Business Trends

>>Celebrating Entrepreneurship 
Source: sba.gov
Starting a business involves planning, making key financial decisions and completing a series of legal activities. These 10 steps can help you plan, prepare and manage your business.  

>>Social Media 101: A Roadmap to Winning Customers - Webinar, Aug. 13, 2 p.m. 
Source: sba.gov  
Do you have questions about the best way to market your new or existing small business? Join the Small Business Administration (SBA) and AARP during a free hour-long webinar on August 13 at 2 p.m. (ET) to learn about: 
- Developing a marketing plan 
- Using social media 
- Building a website 
- Sizing up the competition 
- And more!  
 
>>LEARNING CENTER: Strategic Planning and Understanding Your Customer - Online Courses
Source: sba.gov

Strategic Planning
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Do you have a plan for your business? Learn how to create a strategic plan in this course. 
- Learn what a strategic plan is and how it’s different from other types of planning 
- Discover the pre-work steps needed before you start your strategic planning 
- See common steps in the strategic planning process

Understanding Your Customer
Knowing your customer is a vital part of effectively selling your product or service. This course will introduce you to tools and resources that will help you understand your customer and increase sales. 
- Discover how to learn more about your customers 
- Learn how to identify your customers’ needs and what drives buying decisions 
- Create your marketing mix and target your customers using the techniques learned in the course