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BUSINESS NOTES
Creative Ways to Stretch Your Marketing Budget
"How Much Money Do I Need?"
Click
here to read a guide to estimating
your start-up expenses when opening a
business from Business.gov
"Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn? Finding
the Right Fit for Your Small Business"
This article covers some of the pro's
and con's of the top three social
networking sites, and the benefits your
business may experience from utilizing
them. Click here
to read it on business.gov.
Innovative ways some business owners are using to stretch
their marketing dollars:
Take advantage of technology -
- Use email instead of direct mail
- Attend virtual trade shows rather
than traveling
Partner with others in your industry to
spread the expense and the knowledge
Build your social network by offering
free classes at libraries
Take a horizontal marketing approach:
Determine your typical client profile
and then target this group by
identifying a noncompeting business that
has that group as customers.
Read more horizontal marketing ideas in
this article from Entrepreneur.
Federal Government Small Businesses News
Setting up a Payroll System - A 10 Step Guide for Small
Business
No matter how many employees you have - setting up a
payroll system not only streamlines your
ability to stay on top of your legal and
regulatory responsibilities as an
employer, it can also save you time and
help protect you from incurring costly
IRS penalties.
Here are 10 steps to help you set up
a payroll system for your small business
from Business.gov.
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IRS Offers Details on New Small Business
Health Care Tax Credit
Guidance from the IRS makes it easier to determine whether
small businesses are eligible for the
new health care tax credit and how large
a credit they will receive. Connect to
the details
here.
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Veteran-Owned Businesses - the Latest on
Certification
From business.gov: clarification on veterans' certification
- click
here to read.
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SBA Small Business Loans
Explained-Availability, Eligibility and
the Application Process - click
here to
read this article from Business.Gov.
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Learn about the special tax treatment
for expenses incurred before business
operations begin.
Business Start-up and Organizational
Costs
Business Start-up Costs
From IRS Publication 535 (2008) -
Business Expenses
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"The Child Care Tax Center"
This link to the IRS Website connects the business owner
with tax resources for their child care
business. The
Child Care Tax Center covers several
areas pertinent to running a daycare
center.
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"Business.Gov's Licenses and Permits
Tool"
This tool automatically generates a list of appropriate
licenses and permits when you enter your
business type and city/state. Business.Gov
Licenses and Permits Tool
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"Cultivating Sound Business Practices
with the Help of the IRS"
Click here
to read an article from Business.gov
about using the 2010 IRS Tax Calendar.
The calendar is available here:
IRS Tax Calendar
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The Kauffman FastTrac Tech Venture
Series
This course is geared for existing or new entrepreneurs
who have a product or an idea that
is ready for commercialization.
Written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, FastTrac
TechVenture offers non-traditional,
experiential learning with hands-on
coaching sessions that build on the
existing knowledge and skills of the
entrepreneurs in the program.
FastTrac TechVenture strives to
connect entrepreneurs to the best
resources available to help their
businesses succeed. This integrated
package consists of a detailed
Entrepreneur Manual and online
toolkit designed to communicate the
entrepreneurial knowledge and
strategic planning skills required
in all aspects of starting and
growing a business.
Where: Berks County
Community Foundation Building, 237
Court Street, Reading, PA 19601
When: September 30 and October
7, 14, and 21 from 7 to 8:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 for the series, books
will be available for purchase
(optional)
For more information, and to
register, please click
here. |
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Website
Optimization Webinar - WOW!
This 90-minute Webinar is designed
for businesses with Websites that
need tweaks, redesigns, or online
marketing plans. Its goal is to give
participants a foundational
understanding of the basic concepts,
terminology, and functionality of
traditional online marketing
elements.
After the Webinar, each participant
will receive a report which will
provide results from the analysis of
their Website's structural design.
The report will highlight areas
where the Website could be edited to
better meet the technical criteria
of the traditional search
engines. The report is intended to
assist the business owner in the
development of an action plan for
the Website, with changes being made
through your company's internal
staff or through an outsourced Web
developer.
Upon completion of the Webinar, each
participant will receive their
customized WOW report within 14 days
via email, along with one hour of
free consultation to review the
report findings with an SBDC
consultant.
