Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on August 30, 2010 under Small Biz and Entrepreneurship,Small Biz Planning,Small Biz Webinars | 
It has arrived – The BizCentral September line-up of free small business webinar events. Focusing on core planning and financial fundamentals of small businesses, September’s line-up is aimed at aligning small business startups with best practices to sustain healthy business growth.
It has become evident that business plan development and financial management are among some of the top hurdles small businesses face so it really just makes sense to focus on addressing those fundamental topics that are too often overlooked by early-stage and small business startups.
Details About BizCentral USA’s Free Small Business Webinars:
Small business webinars are hosted online at any computer with internet access. All webinars will begin at 3pm EST and typically last 1-hour. Following the presentation, a live question and answer session will give attendees the opportunity to receive in-depth answers to their specific organizational questions.
- 9/14/2010 Getting on the Path to Small Business Success: Development of a Strong Business Plan – Register Now
- 9/28/2010 Basic Financial Management for Small Businesses: Getting your Books in Place – Register Now
Those unable to attend the live small business webinars, no need to worry – Every installment of the small business webinars is recorded and can be viewed on-demand at any computer – any time of day. To learn more or RSVP for any of the September small business webinar events, visit: http://bizcentralusa.com/webinar/september.php
Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on August 19, 2010 under Small Biz News,Small Biz Webinars |
Join us for a free Small Business Webinar, where we will discuss how No Business is too Small to Become a Good Corporate Citizen!
Yesterday’s practice of companies simply giving money away to good causes has been superseded by today’s strategic corporate philanthropy, which ties donations of time, money, and in-kind gifts to defined business goals and desired benefits. 
Companies that have created corporate foundations have discovered that partnerships between private enterprise and public interest can produce profitable outcomes for all. The numbers indicate clearly: companies large and small do well by doing good.
We invite you to spend some invaluable time with BizCentral USA and learn how to create a foundation for your small business!
Topics of Interest:
• Benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Foundation Case Studies
• Services Available through CSR
Join us for a free Small Business Webinar on Aug. 24th, 2010 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST) & learn how to Establish your own corporate social responsibility and give back to the community.
Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on August 11, 2010 under Small Biz and Entrepreneurship,Small Biz Marketing,Small Biz News,Small Biz Webinars |
A Free Small Business Webinar on Starting your Business off on the Right Foot with Email Marketing! 
The Pew Internet and American Life Project, says e-mail remains the number-one online activity of Americans and can deliver a higher return on investment than methods such as direct mail and advertising. So as a small business, it’s important to capitalize on this trend! By adopting the right strategies and practices now, you can maximize the inbox to capitalize on acquiring new customers and retaining current ones.
We invite you to spend some valuable time with BizCentral USA and learn step-by-step effective strategies for implementing successful email marketing campaigns.
Topics of Interest:
• Email Marketing Fundamentals
• Design and Layout Best Practices
• What you Don’t see That can Make or Break your Campaign
• Building your Email Lists
• Complying with Regulations & Getting your Emails Delivered
Join us August 17th, 2010 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST) and Learn how to maximize the inbox and start reaching thousands with one click!
Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on August 4, 2010 under Small Biz and Entrepreneurship,Small Biz News |
Everyone has seen the various headlines: “Millions in free government money for your business.” You’ve seen the late-night infomercials and Internet advertisements promise grants to start a business or even to expand your current business. Most individuals even ask themselves, “Is it too good to be true?” It is.
While so many people automatically lose hope when looking for a small business grant the truth is that there are tons of financial assistance programs available to entrepreneurs and business owners in the United States. Eligibility varies, but there are enough opportunities for everyone to pursue. The key to finding these opportunities is to be persistent, creative, consistent in your search, and of course resilient.
Some business grants are available through state and local programs, non-profit organizations and other groups. The federal government does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business. Grants from the federal government are only available to non-commercial organizations. Non-commercial organizations include non-profits and educational institutions. Not only does the federal government provide grants for non-commercial organizations but it tends to focus on areas such as, medicine, education, scientific research and technology development. The federal government also provides grants to state and local governments to assist them with economic development.
If you are interested in a small business grant from the government keep in mind that some states provide grants for expanding child care centers; creating energy efficient technology; and developing marketing campaigns for tourism. These grants are not necessarily free money, and usually require the recipient to match funds or combine the grant with other forms of financing such as a loan. The amount of the grant money available varies with each business and each grantor.
If you are a small business owner that is in search of a business grant start your search by checking with your local government agencies. Many cities, counties, and states give away money to local businesses. Local government agencies award these grants because they want you to create jobs and more tax revenue. Many times these grants are not highly publicized, but it’s in the best interest of the small business owner to give them a call and/or search their web sites.
While many people will try to convince you that federal government agencies give grants to small businesses don’t believe everything you hear. Instead get the right information that will help your small business startup. The federal government doesn’t give business grants directly to businesses, but they do give money to foundations who in turn can give money to small businesses. The federal agency in charge of this is the Grants Program Management Office, and all of their opportunities are listed publicly on their website. www.grants.gov
Another resource that is often times over looked when searching for a small business grant is with large corporations. Nearly every major corporation in this country has a foundation that gives away grants to enhance communities, and many of these are grants to start or expand a business. Start with the companies that are headquartered in your home state, and find out if they offer financial assistance for local businesses. If not, venture out and inquire about companies that are not in your state. Many times, they don’t mind where your business is located or where you live.
