FREE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PANEL DISCUSSION

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

UB Center for Tomorrow

(Flint Entrance & Maple Road, Buffalo, NY  14226)

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS & RECOVERY

• William E. Leggiero Jr.
  • Center Director, SBA Disaster  Assistance Customer Service Center

SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE TO HELP YOU MANAGE, EXPAND, INCREASE & SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS

• Franklin J. Sciortino
  • District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration, Buffalo District Office

MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TO CURRENT & PROSPECTIVE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS -

• Susan McCartney
  • Director, Small Business Development Center, at Buffalo State College
• Lynn Oswald
  • Director, Small Business Development Center, Niagara County Community College
• Jan Pisanczyn
  • Director, Small Business Development Center, College at Brockport

MANAGEMENT & TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE FOR WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS

• Melinda Sanderson
  • Executive Director, Canisius College Women’s Business Center

SMALL BUSINESS MENTORING & COUNSELING

• Ivan Tarnopoll
  • Counselor, SCORE Buffalo Niagara

Register:  kelly.lotempio@sba.gov

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SBA Matchmaker & EXPO – 4 Events in One Day:

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Buffalo Convention Center, Buffalo, New York

MATCHMAKER – Small business owners schedule ten minute face-to-face meetings with procurement representatives from the federal, state, and local government agencies as well as large businesses.

WORKSHOPS – FREE learning workshops and small business discussions will be presented throughout the day.

EXPO – An exhibition where small businesses can reach potential customers and business professionals eager to do business with you.

LUNCHEON – Small Business Awards Luncheon (optional/additional fee applies).

PRE-MATCHMAKER TRAINING – FREE – Please see brochure - if this link does not work please contact us.

FEE: $30 per person (does NOT include lunch)

REGISTRATION @ http://www.signupwnyexpo.com

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Straight Talk 2010 Series

Risk Management—Legal, Insurance, is the eighth seminar of the eight-part Straight Talk Seminar Series Program. For information on the complete series click on Straight Talk.

Risk Management—Legal, Insurance

What risks do you want or need to assume

Click on Basic Considerations and 60-Second Guide to get a sense what you’ll learn.

Date: March 23, 2010
Time: 6PM to 8:30PM
Registration: 6PM
Place: The Rev. Bennett W. Smith Family Life Center 833 Michigan Ave. (corner of Goodell), Buffalo, NY. For directions click on Map. Free parking
Price: $5 per seminar or $30 for all eight seminars(Free to attendees of the January 23 Straight Talk Event Day). Includes a light supper.

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Unleash the power of social networking for any business by Raj Tumber of the Las Vegas Chapter of SCORE

Can online social networking benefit businesses - or is it just another one of the latest e-fads?

Online social networking is building your own virtual community on the World Wide Web. This community can grow gradually and steadily, and keep you in contact with your family and friends, and connect you with people of similar interests, businesses, career contacts and more. No matter what you do, where you live or how busy you are, these networks let you keep contact with people and communicate with them through built-in blog interfaces.

Blogging or microblogging is a term used for posting a note or a real-time message on Web sites or within your social network. The word “blog” comes from “Web log.”

Online social networking began in 1995 and its popularity has surged in the past few years and continues to explode. College students started creating small online networking communities and Web sites to connect and socialize with their friends. Some of these Web sites grew into commercialized online social networks with advanced features that offer free service and fee-based premium networking. Some now offer multimedia and online business networking.

Creating a business page within many social networks is free. However, the page does not mean your business will get any attention. You first have to gradually grow your fan-base or group, which becomes a virtual community of people who have demonstrated interest in your business. When you are ready to promote special offers, you can post a blog announcing them and add links to your domain Web site.

Even if this effort does not yield sales, it can increase your business’s profile by driving more traffic to your Web site and improving search-engine rankings.  Moreover, your posts help to promote yourself and your business as an expert.

Some online social networks offer marketing advantages to businesses of all sizes. For a reasonable fee they can even offer an advertising campaign for your business, with options to publish your advertisements within its own community of focused members statewide, nationwide or worldwide.

