2008 ICW Education and Workforce Summit

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - October 20-22, 2008

In business today, no competition is tougher than the global race for talent. In every industry, every job sector, and every part of the world, employers are asking the same question: How are we going to find, train, and retain the best workers? Unless America makes dramatic improvements in education and workforce training, it will pay a terrible price, risking its place as an economic superpower and its identity as a striving, middle-class democracy. U.S. Chamber of Commerce affiliate Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) is sponsoring this event, designed to offer information and solutions to the workforce dilemma. (Registration is $775; $675 each for groups of four or more.)

What Is Credit and How Do I Get It?

Cape Coral, Florida - August 27, 2008

This program will give you a basic overview of credit to further help you achieve financial wellness. The What Is Credit And How Do I Get It workshop covers the following topics: Understanding what credit is, how to establish/reestablish credit, understanding a credit report, understanding credit scores and how to improve scores, making smart credit choices, credit bureaus and resources and how to correct errors on your credit report. (Registration is $20.)

Small Business Development Seminar

Kent, Ohio - August 20, 2008

This comprehensive workshop will cover a number of topics, including business loans, business plans, government procurement opportunities and sales and marketing, and will also feature vendor exhibits. (Registration is $15; $20 including lunch.)

Marketing for Micro and Small Business Seminar

Riverside, California - August 14-18, 2008

Small businesses have a problem: most of them don’t have the marketing dollars to make a big impact in their community. But, according to Barry Davis, co-owner, IdeaBox Marketing & Design, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get your message out. Would you like to know how you can reach over 7,000 targeted people in a year while only spending less than $500? This and many other low-cost, yet highly effective ideas will be presented in this “non-traditional” marketing seminar. (Registration is $10.)

Social Media and Recruiting

August 15, 2008 - Develop an approach to social media that will supplement your multi-media recruiting strategy. Join us for an in-depth look at the current state and future growth of social media and how it is changing leading companies’ approach to attracting and retaining talent. (Webinar is free of charge; click on the “Social Media and Recruiting” link to open.)

21 Days to unlimited New Business

Marketing strategist Ben Settle’s podcast shows business owners three little-known ways to use the telephone to attract hundreds of new customers without doing any telemarketing or cold-calling, how to find dozens of new leads, clients and customers in an ordinary coffee shop, a secret way to profit from ads that lose money and more. (Scroll down on the “Past Headlines” to find the “21 Days To Unlimited New Business” podcast. Podcast is free of charge.)

Marketing Your Business through Public Relations

StartupNation’s Rich Sloan talks with small business PR expert Melanie Rembrandt, to break down the seven steps to successful public relations. You’re missing a break-it-big opportunity for promotion if you overlook the power of PR. Using the step-by-step PR process at StartupNation.com as a guideline for their conversation, Rich and Melanie provide a prescription of exact action items you need to take to achieve your own PR results. You’ll learn about how to create a media plan, research the media, develop your story ideas, prepare a media kit, write your own press release, and actually contact the media. (Podcast is free of charge.)

How to Make Brand Champions

How many times has an existing customers asked you if you also do this or that? How many of your employees understand your brand? Take a good look at all of your stakeholders. Do they have a good understanding of what your brand stands for? Chances are there is a mixed bag of understanding about your brand from your stake holders. Brand champions are advocates who promote and or refer your business to others. They are passionate about your brand and are active in your promotion. Many times even brand champions don’t have a clear understanding of what you do. Here’s how you can strengthen existing brand champions and empower others who could potentially become brand champions for your company.

Web Search Secrets All Entrepreneurs Should Know

While we can’t all be the Sherlock Holmes of the Internet, the ability to dive deep into online search is an important skill all entrepreneurs should cultivate. While Google’s search engine accounts for 68% of all online searches, most people only know how to access a small fraction of what Google has to offer. To help you get the most out of Google, I asked my friend and longtime entrepreneur Sam Richter, author of the top-selling book Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling, shares some of his search secrets.

Cash Versus Accrual Accounting for Small Businesses

There are only two generally accepted accounting methods: cash and accrual accounting. Some small businesses have the option of choosing between these two, while other kinds are legally required to use the accrual method. This article explains the conditions under which a small business has to adopt the accrual accounting method, and discusses the benefits of the cash method in circumstances that allow a business to choose it.