February 2016                                                                                                                 Issue #88
In This Issue
NEC SBDC Special Programs
Get the Equipment You Need for Your Buisness Webinar
Choose Your Business Location & Equipment
New Year, New Beginnings, and New Businesses
How To Make Your Small Business Appear Bigger
Happy Valentines Day
NEC SBDC Service Centers
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Director's Corner
Dear  ,
 
We are working with small businesses across a number of industry sectors this year. This month we are highlighting the Student Consulting Program. The CSU, Chico College of Business and the Center for Economic Development are collaborating on an initiative to give business students experience while working on projects for local businesses. Contact the NEC SBDC office for more information.

If you're looking to learn more about leasing equipment or space to operate your business through alternative financing, attend the webinar on Alternative Financing Options for Small Businesses and read the article on choosing business location and equipment, both provided by the SBA. The webinar is on February 25th starting at 8:30AM PST. Registration information below.

There are also some tips on how to make your small business bigger, more effective, and how to stay in touch with your customers by using online resources like Google and Grasshopper.  
 
Sincerely, 
Dan Ripke
Director
Northeastern California SBDC Lead Center
California State University, Chico
(530) 898-4598
Regional Small Business News 
 
Northeastern Small Business Development Center - 
Special Programs
      
CSU, Chico College of Business and Center for Economic Development Student Consulting Program  
 

 


The Northeastern California SBDC has a number of special initiatives under development.   

  • Need help with a social media plan?
  • Need a business or marketing plan?
  • Want a marketing feasibility study for your new business or a new product?
  • Need assistance building an ecommerce site or ecommerce strategy?
  • Not sure how to best utilize or integrate business intelligence technologies?
  • Would you like to streamline and standardize your processes?
  • Need process improvements in your supply chain and human resource activities?
Our business students may be able to help! The CSU, Chico College of Business and Center for Economic Development (CED) are collaborating on an initiative to give business students valuable field experiences while working on projects for local businesses. 

Teams composed of undergraduate or MBA students will be matched up with your business to help you succeed. Clients can have student teams work on an existing project or initiate a new project, process, or plan. Projects will be part of a university course and have specific deliverables. At the end of the semester your project will be delivered to you as both a written and oral report. Read More

Contact the NECSBDC office at the California State University, Chico Research Foundation for more information at (530) 898-4598 or Click Here To Apply  
National Small Business News 
 
 Alternative Financing Options for Small Business

In this 30 minute intensive webinar, participants will get an overview of equipment financing. In this webinar we'll cover:
Featuring Rachel Bell of Expressway Business Loans.
Read More 
  •     The types of things businesses can lease (it's more than you think)
  •     Reasons why it's a smart idea to use leased or financed equipment
  •     How to evaluate if it's better to lease or buy a piece of equipment
  •     How to finance when a vendor doesn't offer a lease option
We'll also provide a checklist of items attendees will need to prepare for a lease. 

When: Thursday February 25, 2016 from 8:30AM to 9:00AM PST
Where: This is an online event. 



Contact:
Kimberly Donahue
on behalf of SBA & SCORE
304-347-5220
kimberly.donahue@sba.gov
 
   
Choose Your Business Location & Equipment 
   

These resources can help ensure your small business is compliant with leasing terms and zoning ordinances. It also provides information about buying or leasing equipment or buying government surplus. Read More
  • Tips for Choosing Your Business Location
    • Learn how to find the right location for your small business and what you need to know before you begin your search. Read More
  • Basic Zoning Laws
    • Learn about local zoning ordinances and regulations that may apply to your small business. Read More
  • Home-Based Business Zoning Laws
    • Home-based businesses may be required to comply with local zoning laws. Find out which ones apply to your small business. Read More 
  • Leasing Commercial Space
    • Find out what to expect when leasing a commercial office space for your small business. Read More 
  • Buying Government Surplus
    • Purchasing surplus goods from the government is an easy and affordable way to equip your new and expanding business. Find out how to acquire government surplus for your small business. Read More 
  • Leasing Business Equipment
    • There are several options available when it comes to acquiring equipment you need for your small business. Find out the benefits of buying or leasing equipment. Read More
National Small Business News 

New Year, New Beginnings and New Business  
 
Nancy Jeng, the content strategy and operations lead for the Google Small Business Community
Read More 

Each new year brings the dream of new beginnings and, for many, that includes the dream of starting a new business. In fact, Google Trends data shows us that interest in "starting a business" peaks every January. To support the millions of businesses that are created each year, we're sharing some of the ways you can use the web (including Google) to launch your new business:

Use Google Trends to size up your market opportunity. Before you launch a business, you want to make sure there is a viable market for your product or service. You can use Google Trends to help gauge your market potential.
Read More

Find a domain, create a site and get custom email. Picking out the right domain name is often the starting point to building a successful online presence. Read More

Make sure your customers can find you online. Once you establish an online presence, use Google My Business to be found on Google by your customers. Google My Business puts your business info on Search, Maps and Google+ so that customers can find you, no matter what device they're using. The best part? It's free for all businesses.

Connect with experts and other small business owners. Join the Google Small Business Community to get expert advice and talk to other business owners like you. Participate in live Q&As, read small business spotlights and interact with advisers to get the help you need to succeed.
Read More

National Small Business News 

How To Make Your Small Business Appear Bigger    

Starting your own business is an accomplishment, but it's just the first step. It's even more important to have a company that people take seriously. Consider these five tips to give your business a more professional look and feel:    

Invest in a great website. Your website is often the first thing potential clients see, so it can make or break your business. Not only should it describe what your company does, but it also should be attractive, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly. Read More

Get a toll-free number. A toll-free number instantly boosts your company's reputation and offers customers a way to reach out with questions or complaints. Read More

Keep up with social media. Social media is more than just a way to spread the word about discounts and deals. But to be successful with it, you need to be consistent. Keep the same username across various social channels to build your brand and make it easier for customers to find you. Read More

Keep on top of customer feedback.  Taking more than a few days to respond to a customer's email is unacceptable.  It's a key part of customer service, and it will let customers know that you value them. Read More

Get media coverage. It's smart to reach out to journalists and bloggers and let them know what your business is all about. Sending a well-crafted email is one way to reach them; it could help you gain press and attract attention to your company. Read More 
Happy Valentines Day 

From all of us at the NEC SBDC

     

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Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.  Please e-mail me with your content ideas for next month's edition.  

Sincerely,

Dan Ripke
Director
Northeastern California SBDC Lead Center
& Center for Economic Development
California State University, Chico
www.necsbdc.org
(530) 898-4598