February 2016 classes from the Alaska Small Business Development Center

The Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides low-cost workshops and seminars on many small business topics. View the complete February schedule for Anchorage below. For more information, visit aksbdc.org.

Starting a Business Wednesday, Feb. 17, 10-11:30 a.m. Alaska Small Business Development Center (1901 Bragaw St., Ste. 199)

Are you thinking about starting your own business? This workshop was built for you. We will cover basic issues faced when starting a small business, including business licensing, legal forms of business, business record-keeping, hiring employees, business planning and access to financing. Let the SBDC help guide you through the process of starting a small business. This workshop is free of charge but pre-registration is required.

This session is currently full--join the waitlist or register for the next Anchorage session on March 2.

How to Write a Business Plan Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1-5 p.m. Alaska Small Business Development Center (1901 Bragaw St., Ste. 199)

This interactive workshop will cover the basics of writing a business plan and how it can help you focus your business, obtain financing and keep your business on track. The first half of the class with cover the financials for a dummy company chosen by the attendees and the second half will go over the narrative portion of the business plan. It is relevant for everybody in business, from the person just planning to start to the seasoned entrepreneur.

Prepayment and registration is required. Register here.

Events & Registration: Increase & Reward Loyalty While Driving New Customers to Your Door Thursday, Feb. 18, 9-11 a.m. Alaska Small Business Development Center (1901 Bragaw St., Ste. 199)

This presentation will provide a deeper look into the place that events hold as a marketing tool, provide some best practices for promoting events and go in-depth into best practices for online registration for events.

Attendees will learn about:

• Types of events (more than just fundraisers), goals for events, a quick note on charging or not, and events as part of the engagement marketing cycle
• Promoting the event, with a sample promotional schedule and activities.
• Making the most of an online registration tool, with best practices focused on what information to ask for on a registration form, social proof, payment/donation options and more.
• Post-event actions, including review of statistics and social activity and sending out a survey.

Please note: This session will not be addressing best practices around event planning topics like venue selection, planning event entertainment or dining options, running fundraising activities like live or silent auctions, etc. It is focused on helping the audience promote their event and streamline the online registration process. This workshop is supported by Constant Contact.

Join us and learn some great new strategies to help you promote your next event and set up an online registration process that helps your event succeed.

Register here.

ID Theft, Cyber Security Threats, and Card Fraud: What You Should Know Tuesday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.-noon Alaska Small Business Development Center (1901 Bragaw St., Ste. 199)

Join Mike Mason, product support manager, and Michelle Wamack, card fraud & risk analyst, of First National Bank Alaska as they discuss cyber security threats and card fraud trends. Learn the importance of protecting personal financial data and your customers' entrusted information, as well as how to to identify current threats and take steps to mitigate them. Mike and Michelle will discuss in detail how to prevent and protect yourself and your business from hacks, infiltration and identity fraud.

Michelle Tabler, Alaska regional manager for Better Business Bureau, will discuss ID theft and how to protect yourself. She will also detail the most recent scams affecting Alaskans.

If you are a BBB-accredited business, please indicate this in the bottom box when signing up to have your workshop fee waived upon registration acceptance.

Register here.

The Power of the Inbox - Effective Email Marketing Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2-4 p.m. Alaska Small Business Development Center (1901 Bragaw St., Ste. 199)

This powerful seminar takes you step-by-step through the keys to effective email marketing. Topics include:

• Tips and tricks for email marketing: What it can do for your business as well as what it really is and isn't
• Automation of your marketing: Autoresponder campaigns do what you wish you had the time to do
• Online surveys that work to grow your business
• Growing your email list: Quick easy ideas to expand your reach

Join us and learn great strategies for the most effective marketing you can do: email marketing. This workshop is supported by Constant Contact.

This workshop requires pre-registration and pre-payment. You can make this payment online with a credit card, or in person at our office in the full amount via check or cash. We are unable to accept credit cards in person. If you are outside the Anchorage area, you can participate in this workshop via webinar (requires internet connection, computer, and telephone).

For those joining us in person, please note that our office is located at the corner of Bragaw and the light at E. 20th Street. We are on the same side of the road as East High School, with our front doors facing the school.

For those intending to participate via webinar, please indicate this in your registration or via email so that the audio access information can be sent to you. We need at least three hours notice before the start of a class in order to process a webinar request.

Register here.

To view the complete schedule of upcoming workshops, visit the Alaska Small Business Development Center workshops page.

February Archive