Set your small business up for success with help from the Small Business Center’s seminars on grant writing, developing your business and more this October. The Sandhills Community College Small Business Center aims to increase the number and success rate of viable small businesses by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing small business owners, leading to job creation and retention.
For classes that require face-to-face interaction, CDC recommendations and precautions for a safe environment will be stringently followed. Social distancing is required on campus, and masks are required indoors.
Small Business Development Series
In “Selling Made Simple – Identify Your Customer,” participants will learn how to create an effective small business sales strategy. Discover what customers expect of their products, how they use them, and how the product improves their quality of life. Learn how an effective sales strategy matches the customer’s behavior, the barriers to purchase, and the benefits of the product.
“Selling Made Simple – Identify Your Customer” will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 6-8 p.m.
Developing a Logo, Building Your Brand and Google
In “Developing Your Logo,” participants will create the visual anchor of their small business brand and develop the basis for a new logo. Don’t fret over lack of drawing skills or nonexistent graphic ability. Students should join this creative exercise to uncover the name, images and visual cues that best represent the business they desire to communicate.
“Developing Your Logo” will be held on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 6-8 p.m.
In “Building Your Brand with Intent,” students will learn the importance of defined communication channels and how the brand elements — logo, collateral, and consumer touch points—all play a role in their company’s communication and its bottom line. Participants should bring samples of any current material — website, social media posts, brochure, business cards, etc. (If students don’t have these yet, they should come anyway.) Students should bring a notebook.
“Building Your Brand with Intent” will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21.
In “Google-My-Business,” students will obtain greater findability to where their hyper-local target audience is searching via a Google-My-Business listing with regular content sharing for organic search returns, maps and images in their hyper-local region. Learn how to bring their business to the top of the heap in their service category for Google. Understand how to make it as easier for potential clients to find them rather than to find their competition.
“Google-My-Business” will be held on Thursday, Oct. 28, from 6-8 p.m.
Business Development
In “Create Your Business Plan,” students will learn how to turn their small business ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. Participants will learn simple, easy-to-follow steps for creating a business plan that fits your business.
“Create Your Business Plan” will be held on Zoom, Thursday, Oct. 7, from 6-7 p.m.
Registration
To register online, visit our website at sandhills.edu/sbc. For more information, or to place your name on a waiting list for webinars that are full, or to sign up for e-mail alerts, email Teresa Reynolds at [email protected]. Check this website regularly: . Additional offerings may be added as the semester continues based on need and circumstances.
Fall Semester Eight-Week Session
An eight-week session of fall semester curriculum classes begins on Oct. 14. The tuition is free for all students whether they are new, returning or current. Offered online and in hybrid class formats, classes take only eight weeks to complete and award full credits. For all information, go to www.sandhills.edu/eight.
Curriculum spring semester classes will begin on Jan. 10.
CCP Classes for High School Students
High school students who successfully complete four CCP classes qualify for the Sandhills Promise. This program offers two full years of classes immediately following high school graduation at no cost. For all information, go to: www.sandhills.edu/admissions/sandhills-promise.
