During this webinar you will learn about:
- The government customer
- Readiness to be a government contractor
- Marketing to the customer
- Government jargon
- Steps to get started
- Small business set-asides
- Targeting the government customer – what the buyer wants to know
- What should go into a capability statement
Speakers: Timm Johnson – Director, Mason SBDC
Co-sponsor(s) & Partner(s): Prince William County Department of Economic Development & Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Cancellation Policy: Contact the Center regarding cancellation earlier than 24 business hours prior to event. Kindly email – help@masonsbdc.org (preferred) or call 703-261-4105 to notify the team.
Special Instruction: This live webinar will be presented via Zoom. Webinar access details (Zoom invitation) will be provided after registration.
Grab your lunch and join us virtually for the first Thursday of each month to learn more about SBA programs and network with other small business owners.
Topic: SBA Programs Update
The SBA offers several programs for small businesses. This session will provide an update on their various programs the SBA offers including 7(a) lending, 8(a) updates, the new VOSB application platform, and HUBZone.
Key Takeaways:
- 7(a) lending updates
- 8(a) application updates
- VOSB application updates
- HUBZone map updates
Speaker(s): Carl Knoblock, SBA District Director of the Virginia District Office. Carl Knoblock currently works for the Small Business Administration and prior to becoming District Director, Knoblock owned a couple of small businesses from manufacturing to service industries. He served as C-Level executive for several innovative startups. Carl started as the district director for Virginia in June 2014.
If you need further assistance or have a question, please contact us at (540)654-1383
Join us for an empowering webinar dedicated to supporting and guiding women entrepreneurs on their journey to securing funding for their businesses.
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your business, this webinar will help you understand the different funding options available to women entrepreneurs, how to pitch your business vision effectively and how to overcome gender biases and create a supportive network.
In this webinar, you’ll learn:
- Understanding the different funding pathways
- Building a Compelling Funding Pitch
- Overcoming Gender-Specific Challenges
Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.
Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center Auditorium
620 Simms Avenue Harrisonburg, VA 22802
Council Chambers, Harrisonburg City Hall
409 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Diane McCarthy from the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center will be at the Lexington-Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce office from 9am until 4pm on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. This drop-in event will provide business owners and entrepreneurs and opportunity to learn more about the SBDC resources available to them. To make an appointment, contact Diane via email or call 540.568.3227.
Before we know it, the holidays will be here! Have you already begun your black Friday & Small Business Saturday prep work? If not, join us as we discuss key topics related to holiday shopping.
Topics:
- Advertisement & Marketing
- How to analyze your sales trends to prepare your inventory
- Email & social media campaigns
- Planning your holiday promotions
- Website traffic
Speaker(s): Charese Chambers
Crowdfunding is not only a good way to raise capital, but it’s also a great way to build a community and customer base for your product or services. However, running a successful crowdfunding campaign is not easy.
In this webinar, our presenter will walk you through best practices to ensure your crowdfunding campaign reaches its funding goals and connects with your target audience on a meaningful level.
You’ll learn:
- Setting clear funding goals and timelines
- Identifying and connecting with your ideal backers
- Crafting a compelling pitch and marketing strategy
Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.
Hiring an SEO company can be an excellent investment to improve your online presence, but it can also be risky.
Unfortunately, some SEO experts take advantage of clients by doing quick work that wrecks a website’s optimization in the long run. So how can you determine the right SEO partner to hire?
In this webinar, our expert presenter will break down what an SEO company does, what you should expect and the interview questions you can ask to feel confident when hiring an SEO expert.
You’ll learn:
- What an SEO company should be providing
- What services are not worth investing in
- Interview questions you should be asking and the answers you should expect.
Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.
Holiday sales can account for 25% or more of the annual revenue for your retail business!
Because this time of year is so critical for your business it’s even more important to think ahead and be ready to maximize the opportunity all those end of year holidays offer.
