DOBSON — The Small Business Center at Surry Community College will be holding several free seminars and workshops in March at various locations in Surry and Yadkin counties.
• “Using YouTube to Market Your Business” will take place March 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Surry Community College’s Pilot Center in Pilot Mountain. The seminar will show attendees free and low-cost ways to gain a competitive edge by creating content that can be distributed on YouTube. Students will leave this class with clear action items to get the most out of social media’s free resources. Learn how your business can be found more easily by Google and be shared more by maximizing multimedia using proven low cost methods. The speaker will be Martin Brossman a success coach, trainer, and author.
• “Do I Really Need a Business Plan?” will be the topic of a seminar held March 9 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Surry Community College’s Yadkin Center, Yadkinville. It is part of the Small Business Professional Series. In this seminar, participants will learn the tools necessary to write a successful business plan to serve as a guide for their business. Allan Younger of GRACE Consulting will be the speaker.
• “Digital Social Media” will be explored in a seminar on March 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Surry Community College, Sells Building (J-Building), Dobson. The social media platforms Instagram, Pinterest, Tout, Vine and YouTube are just a few of the graphical/image platforms that small businesses can use to inform and engage their clients and prospects through videos and images. When used correctly and with other social media platforms, these tools can drive web traffic and business opportunities. In this seminar, students will be introduced to these tools and the basics of using them. Teddy Burriss, of Burriss Consulting, Inc., will be the speaker.
• “Marketing My Business is Easy, Right?” is the topic of the next seminar in the Small Business Professional Series. It will take place March 16 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Surry Community College’s Yadkin Center, Yadkinville. Participants will focus on the importance of market research and defining their target market when developing a marketing plan. They will learn how marketing mix decisions can be made using the “5 Ps” of Marketing. Participants will identify target market segments and develop a marketing strategy for a sample business using SWOT Analysis. Allan Younger of GRACE Consulting will be the speaker.
• “Building Your Business on eBay: Beyond the Basics” (originally scheduled for Feb. 18) will take place March 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Center for Public Safety in Mount Airy. This session is for individuals who have experience on eBay and want to establish a continual retail presence. Topics include starting an eBay business, finding merchandise to sell, resolving issues, and handling customer feedback. The speaker will be Nick Hawks, an eBay education specialist.
• “Managing Your Business Reputation” will be the subject of a seminar on March 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. at The Center for Public Safety, Mount Airy. Participants will examine their business’ service delivery as it relates to their customers. They will learn how to effectively communicate their business’ vision, mission and values to customers. Additionally, they will explore the best ways to broadcast customer testimonials and to handle complaints. The speaker will be Brian Wright of the Better Business Bureau.
• “Pricing Your Products and Services” is the topic of a seminar on March 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Surry Community College’s Elkin Center. Attendees will explore how to set their prices, which affect almost everything in their business. Alyssa Mako, assistant director of The Women’s Business Center of North Carolina, will be the speaker.
• “Marketing Your Business Through Social Media Parts I and II” is a two-part workshop held on March 24 and March 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Surry Community College’s Yadkin Center, Yadkinville. Business owners will learn how to get closer to customers by way of online communities. Part I will be an overview of how Social Media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube can be used to grow your business. Part II will be a hands-on session where participants will build a social media website. Jessica Icenhour Roberts, marketing and tourism director, Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce will be the speaker.
• “Opening an eBay Store” will be explored in a hands-on course held March 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Center for Public Safety in Mount Airy. Participants will learn a step-by-step approach if they are ready to own an eBay store. Topics covered will include marketing your eBay store effectively and using the Quick Store Tune-up Feature. The speaker will be Nick Hawks, an eBay education specialist.
The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is the sponsor for seminars held at The Center for Public Safety in Mount Airy and at The Pilot Center in Pilot Mountain. The Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the seminars held at The Yadkin Center in Yadkinville. The Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the seminars held at Surry Community College’s campus in Dobson and The Elkin Center in Elkin.
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 needing information about confidential, one-on-one counseling and resource referrals may contact Denise Brown at browndw@surry.edu or call 336-386-3685.
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