If you are unable to find a grant while searching with the major corporations in your state consider broadening your search and take it to the internet. Use Google and Yahoo to conduct a search using the term “business grants“. You can even throw in the name of your city, county, state, etc. Once you have searched, carefully review the results, and look for web sites that other web sites are linked to. By checking for web sites that are linked to other web sites, it will help you to find opportunities that may be casually listed on a blog or directory. You may even come across a recent news article about a new opportunity.
The next question in your search for a small business grant may shock you. Do you have a library card? Contrary to popular belief, libraries are still an excellent resource and store a lot of information that is not accessible in other places. Find your misplaced library card, go to your library as soon possible, and look for grant books and directories. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions to your librarian, they are a great resource and always willing to assist library patrons as best they can. You’ll be surprised what you can find.
The Internet is full of many misleading opportunities. Be cautious, and make sure that the organization or company has a professionally developed web site. Also, make sure they have a phone number, email address, physical address – and are not requiring you to pay to apply. Some legitimate web sites, however, do sell access to their directory of opportunities for a monthly fee. Other legitimate web sites may sell e-books that list grant opportunities. This is acceptable, as long as you are not paying to submit an actual grant application.
The next step in the grant search process is to be patient. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of rushing through the process of finding and applying for a business grant. The reality is that looking for and qualifying for the right opportunity can take some time. When applying for small business grants, make sure to dot your “I’s” and cross your “T’s”. In other words, be thorough and complete. Many opportunities will require lengthy applications that can seem endless. Stay the course, and remember that being inaccurate or skipping questions may disqualify you.
Many small business owners allow the process of applying for grants to intimidate them and scare them away. Yes, it can be time consuming and tedious – but in the end it is very well worth it. Remember, grants do not have to be repaid. This is free money. Don’t give up, and stay positive. You’ll be glad you did!
Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on under Small Biz and Entrepreneurship,Small Biz News |
You’ve probably heard the cliché before, “poor as a college student.” Despite a few exceptions, the rest of the world isn’t always so lucky. College students must start to face the facts: Growing up isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. You must start taking responsibility and yep, you guessed it –become an adult and secure a paying job. Here’s where my advice comes in: it is never too early to start thinking about a possible business opportunity during or after college.
When trying to decide what route to take your life, you should try and consider what your talents are and also, the type of personality you have. When you put a lot of thought and research into your decision, you can hopefully find a good match. At other times, perhaps you should try what is available and see if you can enhance the business opportunity you are handed with your abilities.
There are plenty of college students and recent graduates who decide to apply their skills in a sales job or sales market. It’s nice to know that there are several business opportunities to become a business consultant, but you must have the necessary personality to truly succeed at the job. To thrive at a sales job, typically you must be extremely driven, personable, and informative. In many cases, you are not just making sales, but also acting as a business consultant. As a business consultant, it is up to you to be knowledgeable about your company and its services and to learn how to convince customers why they should choose you. If this doesn’t sound like something you can do, perhaps you should choose another business opportunity.
A great option for those of you who want to be a business consultant but not necessarily on the sales end, perhaps you should consider acting as an affiliate. One of the best affiliate program options is to serve as a referral. In this business opportunity, the real key is not so much what you know but who you know! Simply put, you would be the one to provide people a place to go to for their small business needs and as part of your affiliate contract, you would get a percentage of their sale. This is a great business opportunity for anyone who is a great networker and doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of owning their own small or home business.
Sometimes the best affiliate program is right in front of you. There are plenty of companies and businesses who use the referral system to generate income. The typical grassroots marketing method of word of mouth says it best –people trust other people’s opinions and tend to listen.
So for all you college juniors, seniors and recent graduates –what are you waiting for? Get involved in a business opportunity as soon as possible! Start looking for the best affiliate program in your area! There are several businesses that would allow you to become extremely successful as a business consultant or work your way up through a sales job.
Tags: affiliate, affiliate program, business franchise, business opportunities, business opportunity, franchise, home business, home business opportunity, home-based business, sales, sales job, sales jobs, small business opportunities, small business opportunity
Posted by Biz Central USA Marketing Team on August 3, 2010 under Small Biz Webinars |
Join us for a Free Small Business Webinar to Discuss the Planning & Preparing of the Startup of your Small Business!
Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss, setting your salary, and designating your work hours? You’re not alone! Many people find themselves interested in owning their own business but are unsure how to get started.
Starting a successful business requires a great deal of preparation. There are many important decisions to make and many rules and procedures that must be addressed. With an informed and educated approach, your business can be fulfilling and profitable, but it is essential to make key financial decisions and complete a series of legal activities.
We invite you to spend some invaluable time with BizCentral USA and listen to critical information that will help you plan, prepare, and manage the startup of your small business.
Topics of Interest:
•Registration & Licensing
•Legal Formation
•Financing
Join us for a free Small Business Webinar on Aug. 10, 2010 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST) and learn how to prepare your small business for success!