To help you have a solid plan for this year, the Loudoun SBDC is offering an online Get Retail Ready Holiday Prep Class – hosted by the Virginia SBDC.
In this interactive event we review important best practices so you don’t miss important opportunities this holiday season. You’ll create your own check list of must do actions & refocus on critical customer trends. We’ll share ideas from other retail business owners about ways you can make your holidays a little brighter… and more profitable!
After this interactive session you will be able to:
- Create a Simple 4-Part Holiday Action Plan to Get Your Business Ready
- Refine Your Focus on Best, Most Profitable Customers
- Identify Promotional Opportunities for More Traffic and Sales
- Generate a Road Map for Activities to Drive Smarter Business
Through information & exercises, you will gain insights into the best way to prepare your retail business to make the most of the 2023 Holiday Season.
Speaker: Loudoun SBDC Manager, Eric Byrd, will lead the discussion and exercises to assist you to make sure you’re ready to make the most of the holiday rush.
- Do you reside in the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia and are thinking about starting a new business?
- Do you have questions about how to move forward?
- Are you considering moving your hobby into a more structured business form?
- Have you already started your small business and now realize you may have missed a few things?
Your Shenandoah Valley SBDC has answers, information, and resources to help!
In our Start Smart Workshops, we discuss the path to good decisions and a successful start. You’ll learn to take a thorough 360° approach to your business and all its components – from product development to target marketing to financial projections and bookkeeping. We also cover the regulations and registrations you need to know.
Follow-up appointments are then available with SBDC business advisors to focus on your individual business growth needs.
Thank you for your registration to Start Smart Workshop. Please let Rosie know if you are unable to attend or have questions via email to rigglerc@jmu.edu
Thank You! Barry Henderson, Shenandoah Valley SBDC
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform and marketing on LinkedIn can generate more leads than some of the top social media platforms, especially for for B2B marketers.
If you want to grab the attention of top-level executives, then you should work on your LinkedIn marketing strategy. In this webinar, our expert presenter will explain how you can use LinkedIn as an effective marketing tool to grow your business.
What you’ll learn:
- Why LinkedIn can be an effective marketing tool
- What you should have on your LinkedIn profile
- How and why to create your company page
- Finding LinkedIn groups and making connections
- LinkedIn posts, engagement and the unique LinkedIn algorithm
Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.
Diane McCarthy from the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center will be at the Lexington-Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce office from 9am until 4pm on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. This drop-in event will provide business owners and entrepreneurs and opportunity to learn more about the SBDC resources available to them. To make an appointment, contact Diane via email or call 540.568.3227.
Start with the federal government using simplified acquisition procedures and build a strong relationship.
- Why use simplified acquisition procedures
- Know the government market place
- Understand government set-a-side procedures
- A comprehensive strategy for success
About the instructor: Daryl Corley, Virginia PTAC Procurement Counselor
More than 30 years of contracting experience with comprehensive contract Life Cycle support in reviewing initial procurements package for accuracy to contract closeout. Most recently, he worked as a Senior Consultant for MSDS Consultant Services, LLC, which included working with the diverse business community, and clients on contractual issues, provide training material for stakeholders and clients — instructing classes on contract regulatory compliance in the federal government. He created a best practice mentor protégé program by combining governmental and commercial organizations.
Previously, he worked as a consultant/trainer for CACI providing government business solutions and services. In these positions, he demonstrated the ability to resolve a variety of issues (such as acquisition and supply systems, integration, data mapping and analysis service, system testing, training customers, and software malfunctions. He also provided consultant support creating solicitation matrixes, market research, acquisition plans at the contracting offices for the various agencies. Daryl is also a Service Disabled Veteran and dedicated to assisting Veteran Entrepreneurs.
Webinar information will be sent to registrants prior to the class and will be conducted via GoToWebinar. After registration is complete, your email confirmation will contain the link. You MUST register your name and email and receive the login information and calendar invite before you can join the webinar. You may attend without downloading the software, but please understand your webinar functions may be limited.