Surry Community College’s Small Business Center will be holding free seminars and workshops in October at various locations in Surry and Yadkin counties.
Using Your iPhone or iPad to Run Your Small Business will be the topic of a seminar on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, 628 CC Camp Road/268 Bypass, Elkin. You’re more than likely already using your iPhone to make calls and texts for business purposes. You may even be using your iPhone calendar to remember important appointments or maps to get you to those very important meetings, but can you run your business from your iPhone? Discover the tips and tricks for using your iPhone for business in this seminar. Topics will include basic user and settings information and delving deeper into specific suggestions for apps that make running a business from your iPhone more efficient. Learn how using Cloud-based services can benefit your company and lead to a more collaborative experience for employees and customers. Susan Ratcliff will be the speaker.
Tapping into Tourism will be the subject of a seminar on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Pilot Center, 612 E. Main St., Pilot Mountain. This seminar will provide tips to market your small business and upcoming events to tourists along with a general overview of the benefits tourism has for a community. Additionally, participants will get an insider’s guide to the best websites and tourism resources to promote businesses and discuss how social media sites can help draw more customers to an event. The speaker will be Jessica Roberts.
How to Write a Business Plan will be discussed in a workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center for Public Safety, 1220 State St., Mount Airy. A business plan can be the most important tool a small business owner has. Learn how to turn ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. This seminar teaches the important components of a business plan and helps lay the foundation for a profitable business in the future. Discover how a business plan is used by potential lenders, the dos and don’ts of writing a plan and the steps for making the process easy. This seminar is designed for new and established small business owners, and will be lead by speaker Jeff Foster.
Twitter Made Easy will be the topic of a seminar on Thursday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Elkin Center. Twitter is a resource and marketing tool for small businesses that know how to use its power. This three-hour workshop will teach participants how to start a page from scratch with an enhanced profile, how to use hashtags to garner brand awareness, how to create lists and engage influencers, and how to gain new followers with proven applications.
Certification Options will be discussed in a seminar on Monday, Oct. 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Yadkin Center, 1001 College Drive, Yadkinville. Certification programs for small businesses can be a great tool for owners to expand business opportunities. Find out who qualifies for specific certifications, how small business owners can benefit and how to start the certification process with speaker Melissa Terrell.
Financing Your Small Business will be the subject of a seminar on Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center for Public Safety in Mount Airy. Financing continues to be a challenge for many small business owners. Get to the heart of business financing in this seminar that answers questions on who to get money from, how to make a profit and pay back loans, and how to attract investors. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of funding sources and learn how to choose the source that best fits your needs. The speaker will be Ruben Gonzalez.
The 10 Quickest Ways to Grow Your Small Business will be discussed in a workshop on Monday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at The Yadkin Center. This workshop is best suited for those seeking insight on what successful business owners are doing to grow their businesses. As an interactive class, participants will have a chance to ask questions and receive tactical answers specific to their individual business problems. Jim Blaylock will be the speaker.
Social Media Strategies that Work for Small Businesses will be the topic of a seminar on Monday, Oct. 17 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Surry Community College, J Building, 630 S. Main St., Dobson. Having a social media presence for your business is crucial in building customer relationships by allowing your potential and current customers to learn more about your brand and make a personal connection prior to purchase. Learn about the various strategies that can be used to increase your social media presence and how to make engaging images, complete a competitor analysis, schedule posts, and cross post on multiple platforms. Brittany Eller will be the speaker.
Donor Relations will be addressed in a workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at The Yadkin Center. As nonprofits engage in conversations and focus on increasing the levels of giving to their cause, they often leave out the most important part of fundraising – building relationships. Discover and discuss the many elements of donor relations in this three-hour workshop. Learn how to keep donors engaged, create interest, cause action, and retain donors. Get a look at donor relations through the lens of your donors and leave with insight you can implement right away to create stronger development departments and more satisfied donors. The speaker will be Amanda Pearce.
Basics of Bookkeeping for Small Businesses will be the subject of a seminar on Tuesday, Oct. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Center for Public Safety in Mount Airy. Gain a workable knowledge of how to properly record financial transactions for your business in this seminar. Discover the three most important financial reports and how to use them to make well-informed business decisions. This class is designed for new business owners as well as anyone in search of a refresher on the basic principles of accounting. Dean Kanipe will be the speaker.
The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is the sponsor for seminars held in Mount Airy and Pilot Mountain. The Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the seminars held in Yadkin County. The Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the seminars held in Elkin and Dobson.
To register for any of these seminars or to view a complete listing of the upcoming Small Business Center offerings in Surry and Yadkin counties, visit www.surry.edu/sbc. Anyone in need of information about confidential, one-on-one counseling and resource referrals may contact Dale Badgett at badgettd@surry.edu or call (336) 386-3685.
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