Where:
Simultaneous Web conference with
telephone
When: September 15 from 11:30
a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost: $199
To register, click
here. |
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The
Basics of Government Marketing
Webinar
This Webinar covers the first steps a small business
owner needs to take to prepare for
doing business with the
Federal Government and the State of
Pennsylvania. It also includes an
overview of the codes and
registrations.
Where: Webinar with
simultaneous teleconference
When: September 15 from 9 to
10:30 a.m.
Cost: $0
To register, click
here. |
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Business Planning (Part II) -
Marketing Your Product, Service and
Company
This is the second workshop of the Business Planning
Workshop Series that began on
September 9 and runs through October
7. Registration is available for
each workshop or for the entire
series.
Where: H. Hankin Branch CCL, 215 Windgate Dr, Chester Springs,
PA
When:
September 16 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $25.00
For more information, or to register
for this session ONLY, click
here. |
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Finding
Government Procurement Opportunities
If your company has registered with the Central
Contractor Registration to qualify
for government work and you want to
develop or refine your skills for
finding new opportunities, this
seminar is for you.
Where: 3211 N. Front St., Suite 201, Harrisburg, PA
When:
September 17 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $0
For more information, or to register
for this session, click
here. |
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The
First Step: How to Start and Operate
a Small Business
If you are in the early stages of
thinking about starting a small
business, this workshop is for you.
In fact, even if you have started
your business and are realizing that
you missed a few things, this
workshop is still right for you.
This workshop will provide an
overview of the things you need to
know and the skills you need to have
to manage a small business. Subjects
include: legal and accounting
issues, organization, and
management. The workshop offers you
the opportunity to practice
networking with other entrepreneurs.
Existing business owners can use
this workshop as a "checkup" on
their operations. This workshop is
presented in partnership with the
Small Business Assistance Center.
Where:
September 21:
Easttown Library, 720 First Ave,
Berwyn, PA
October 13:
Chester County Library, 450 Exton
Square Parkway, Exton, PA
When:
September 21 OR October 13 from 6:00
to 8:30 p.m.
Cost:
$15.00
To register, click
here. |
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Business
Planning (Part III) - Financial
Management: Projections and
Statements
This is the third workshop of the
Business Planning Workshop Series
that began on September 9 and runs
through October 7. Registration is
available for each workshop or for
the entire series.
Where: H. Hankin Branch CCL, 215
Windgate Dr, Chester Springs, PA
When: September 30 from 6:00 to 8:30
p.m.
Cost: $25.00 per workshop
Click here
to register and for information on
this workshop. |
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Certification Made Simple
This workshop is offered monthly. It
guides participants through the
application process for state
certification as either a Minority
or Women Business Enterprise
(MBE/WBE). It is presented by Curtis
Burwell of the Pennsylvania
Department of General Services,
Bureau of Minority and Women
Business Opportunities (BMWBO).
Where:
Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC,
3211 North Front Street, Harrisburg,
PA 17110
When: October 6 from 9 a.m. -
12 p.m.
Cost: $0
To register, click
here. |
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How to
Obtain Federal SBA 8(a)/SDB or
HUBZone Certification
Are you a small business and want to
understand the Federal 8(a)/SDB or
HUBZone certification process? Take
this opportunity to learn how to
obtain your certification..
Where:
Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC,
3211 North Front Street, Harrisburg,
PA 17110
When: October 6 from 9 a.m. -
12 p.m.
Cost: $0
To register, click
here. |
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Business
Planning (Part IV) - Financing the
Business and Feasibility Decision
This is the fourth workshop of the
Business Planning Workshop Series
that began on September 9.
Registration is available for each
workshop or for the entire series.
Where: H. Hankin Branch CCL,
215 Windgate Dr, Chester Springs, PA
When:
October 7 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $25.00 per workshop
Click here
for information and to register for
this workshop. |
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Doing Business with the Commonwealth of PA
Workshop topics include:
Finding opportunities with the State
State contracting procedures
State resources for small
businesses, and
Certification for minority-owned and
women-owned businesses
Presenter:
Curtis Burwell, Dept. of General
Services
Co-sponsor: Dept. of General
Services
Where:
Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC,
3211 North Front Street, Harrisburg,
PA 17110
When: October 18 from 9 -
11:00 a.m.
Cost: $0
To register, click
here. |
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Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to
read our newsletter. We appreciate
your participation in the KU SBDC
community. |
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Sincerely,
Ernie Post, Director
Kutztown University Small Business
Development Center |
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