Social media is the fastest growing marketing trend but many small business owners do not know how to use it to grow their business. MetroAction has teamed up with the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center and The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce to present a Social Media and Your Small Business. This seminar will provide valuable tips from experienced professionals about building an online presence through Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and how you can maintain an online presence.

This seminar will be held at the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 8:30 AM. The cost is $35 per person. A webinar will also be offered for those that cannot attend the seminar.

Program speakers include:

Keith Yurgosky, University of Scranton Small Business Development Center
Megan Hughes, Keen Been Design and Kiss My Style
Amy Tobin, Ariel Marketing Group
Megan Galko, NEPA Mom

To register, visit www.MetroAction.org or call (570) 341-0270. This program is sponsored by MetroAction, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center.

To help businesses sharpen the skills needed to develop, manage and grow a successful business, MetroAction, is offering their Small Business Institute starting Thursdays, September 1- September 22, from 9:00AM- Noon at the Chamber. This course shows how to:  create a strong marketing plan, understand business financials and prepare for business growth.  The cost is $99 which includes a textbook and materials. Training grants are available for certain businesses. Contact Alicia Tompkins.

MetroAction is developing an ambassador outreach program designed to create awareness and sustain participation throughout our nine county region.  Ambassadors will have the opportunity to attend networking events at various locations and gain knowledge about businesses in surrounding communities.

If you or someone you know may be interested, email Alicia Tompkins, MetroAction’s Business Development Specialist or call (570) 342-7711 for more information.

All of MetroAction’s training programs are perfect for start up or existing businesses or any business that wants to be more competitive.

Upcoming programs include:

Small Business Institute demonstrates how all of the pieces of a business work together. Participants will learn what makes a business successful, understand cash flow and financial statements, create a marketing strategy, and develop a customized business plan.

Marketing Mastery will show how making small changes can lead to big results and help make the most of a limited marketing budget.  Participants will identify a target market, build successful marketing messages, develop marketing materials that work, and create a comprehensive marketing plan.

To make it easier for business owners to attend, these programs are available at multiple locations and dates throughout our service area.

Whether you’re launching a new business or rethinking an existing one, MetroAction has the resources available to get your business moving in the right direction during 2011.  We provide loans to help businesses start and grown and we provide seminars and webinars to help you make the right choices in your business.

Visit our website to learn about all of our products and services!

MetroAction’s Step Loan Program helps low income people improve their lives by providing access to small business loans and counseling. And, MetroAcion is  an area loan organization for the Small Business First Loan Program — a state program designed to stimulate the expansion and assist in the retention of small business for the purpose of creating new jobs and retaining existing jobs in Pennsylvania.

Learn more about these, and our other loan programs, at www.MetroAction.org.  You can even make a referral right from our website!

Choosing to go into business for you is a major decision that usually means a commitment to hard work and long hours.  As you struggle to build your business, however, you also must be careful not to overdo it and succumb to business owner burnout. It’s vital to take some time off to recharge your personal batteries.

But there’s a problem. Many business owners are afraid to leave, even for a short period. They fear that something will go wrong or they’ll miss out on that next big opportunity. With so much to do, how can an entrepreneur ever relax?

According to a survey conducted by American Express, 40 percent of the smallest business owners—those with less than $200,000 in annual revenues—plan no vacation time whatsoever in any given year. And even those who do schedule a break never really get away. One of every three link vacation time to a business trip and half will check in with the office at least once a day, if not several times.

According to the AmEx survey, these are the vacation-blocking concerns cited most often by business owners:

• There is no other competent person to leave in charge and others will make the wrong decisions.
• An important client or customer will not receive appropriate service.
• The business will miss a new opportunity.
• An operational breakdown will occur without anyone to solve the problem.

Despite these concerns, you can schedule a refreshing getaway with some careful advance planning. For example, draw up a list of worst-case scenarios and brief those in charge on the possibilities and chief concerns of each customer.

Tell key clients or customers in advance of any extended time away you are planning. Introduce your stand-ins and express your confidence in their ability to handle any issues that may arise. If you never delegate important tasks to others at your business, you can’t expect them to fill your shoes when you take time off. To create a saner schedule for yourself, and achieve a comfort level that good things will happen when you’re not there, learning to delegate responsibilities is vital.

For more small business management ideas, contact SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business.”  SCORE is a nonprofit organization of more than 10,500 volunteer business counselors who provide free, confidential business counseling and training workshops to small business owners.  Call (570) 851.1608 or visit www.scorescranton.org to contact the Greater Scranton Area SCORE Chapter.

SBA

The SBA will be hosting a FREE program to explain how small businesses can take advantage of opportunities included in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

The program will be held at the University of Scranton on July 29 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  Register today!

SBA

I recieved an email that gave some very disturbing news about a scam targeting small businesses…

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration issued a scam alert today to small businesses, warning them not to respond to letters falsely claiming to have been sent by the SBA asking for bank account information in order to qualify them for federal tax rebates. 
 
The fraudulent letters were sent out with what appears to be an SBA letterhead to small businesses across the country, advising recipients that they may be eligible for a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act, and that SBA is assessing their eligibility for such a rebate.  The letter asks the small business to provide the name of its bank and account number. 
 
These letters have not been sent by or authorized by the SBA, and all small businesses are strongly advised not to respond to them.
 
The scheme is similar in many ways to e-mail scams often referred to as “phishing” that seek personal data and financial account information that enables another party to access and individual’s bank accounts or to engage in identity theft.
 
The SBA is working with the SBA Office of Inspector General to investigate this matter. The Office of Inspector General asks that anyone who receives such a letter report it to the OIG Fraud Line at 1 (800) 767-0385, or e-mail at OIGHotline@sba.gov.

Hopefully, this scam has not impacted any local small businesses.  However, if you feel you have been victimized by this scam, we urge you to contact the Fraud Hotline above.

Essentially, the plan has two main goals: short term job production and long term economic viability.  Through spending and tax cuts, the legislation is expected to be our nation’s road to economic recovery.  

But, if you’re a small business, I’m sure you’re still wondering, “What does this mean for me?”.  The Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has a few specific programs that can directly benefit northeastern Pennsylvania small businesses.

The new law includes:

• * $51 million in lending authority for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program
• * $24 million for SBA Microloan technical assistance
• * $100 million for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund

This is great news for NEPA small busineses.  MetroAction, which is an federally certified CDFI and an SBA microlender, will be able to access these funds and pass the benefits on to local small businesses. 

Recently, as area banks have tightened their lending requirements, MetroAction has experienced higher demand for MicroLoans and other business development assistance. The programs supported in the Recovery Act will help ensure that small businesses in our community have access to the resources they need.

If your business needs small business financing or assistance, call us at (570) 341-0270.  When banks can’t help…MetroAction can! 

Details about how you can access the new funding and what affect this will have on MetroAction’s funding programs for Fiscal Year 2010 will be available soon. Stay tuned!

Want to share your thoughts about the funding for microenterprise development in the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act? Leave a comment for MetroAction’s Small Business Blog – be the first to start a discussion!