Today, popular social networking applications are integrated within personal digital assistants, mobile phones and other high-tech gadgets.

Several niche-based and general social media Web sites have launched within the past few years and some have opened doors for online business networking. Spend the time now to learn what is in it for you and your business.

Be sure that your new business has the best chance for success. Consider attending free counseling sessions at SCORE’s new office within the SBA (Ste. 540 at 130 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo) call (716) 551-4301.

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If the form does not load, please follow this link to our Google form to enter the drawing.

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Plan to attend the WNY Small Business Expo and Matchmaker event sponsored by the SBA, SCORE Buffalo Niagara and Business First.  The event will combine education, training, counseling, networking, and face-to-face meetings between small businesses and procurement representatives from government agencies and major corporations.

Wednesday, May 12 from 7 A.M. - 3 P.M. at the Buffalo Convention Center, (Parking and Directions).

At this 5th Annual Matchmaker-EXPO, more than 40 Federal, State and local government and prime contractors will meet with sellers of business services and products every 10 minutes from 7:00 – 3:00 pm.

For additional info call Kelly Lo Tempio or Laura McCabe at 716-551-4301 or go on line to view the brochure: http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/ny_buffalo/ny_buf_matchmaker_2010.pdf .

You can sign up on-line at: http://www.signupwnyexpo.com

SCORE - Counselors to America’s Small Businesses www.scorebuffalo.org

SCORE® is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

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Lackawanna Library

560 Ridge Rd.
Lackawanna, NY 14218 (Map)

This workshop is a must for new business start-ups to learn all the elements of business management required for success. It is also very helpful for those in business that may be experiencing problems, or want to fine-tune their business for greater efficiency and success.

You will learn about marketing research, marketing, business planning, insurance, federal and state taxes, legal structures, government resources, financing, counseling and more. Representatives from the private sector, SCORE, and government agencies will make presentations. SCORE members will be available for counseling if desired.

Fee: $30 Includes coffee and donuts.  Veterans may attend Workshops at no charge.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010; 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

To register for any of these workshops, call 716-551-4301 or e-mail your name, telephone number and name & date of desired workshop to scorebuffalo1@roadrunner.com.

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By Stacy Karacostas (Her Website). (original article)

I’ve talked to plenty of entrepreneurs who are just barely eking by right now. One of the most common complaints I hear from long-time business owners is “referrals alone are just not enough anymore”.

What’s really interesting is that most of them aren’t doing anything different to market and grow their businesses, even though the marketplace has clearly changed.

On the other hand, I know other small business owners who’ve experienced unprecedented growth this year. I’m talking growth that would be considered stellar in a good economy. Even my own revenues have almost doubled again this year.

So, what are successful entrepreneurs doing differently? Based on my experience and observations here’s a list of 10 things successful small business owner are doing that you can do too…

1.) Forget about the state of the economy.

Pay attention to how it changes your prospect’s buying behavior, but don’t let the gloom and doom get you down. If you sell products or services that are truly helpful or useful there will always be people willing to buy.

2.) Offer something new.

If people aren’t buying what you’re currently selling, but they used to, that’s a sign something needs to change. The knee jerk reaction is to simply cut prices. But that devalues what you offer.

Instead try adding value by creating new packages out of products and services you already have. Or updating a current offering. Even better, bring something completely new to the table…Hold a workshop, write an ebook, sell a new product or product bundle, offer training programs, delve deeper into a specific aspect of what you already offer.

3.) Stop guessing.

Find out what your prospects, clients and customers want then give it to them. Do this by surveying your people in person, by using a short, written evaluation, or via email using a no-cost service like surveymonkey.com.

4.) Embrace technology.

The World Wide Web is no longer the Wild, Wild West, but there’s still plenty of room to make your mark. And all the social networking tools make it super cheap to market your business effectively. So get out there and give it a go. You’ll expand your reach, get your wisdom further out into the world, and maybe even discover it’s fun.

5.) Build your list.

Even before the Internet, business gurus said “The money is in the list”. In other words, you need a list of past and current customers, as well as a list of prospects, that you keep in touch with. That way get to know, like, trust and remember you.

