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Welcome to SCORE!
Greetings!
SCORE, Service Corp Of Retired
(and Working) Executives, Counselors to America's Small Business offers
free counseling to St. Louis area small businesses.
For more
information contact us at 314-539-6600 Ext. 242 or www.stlscore.org to learn more about what SCORE offers.
See Our Website
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St. Louis SCORE
200 North Broadway
Suite 1500
St. Louis,
MO
63102
314-539-6600 x242
http://www.stlscore.org
St. Charles Office
636-447-5000
St. Charles Economic Development Center
5988 Mid Rivers Mall Dr.
St.Charles, MO 63304
Kirkwood Office
314-800-1527
Inside National City Bank
333 S. Kirkwood Rd
Kirkwood, MO 63122
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Creating a Successful Marketing Strategy
Sales and advertising are often associated with marketing. While these are an important part of marketing, there is a horde of other tools and tactics. These tools help to enhance your business's attractiveness and customer visibility. Using these resources along with careful research and planning, help to yield a successful marketing strategy.
The key is to think of marketing not as a single action but rather a combination of steps designed to identify, attract and retain profitable customers, and to differentiate your business from the competition. It encompasses everything from your company name, logo, and service lines to advertisements, public relations, presence at trade shows, and community involvement.
While it's helpful to use comparable businesses as a guide, what works for them may not be appropriate for you. Marketing strategies need to be tailored to your business and target customer base. To prepare yourself for marketing, create a detailed profile of your ideal prospect. As you create your marketing message, aim it at them and list the benefits they will receive. Be certain your marketing message highlights the special knowledge and expertise you offer.
Look for ways to make the buying process easier for your customers. What roadblocks can you remove? Simplify everything; eliminate potential interruptions in the sales process and make decision-making as painless as possible for your customers.
Put your marketing budget in proper perspective. You might, for example, think of marketing as your ace-in-the-hole rather than merely a "cost." Try to set a budget and a pace that lets you market continuously. Customer memories are short, and they are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages and images daily. Your effort must be ongoing or people will quickly forget.
Match your marketing to your primary market. If it's a local market, then that's where your marketing focus should be. Broadly focused newspaper or radio advertising, for example, might be the wrong choice. Instead, consider marketing neighborhood-by-neighborhood.
A good place to find marketing help is the American Marketing Association's Web site, MarketingPower.com. The site's Best Practices section contains valuable guidance for small businesses in the areas of research, Internet marketing, advertising, public relations, customer service tips, and many others. (from Ask SCORE, www.score.org)
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SCORE Public/Private Broadband Consortium
"High-speed Internet
is a critical tool for helping small businesses find new markets, grow
and create jobs. This new initiative is aimed at helping not only
increase access, but also leveraging opportunities. SCORE's
partnership, expansive reach and tireless volunteers will only increase
the potential benefits that broadband offers for small businesses." Karen Mills, SBA Administrator
SCORE launches the
first-ever public/private partnership to encourage broadband adoption
by U.S. small businesses. The consortium formed in response to The Broadband Plan released by the FCC. It officially launched on April 7 at the kick-off event. The effort focuses on leveling the playing field for business success.
Fortune 500 companies and leading technology firms join this
consortium to provide training, tools and resources to small
businesses.
The Initiative
- Small
businesses need high speed Internet to compete in the global
marketplace. SCORE wants to help more small businesses get access to
broadband and go global with e-commerce.
The new alliance will focus on increasing digital literacy, web
skills, e-commerce capabilities and use of online communications tools.
SCORE's network of small business experts will mentor entrepreneurs in
adopting technology and utilizing e-commerce.
Broadband Plan - Learn more about the FCC's Broadband Plan.
Technology for Your Biz from SCORE
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Small Business Week St. Louis being held May 10-15, 2010 - Going on Now!
Small Business Week  | What have attendees of Small Business Week of Eastern Missouri gained from these events?
A greater understanding of funding sources available for growth capital
New business associates to share referrals back and forth
Competitively priced resources for advertising, marketing and many other business products and services
Some of the best networking events in the area
Low cost seminars on a variety of topics of interest to business owners
Find out more on the website - www.sbwstl.org See the Calendar of Events for all the details!
LOUISE
WIEDERMANN NAMED 2010 WOMEN IN BUSINESS CHAMPION BY SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
April 7, 2010 - St.
Louis - The annual Small Business Week awards selection committee
named Louise
Wiedermann the Women in Business Champion of the Year.
Wiedermann started Project Technology Consulting
in 2002, with small business owners as her specialty. Louise is an active SCORE supporter. St. Louis SCORE wishes to congratulate Louise on the Women in Business Champion Award. |
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Upcoming Events
SCORE Chapter 21
Monthly Seminars
Improve Your Business!
REGISTER NOW !
"How to Start and Manage Your Own Business"
Saturday
May 15, 2010
8:15 A.M. to 3 P.M
Fee - $50.00
St. Louis Community College at Meramec
11333 Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, Mo. 63122
Library Confluence Room
Register Now!
Obtaining Financing
May 22, 2010
9 to 11:30 am
Fee - $30
St. Louis Community College @ Meramec SO-105
To learn more about any of these courses and dates, times and how to register -
CLICK HERE
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Check out what is New with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in St. Louis!
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Resources For You
From Constant Contact
St. Louis Seminars & Dates
May 28th, 2010
/ 10am-12pm
Learn
"How to Rev Up Your Relationships, Referrals, &
Revenues" with Email Marketing.
Hosted by: Constant Contact
Time:
10am-12pm
Registration at: 9:30am
Bring: Business Cards
Location: Anheuser-Busch Center One Soccer Park Rd, Fenton MO
COST: FREE
Click to See More
Info & REGISTER
 SCORE Social Media
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SCORE Client Success!
The owner of this small business has been a client of SCORE St. Louis.
STLtoday.com article --
'Cool' roofs help keep lid on summer utility bills
By KIM McGUIRE - ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. See the story. Link
Also seen on KMOV -
For
more information about starting or operating a small business, call
314-539-6600 x242. Visit St. Louis SCORE on the Web at www.stlscore.org
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Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a nonprofit association and resourc e partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE is dedicated to entrepreneurship and the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 8 million entrepreneurs.
You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed at http://www.score.org. To unsubscribe, click here. To update or change your email address, click here. We do not sell, rent or trade the names on our email list. Your email address is only used to send messages from SCORE. Visit http://www.score.org to view SCORE's Privacy Policy.
© Copyright 2010. SCORE Association. All rights reserved.
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