Cover Photo by Frederick Tour
Maryland’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides support to local entrepreneurs and small businesses. In addition to providing free individual consultation, the organization hosts comprehensive training programs — for those just thinking about starting a business to executive training — with most classes at low to no cost. November courses will again be held online in webinar format.
Check out the November calendar for our region and take the next opportunity to grow your business!
Poor Bookkeeping = Poor Decisions
Presented by Bev Stitely, Tax Strategist, Enrolled Agent (EA), Profit First Professional Owner, Saunders Tax and Accounting
Making the best decision for your business means having all the information you need and that the information is accurate. Your financial statements are full of information, IF your bookkeeping is done right.
WHEN: November 4, 2020; 10:00am-12:00pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenerdirect.com/events/16388
A Roadmap To Your Professional Web Presence
Presented by Theresa Stacy-Ryan, President of tmsr Design Delivery, LLC
Take a journey to create a roadmap for putting your best foot forward on the web. Learn how to get started, the road bumps to avoid, and how to navigate being found on the World Wide Web. Do Domain Registrar, site hierarchy, brand identity, mobile-first responsiveness, CMS, HTML5, SSL, SEO, UX, and DM mean anything to you? They will after we've taken this one-hour webinar journey together!
WHEN: November 4, 2020; 1:00-2:30pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16360
Veteran Certification-Are You Interested In Doing Business With The Federal Government?
Presented by Monica Randall, CEO, The Randall Group, LLC
Are you a registered Veteran interested in doing business with the federal government? If yes, attend this workshop to learn about SBA’s Veteran Certification Program and how it can assist Veteran’s in obtaining small business set-aside contracts. Training session will provide an overview of the program including purpose, eligibility and how to leverage the certification to bid and win federal government contracts.
WHEN: November 5, 2020; 1:00-2:00pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16394
From Bah Humbug to BOOM-Mastering The Holiday Season Selling To Customers!
Presented by Marc Willson, Retail Specialist
Small retailers: are you ready to meet new customer expectations during the most critical 90 days of the year? From Amazon Prime Days to Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday through the entire month of December, this is the most wonderful – and busiest – time of year. Join us as retail expert Marc Willson presents essential strategies to make the most of the season – even during a pandemic – and carry you into the post-holiday selling season.
WHEN: November 9, 2020; 9:00-10:15am -OR- December 2, 2020, 9:00-10:15am
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16404 https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16405
7 Steps To Marketing Success In These Uncertain Times
Presented by Dennis Ottey, President, Dott Digital Marketing/Certified duck Tape Marketing Consulting
During these uncertain times, a business must have good marketing practices. In this webinar, lean these 7 Steps to must-have elements for success on the web. Build trust with your website, create great content, learn basic SEO, Social Media engagement, email marketing and Pay per click advertising. This is a great overview of what every small business should be working on to be successful.
WHEN: November 11, 2020; 10:00am-12:00pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16364
Planning for the Holiday Season-The Ideal Customer Journey
Presented by Ali Paskun, President, ABIL Solutions
Join this seminar to learn how to deal with the entire experience for this critical upcoming holiday season! Learn what the customer experience means and why it's so critical to business success!
WHEN: November 11, 2020; 1:00-2:30pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16317
Give Your Brand An Award-Winning Personality!
Presenter: Pieter Bickford, Marketing Executive, HighRock Studios
We want you to stand out in a crowded marketplace and build a real connection with your consumers! Join the marketing experts from HighRock for a crash course on how to discover what makes your brand unique and how to take on a personality that brings your brand to life.
WHEN: November 12, 2020; 1:00-2:30pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16390
Holiday eCommerce for Small Retailers-From Brick & Mortar to Click & Mortar
Presented by Marc Willson, Retail Specialist
How can small retailers transform their brick and mortar holiday customer experience into an equally compelling and seamless online experience for individuals who may not be comfortable enough to shop in public? Join retail expert Marc Willson as he introduces “next level” eCommerce strategies for creating a robust digital shopping experience that works.
WHEN: November 16, 2020; 9:00-10:15am - OR - December 9, 2020, 9:00-10:15am
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16406 https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16407
The Law of Social Media, Discrimination and Harassment
Presented by Matt Johnston, Esquire
The Law of Social Media, Discrimination, and Harassment. Social media can help build a business, but social media can be a cesspit of toxicity that can ruin a business or a career with a single post. This session will explore how laws regarding harassment, discrimination, employee rights, the National Labor Relations Act, freedom of speech, and the workplace mingle and lead to a minefield that makes COVID seem like a picnic.
WHEN: November 17, 2020; 1:00-2:30pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16302
Navigating The Holiday Season & COVID Like A Pro
Presented by Melody Belotte, Marketing Expert
The first signs of the holiday season are already appearing in retail stores around the country. While it’s difficult to make any predictions about consumer behavior as COVID-19 evolves, there are a few emerging trends every small businesses should take note of as they prepare for the holidays. Join marketing expert Melody Belotte to get a head start on the life-saving strategies you’ll need to navigate Christmas and COVID like a pro.
WHEN: November 18, 2020; 1:00-2:30pm
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16323
Holiday eCommerce for Small Retailers: Tips for Fulfilling Those Orders
Presented by Marc Willson, Retail Specialist
On top of being busy in store, small retailers have become fulfillment centers for rapidly increasing online sales that are anticipated to grow exponentially during the holidays. Retail expert Marc Willson will provide practical tips on setting up or expanding your store’s packing and shipping capabilities – from pricing, to packing, to getting items out the door – and even marketing your brand as you ship to attract customers even as the holiday season ends.
WHEN: November 23, 2020; 9:00-10:15am - OR - December 16, 2020, 9:00-10:15am
To Register: https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16408 https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/16409