You can do this the old fashion way by collecting contact info over the phone or in your office or store, then sending out print materials. Or, you can do it the modern way by having an awesome offer and sign up system on your Website, then staying in touch via email. Or use a hybrid of the two.

6.) Provide value.

The days of the pushy salesperson are going…going…gone. Nowadays people don’t have extra cash burning a hole in their pocket. So they expect good value for their time AND money.

Focus less on selling your products and services and more on how you can be a helpful problem solver in all your marketing and you’ll get better results.

7.) Embrace mixed media marketing.

Silver bullets don’t exist when it comes to marketing. Instead of focusing on one media or tactic, create a strategy and plan that uses as many as you can to reach your people.

For example, I send postcards, letters and gifts, write a weekly e-newsletter, host monthly teleseminars, post articles, audios and video online, write a blog, go to live networking events and more.

8.) Keep Learning.

Times and technology are changing fast. It’s up to you to stay on top of what’s new and what’s working now. But you can’t do that if you’re always buried in your business.

So read a new book, attend teleseminars (I host a free one each month, for example), and get yourself out to at least one non-industry specific conference each year. I attended two this year and they were so valuable I plan to go to at least that many-if not more-next year.

9.) Stop doing it all yourself.

This is a biggie. The people I know who have successful, growing businesses and fulfilling lives have figured this out. And it’s even truer in the Internet age.

Face it, you don’t have time to become skilled at doing everything it takes to market, grow and run your business-especially online. Eventually you’ll hit a wall, business growth will stop, and you’ll be exhausted and burned out.

The solution? Even if you don’t have the money to hire an employee you CAN afford a Virtual Assistant. Get one now and have them help you revamp your Website, set up and manage your blog or email newsletter, handle your social networking, automate your marketing and much more.

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by Patricia Schaefer (original article)
The latest statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) show that “two-thirds of new employer establishments survive at lease two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years.” This is a far cry from the previous long-held belief that 50 percent of businesses fail in the first year and 95 percent fail within five years.

Brian Head, Economist with the SBA Office of Advocacy, noted that the latest statistics are a much more accurate assessment of new business success rates, and that “as a general rule of thumb, new employer businesses have a 50/50 chance of surviving for five years or more.”

Better success rates notwithstanding, a significant percentage of new businesses do fail. Expert opinions abound about what a business owner should and shouldn’t do to keep a new business afloat in the perilous waters of the entrepreneurial sea. There are, however, key factors that — if not avoided — will be certain to weigh down a business and possibly sink it forevermore.

1. You start your business for the wrong reasons.

Would the sole reason you would be starting your own business be that you would want to make a lot of money? Do you think that if you had your own business that you’d have more time with your family? Or maybe that you wouldn’t have to answer to anyone else? If so, you’d better think again.

On the other hand, if you start your business for these reasons, you’ll have a better chance at entrepreneurial success:

• You have a passion and love for what you’ll be doing, and strongly believe — based on educated study and investigation — that your product or service would fulfill a real need in the marketplace.
• You have drive, determination, patience and a positive attitude. When others throw in the towel, you are more determined than ever.
• Failures don’t defeat you. You learn from your mistakes, and use these lessons to succeed the next time around. Head, SBA economist, noted that studies of successful business owners showed they attributed much of their success to “building on earlier failures;” on using failures as a “learning process.”
• You thrive on independence, and are skilled at taking charge when a creative or intelligent solution is needed. This is especially important when under strict time constraints.
• You like — if not love — your fellow man, and show this in your honesty, integrity, and interactions with others. You get along with and can deal with all different types of individuals.

2. Poor Management

Many a report on business failures cites poor management as the number one reason for failure. New business owners frequently lack relevant business and management expertise in areas such as finance, purchasing, selling, production, and hiring and managing employees. Unless they recognize what they don’t do well, and seek help, business owners may soon face disaster. They must also be educated and alert to fraud, and put into place measures to avoid it.

Neglect of a business can also be its downfall. Care must be taken to regularly study, organize, plan and control all activities of its operations. This includes the continuing study of market research and customer data, an area which may be more prone to disregard once a business has been established.

