Greetings!
We hope the following content will provide current and useful information to our clients and other members of our community. Thank you for your continued support of the SBDC. Please contact our office for further information or assistance.
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Small Business Saturday on November 24, 2012
Almost universally, Americans say they support and value small businesses in their communities. How could you not? They provide products and services you can't get elsewhere, customer service is generally more personal, and they contribute enormously to the fabric of our neighborhoods and cities. There are many organizations, national and local, that have done a great job organizing and getting the word out about the outsized contributions that small businesses make to our communities. One of those is the Small Business Saturday Coalition which we have joined to help spread the word about Small Business Saturday. What will you be doing on November 24, 2012, the  Saturday after Thanksgiving? Participating in Small Business Saturday of course! Heading into its third year, Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is a day dedicated to local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country. Last year, millions of Americans, shopped at independently-owned small businesses on Small Business Saturday. This year, we invite you to help make the day even bigger for small business. Here are ways your business can get involved and help support Small Business Saturday: - Shop Small on November 24, 2012: By shopping small, you are showing your support for small businesses and creating goodwill within the communities where you work and live. Make a day of it by shopping with friends and dining out at your favorite small restaurants.
- If you are an independent business owner, make the day your own: Small businesses are known for having outstanding customer service and offering unique products. Think about having special promotions and join forces with neighboring small businesses to create a block party or holiday event. Don't forget to leverage Small Business Saturday marketing tools on www.facebook.com/shopsmall.
- Spread the word: Sign up for email updates at www.shopsmall.com and make sure to 'Like' the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/shopsmall). Tell your family, friends and loyal customers about Small Business Saturday on your social networks.
 Check out " Small Business Saturday" Facebook page
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Create Your Own Website for FREE!
Get Your Business Online with
56% of small businesses in Arizona do not have a website.
97% of internet users look online for local products and services.
 Google's national program called, "Get Your Business On-line" allows small businesses to reserve a domain name and create a website, all for free. In addition, through this program, Google provides your domain name and hosting for free for the first year. After the first year, monthly fees start at $4.95.
Three reasons to start building your website now!
1. It's easy...sign up for an account, choose a template and add content.
2. It's fast....Create, edit and publish your new website in about an hour.
3. It's free...Enjoy your website, domain name and hosting free for an entire year.
For more information on how to get your website started, please contact the EAC SBDC at (928) 428-8590 or email: sbdc@eac.edu
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SMB's Moving Toward Digital, Diversified Marketing
by Lisa Barone, Small Business Trends
October 31, 2012Internet marketing as a small business owner sure has gotten more complex over the past few years. It used to be that direct mailers and newsletters were the way to go. Then you needed a website and an online presence. Now? Well, turns out it takes a bit of everything to be effective and small businesses owners are ready to take it on, changing their marketing efforts to not only be more digital-based, but more diversified, as well.
eMarketer reported on a survey of 300 SMBs in the US conducted by BIA/Kelsey which found that small businesses are adopting a multichannel approach to marketing, and that 40 percent of SMBs plan to increase their digital spending budgets within the next year. Not surprisingly, less than 4 percent said they were would decrease digital marketing. Small business owners know where their customers are and, increasingly, it's online.
They also recognize that channels are becoming more fragmented. The fact is, we're all using digital channels, but we're not using the same ones. That means small business owners now need to focus on building a presence on multiple sites to hit their customers. Marketing efforts must be spread out. This year the average small business owner is using 5.8 channels to reach their customers, almost double from five years ago. Where are SMBs moving toward? - Facebook - 52 percent
- Newspapers - 31 percent
- Community sponsorships - 27 percent
- Email Marketing - 25 percent
- Google Places - 21.3 percent
- Video (on website) - 17 percent
- Online banners - 14 percent
Click here to read complete article
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 The ASBDC Biz Blog launched in January 2012 with 12 contributing companies -- all with extensive backgrounds in small business. The blog is updated weekly with new articles covering topics on IT & Marketing for Small Business, Youth Entrepreneurship, Veterans in Small Business, Procurement, Financial issues and more!
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The EAC Small Business Development Center, funded by Eastern Arizona College and the Small Business Administration, is designed to promote the success of small business in the Graham and Greenlee County area, as well as the San Carlos Apache Nation. This program puts a team of experienced business professionals at your disposal - at no cost to you. We offer one-on-one confidential counseling and training in various business-related areas such as record keeping, marketing, taxes, computer usage, business planning and more. Take advantage of us. We're here to help you!
Sincerely,
Kevin Peck, Director
EAC Small Business Development Center
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What does the SBDC Do?
As we visit with local business owners and community members, we ask if they have heard of the EAC Small Business Development Center. Many have heard about us, but aren't exactly clear what we do......
In a nutshell, The EAC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is part of a national and statewide network of diverse and talented business counselors that are available to help business owners and new entrepreneurs with every aspect of their business....at NO COST!
All SBDC's are funded by their local community college and through a grant provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This means the SBDC's can provide FREE counseling to assist entrepreneurs with finding answers to the numerous questions that arise when starting or operating a business.
How Can the SBDC Help?
The SBDC can be your resource in any of the following areas:
- Business Start-ups
- Business Plan Development
- QuickBooks Training & Advising
- Sources of Financing
- Accounting & Record-keeping
- Marketing Strategies
- Technology Solutions
- Cash Flow Analysis
- Human Resources
- Government Procurement Opportunities
- Business Expansion & Growth Assistance
- Customer Service
- And much more
Click here for more information on the EAC Small Business Development Center
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How to Use QuickBooks For Your Business
We are working on our new event schedule for 2013. We will keep you posted on what we have planned for next year. If you would like to see us offer a certain seminar topic, please let us know.
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We Appreciate Referrals!
We would greatly appreciate it if you share our services with your friends, family, and colleagues.
If you would like to write a review or testimonial about your experience with the SBDC, click here to find out how!
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EAC Small Business Development Center
615 N. Stadium Ave., (Student Services Building)
Thatcher, AZ 85552
Phone: (928) 428-8590
Fax: (928) 428-2578
Email: sbdc@eac.edu
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