the competition and small business are now able to upload and promote their profiles, which will be voted on by consumers across the world beginning at 12 a.m. on October 1 at Facebook.com/FedEx and will close on November 24.

In order to register, those interested in participating will have to answer three questions in 500 characters or less describing their business and why they believe they should win the competition. Applicants will also need to explain what they will do for their business if they win the grant money.

The competition is designed to help with small business marketing, allowing entrepreneurs to create a business plan through social media networks to generate votes for their companies, which might help the businesses out significantly in the long run by identifying possible customers who they can tailor their content to.

According to DailyFinance, small businesses are important customers for FedEx and they play a major part in the success of the global economy.

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently released figures showing that small business represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms and they also create more than half of the jobs in the country, in addition to employing half of the total private sector employees and creating more than half of the United States' $15.1 trillion GDP.

FedEx also recently announced that it's speeding up its shipments in 6,900 cross-country lanes, which is allowing the company to separate itself from its competition.