Category Archives: Business Development

Washington State Biz Fair — October 12

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It’s a free, virtual event!
Tuesday, October 12, 7am to 5pm

The 25th annual virtual Biz Fair is free to attend and the goal is to help current and aspiring small business owners learn from experts on how to start or grow their business.

Gain access to valuable small business resources by visiting the Small Business Resource Center staffed by representatives from federal, state and local government agencies, and business and trade associations.

More more information, please visit the BizFair website.

Ask SCORE: What’s the best way to communicate with my customers?

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by Ken Sethney, Kitsap SCORE

You’ve seen people so absorbed with their smartphones that they appear oblivious to what’s going on around them. True, everyone is entitled to a bit of privacy, and perhaps that message or video is really, really important. However, spending too much time in a “heads-down” mode can be off-putting and, sometimes dangerous.

Many entrepreneurs, particularly those who work from home, operate their small businesses much the same way when they rely too heavily on email to communicate with clients. Email is convenient, particularly for work related issues and updates, but numerous studies have come to the same conclusion — customers want to be treated as people, not as return email addresses. 

When you take a technology-centric approach to communication, you’re missing an opportunity to build a relationship with your customers. Don’t you think they would rather do business with someone they know? Wouldn’t you? 

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Ask SCORE: What is the best way to market a niche product?

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by Ken Sethney, Kitsap SCORE

Marketing a niche product means that you’re not selling to everyone. You are focused on a group of people who are most likely to buy your products or services. 

Having a narrow pool of potential customers comes with challenges and ultimately means more work on your part to find those people who fall within your niche. However, marketing a niche product also has advantages once you identify your customers. 

Successfully marketing a niche product starts with an in-depth understanding of your potential customer’s wants and needs.

When you are targeting a small group of buyers, you need to understand who is most likely to buy your product and how your product can provide solutions to their needs.

Start with a bit of market research. Google can help you find lots of useful information. You can also visit the Kitsap Regional Library and speak to an adult services librarian. The library website can give you access to valuable information. 

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WorkSource Kitsap Can Help You Solve Your Hiring Needs.

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WorkSource Kitsap is hosting a Virtual Job Fair for Kitsap County businesses that have positions open. The event is set for 30 March 2021, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Please complete the interest form via the link below. Once complete, we will register your business on Brazen.com where you will complete your “virtual booth”. We will hold weekly information sessions to offer assistance for the setup of the event.

Limited booths available. We have 50 booths that can host multiple staff from your company. Again, this is not a link for job seekers, that will come in the following week.

This link will lead you to a fillable form to express interest in participating.

Should I advertise in a down economy?

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by Ken Sethney, Volunteer Business Mentor, SCORE Kitsap

A recent article on money.com dealt with a couple of difficult questions: “What Is a recession, and are we in one?” Three experts answered the questions. From a technical perspective we’re not there yet, but we could be very soon. 

OK, fine. I’m not a college professor, a manager of economic research, or an investment strategies advisor, but from my perspective, we’re smack dab in the middle of a recession. The question we all face is what do we do about it?

If you own a business, you want to cut costs, but where? For some companies the decision is easy… the first cut they make is advertising. But you’re not so sure. Continue reading →

Closing Sales Starts With Building Trust

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Making the sale, especially when your small business offers products and services to other businesses, demands more than being good at what you do. It definitely requires building professional relationships. To do that, you must earn your customers’ trust. 

There’s no scientific formula for earning trust. It requires time, patience, and honest effort. 

Here are some suggestions to help you lay a foundation of trust with your potential customers: Continue reading →

It’s Time to Budget for 2020

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by Kelly Deis of SoundPoint Consulting

Most businesses are on a fiscal year which coincides with the calendar year. Now is a good time to look back and reflect on 2019 as well as look forward and create a new budget for 2020.

A budget is a roadmap. Based on where you have been, it can help guide you to the desired final destination for year-end.

If you stay on the current course – where will you end up? Alternatively, if you change the route – where will you be at the end of the year? It is up to you to decide which path is the most profitable and most likely to be achieved.

Here are a few things to think about as you prepare your budget. Continue reading →