A successful manager is also a good leader who creates a work climate that encourages productivity. He or she has a skill at hiring competent people, training them and is able to delegate. A good leader is also skilled at strategic thinking, able to make a vision a reality, and able to confront change, make transitions, and envision new possibilities for the future.

3. Insufficient Capital

A common fatal mistake for many failed businesses is having insufficient operating funds. Business owners underestimate how much money is needed and they are forced to close before they even have had a fair chance to succeed. They also may have an unrealistic expectation of incoming revenues from sales.

It is imperative to ascertain how much money your business will require; not only the costs of starting, but the costs of staying in business. It is important to take into consideration that many businesses take a year or two to get going. This means you will need enough funds to cover all costs until sales can eventually pay for these costs. [MBB editorial note: working with SCORE and the Small Business Development Center to prepare a written business plan will generate a more accurate assessment of capital needs.)

4. Location, Location, Location

Your college professor was right -- location is critical to the success of your business. Whereas a good location may enable a struggling business to ultimately survive and thrive, a bad location could spell disaster to even the best-managed enterprise.
Some factors to consider:

• Where your customers are
• Traffic, accessibility, parking and lighting
• Location of competitors
• Condition and safety of building
• Local incentive programs for business start-ups in specific targeted areas
• The history, community flavor and receptiveness to a new business at a prospective site

5. Lack of Planning

Anyone who has ever been in charge of a successful major event knows that were it not for their careful, methodical, strategic planning -- and hard work -- success would not have followed. The same could be said of most business successes.

It is critical for all businesses to have a business plan. Many small businesses fail because of fundamental shortcomings in their business planning. It must be realistic and based on accurate, current information and educated projections for the future.

Components may include:

• Description of the business, vision, goals, and keys to success
• Work force needs
• Potential problems and solutions
• Financial: capital equipment and supply list, balance sheet, income statement and cash flow analysis, sales and expense forecast
• Analysis of competition
• Marketing, advertising and promotional activities
• Budgeting and managing company growth

In addition, most bankers request a business plan if you are seeking to secure addition capital for your company.

6. Overexpansion

A leading cause of business failure, overexpansion often happens when business owners confuse success with how fast they can expand their business. A focus on slow and steady growth is optimum. Many a bankruptcy has been caused by rapidly expanding companies.

At the same time, you do not want to repress growth. Once you have an established solid customer base and a good cash flow, let your success help you set the right measured pace. Some indications that an expansion may be warranted include the inability to fill customer needs in a timely basis, and employees having difficulty keeping up with production demands.

If expansion is warranted after careful review, research and analysis, identify what and who you need to add in order for your business to grow. Then with the right systems and people in place, you can focus on the growth of your business, not on doing everything in it yourself.

7. No Website

Simply put, if you have a business today, you need a website. Period.

In the U.S. alone, the number of internet users (about 70 percent of the population) and e-commerce sales (about 70 billion in 2004, according to the Census Bureau) continue to rise and are expected to increase with each passing year. In 2004, the U.S. led the world in internet usage.

At the very least, every business should have a professional looking and well-designed website that enables users to easily find out about their business and how to avail themselves of their products and services. Later, additional ways to generate revenue on the website can be added; i.e., selling ad space, drop-shipping products, or recommending affiliate products.

Remember, if you don't have a website, you'll most likely be losing business to those that do. And make sure that website makes your business look good, not bad -- you want to increase revenues, not decrease them.

When it comes to the success of any new business, you -- the business owner -- are ultimately the "secret" to your success. For many successful business owners, failure was never an option. Armed with drive, determination, and a positive mindset, these individuals view any setback as only an opportunity to learn and grow. Most self-made millionaires possess average intelligence. What sets them apart is their openness to new knowledge and their willingness to learn whatever it takes to succeed.

[MBB editorial note: MBB's Web Incubator Program is a low-cost way to will help you gain confidence marketing and selling online.]
Copyright 2006, Attard Communications, Inc.

About the author:
Patricia Schaefer is a staff writer for Business Know-How. She can be reached by email at pschaefer@businessknowhow.com

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