From the Director...
To ensure the SBDC is providing the most beneficial business services possible, we would appreciate your participation in the following survey. The complete survey includes 12 questions and should take about 5-10 minutes to complete. The results of this survey will be used to improve our customer service, level of counseling, types of training/seminars offered, and much more.
Click here to complete our survey Thank you for your participation in this survey. Your feedback is valuable to the future of the EAC Small Business Development Center, and we hope you will continue to support us in the future!
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Looking for new ways to grow your business in 2013?
Here are two reasons to sign up with the Graham County Chamber of Commerce today!
1."Shop Graham County"....a new benefit for Chamber Members
 Did you know that when you shop locally owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state? All Graham County Chamber members are invited to participate in Shop Graham County, a new Graham County Chamber of Commerce program designed to benefit your business. On February 1, 2013 we will launch a new web page featuring members who offer special deals and incentives. There will be an announcement on www.Graham-Chamber.com that will be linked to www.Graham-Chamber.com/Deals (click to view sample page) where your deal will be featured. The Deals will be displayed on the web page and as a printable pdf.
2. Lunch & Learn Monthly Program
There never seems to be enough time during the day to get everything done. You can't spare time to go to training because there is so much work to be done, but you also can't neglect training and development for your business. "Lunch & Learn" is a way to get more training done by making the lunch hour multi-tasking.
What Is Lunch & Learn?
At its simplest, a lunch and learn program is a training event scheduled once a month during the lunch hour.
Business owners and employees who attend bring their lunches and eat them during the training session. The training is usually less formal and less structured than normal, and lasts about 45 minutes.
Benefits Of Learn at Lunch
The biggest benefit of a Lunch & Learn program is that business owners and employees are able to increase their knowledge in a short amount of time and at no additional cost. This program doesn't make more hours in the day, but it does make better use of the time you have!
Topics are chosen by what chamber members want to learn about.
Click here to complete a survey of what event topics you would like to see offered in 2013.
Note: These programs are only for Graham County Chamber members. If you are not a member, please call 928-428-2511 to find out how to become a member. Or email: info@graham-chamber.com
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5 Financial New Year's Resolutions for Entrepreneurs
by Rohit Arora, CEO of Biz2Credit
January 8, 2013
 Whether you are planning to finally scratch your entrepreneurial itch or looking to expand a current company, securing capital is vital to starting and growing small businesses.
As we commence 2013, here are Five Financial New Year's Resolutions for small business owners, as well as those who have resolved to start their own ventures this year. Following them could make obtaining financing easier. No. 1: Improve your personal credit scores Personal credit scores are important for business owners seeking capital. If you are looking to secure financing in 2013, understand that lenders will access your personal credit history from companies such as Equifax and D&B. Loan approvals are based on a combination of both personal and business credit history. So if you are saddled with credit card debt, pay it down. While you are at it, see if you can get a more attractive rate. Paying off existing debts will considerably improve your chances of obtaining a small business loan. Also, if you have a vendor nagging you for invoices 90 or 120 days past due, pay up quickly and get the blemish off your record. No. 2: Keep better financial records Maintaining accurate financial records is not only a good practice, it is also essential to those seeking business expansion funding in 2013. Sales revenues, tax statements and other financial records are proof of the soundness of your business. Financial institutions will base their decisions on such data. Further, lenders will want to examine this financial information in a timely manner; getting back to them slowly on a request might be an indication you are not up-to-date with your record-keeping.... Click here to read complete article
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Don't Be a Social Media Marketing Skeptic - Learn Where and How to Startby Caron Beesley, sba.gov
January 3, 2013
There's no doubt that social media  marketing is a proven and established platform for connecting with customers, building a community and generating business. Yet, despite the evidence of its effectiveness as a marketing tool, surveys and studies say few small businesses are making active use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to promote products and services.
A report by eMarketer found that just 24 percent of small businesses have integrated social media in a structured way in their businesses. The report also references findings from Constant Contact that only 49 percent of small businesses consider social media marketing effective.
Why the skepticism? Here are a few reasons and excuses I've heard:
- "I don't know where to start"
- "I'm too busy"
- "I don't know which social media site is right for my business"
- "I tried it but it didn't work"
- "I'm struggling to build engagement"
- "I don't have enough updates to keep my site looking active"
Knowing where to start is perhaps the number one obstacle holding many small business owners back. Knowing what to do when you get there is next. For example, should you use social media to generate leads? For branding? Customer service? Marketing?
There are numerous blogs on the SBA.gov Community offering tips for getting started in social media marketing. One consistent piece of advice runs through them all: find out where your customers are, start small, and, as you learn, grow out from there.
How?
Last year, I wrote a blog called: How to "Pull Your Head Out of the Sand" and Use Social Media in Your Small Business where I summarized some of the great recommendations from a social media panel at the 2012 National Small Business Week Conference in Washington, D.C. The panel featured experts from Twitter, Constant Contact, Yelp, Google and others. Here's a summary of their recommendations, a great baseline for getting started:
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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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Make your voice heard!
 Please take a minute and complete Eastern Arizona College's Greenlee County Survey for the "Higher Education Continuous Improvement Survey System"
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Good Quotes
"Proving to employees that you value their financial future is good business."
--Will Akerlof, president of Liquid Advertising, writing at CFO.com
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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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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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