5 Moves for Small Retailers to Compete With Big Box Stores

With the help of the SBDC, Frost River Trading Company Duluth got a healthy start.

SBDC Success Stories - Frost River Trading Company Duluth MN HD

April 8, 2018

SBDC Maryland News

Ellicott City set to measure its comeback. Garrett Glover, a retail and restaurant industry specialist and high impact consultant from Maryland SBDC, visits All Time Toys on Main Street. After last year's flood, he assisted this and other businesses with their relief and recovery efforts. ( Barbara Haddock Taylor / Baltimore Sun . . . read story

5 Moves for Small Retailers (business) to

Compete With Big (business) Box Stores

Building Your Brand

Get your business noticed, recognized, and remembered.

What is your company's unique selling proposition? Can you explain your brand value, what it means and how your products and services differentiate you from your competitors? This course will help you to evaluate your existing marketing messages, identify your target market and explore your company's brand personality and key messages.

SBC-6630-150286 tuition: $75 Wed Apr 11 6:00-9:00PM Prince Frederick

For almost a decade, CEO Bill Campbell, has been the driving force behind Balancelogic ® He and his team have pioneered their business model and continue to nurture and fine tune it as they grow. Get excellent first-hand direction and knowledge from a local entrepreneur and colleague in Building Your Brand .

Retail Success Strategies

Vendors, Financial & Inventory Records, Employees - Oh My

Explore solutions to challenges and problems involved in opening and successfully operating a retail business. Discover how vendors can be a valuable asset to your business. Take the mystery out of financial information and learn to interpret reports ranging from the income statement and inventory records to calculating the margins. Hiring, training , and motivating employees are essential skills for retail business owners. Learn secrets of hiring the best employees and how to motivate and compensate them effectively. Take advantage of this unique 5 hour class and learn how to drive sales from the floor to increase and expand your retail business.

Chris Ripley, Owner Strategic-Marketing-Group/ will facilitate this class. Chris spent 22 years in retails sales and marketing with Macy's. He was a woman's shoe buyer and a store manager. He was also a Senior Director of Development for CSM. SBDC is grateful to have him share his expertise in this field.

SBC-6460- 150289 tuition: $83 Wed Apr 18 9:00AM-2:00PM Prince Frederick

Why startups need a sales strategy

1. A sales strategy allows you to address the needs of customers at every stage. 2. You can maximize your results by focusing on the areas/techniques that lead to closing more business.

Effective Sales Strategies

Learn how to locate and qualify your clients/customers. Develop an effective sales strategy that responds to your customers' needs more efficiently. Learn to communicate more effectively with potential customers. Find out when to stop and move on to the next prospect. The 5 hour course includes practical application of learned principles through role playing exercises.

Kiyaa Hider, Founder & Chief Strategist KLH Consulting, LLC brings over 21 years of industry experience in business development, marketing, and finance to aid small businesses.

SBC-6040- 150292 tuition: $83 Wed Apr 25 9:00AM-2:00PM Prince Frederick

Promotion is one of the key elements of the marketing mix, and deals with any one or two-way communication that takes place with the consumer. This class is a high level introduction to developing a promotional strategy for your business focusing on advertising and other 'pull' tactics.

Advertising & Promotion

All businesses are faced with a multitude of choices when it comes to advertising, but which is right for you? This 5 hour class covers an analysis of media, developing an advertising plan, planning an advertising budget, controlling production costs, and developing methods to measure the effectiveness of your advertising. Participants will be able to effectively design, place and evaluate advertising. It is sure to save you money! More about Chris Ripley , Owner and CEO of Strategic Marketing Group, LLC.

SBC-5470-150329 tuition: $83 Wed May 2 9:00AM-2:00PM Prince Frederick

SBDC So MD Favorites

Launch Accelerator (Register):

Develop Strategically a Profitable Business that Can Work Without the Owner

Learn SBDC's Strategic Growth System to "Earn More. Work Less!" Attend our accelerator program to gain insights on your current challenges through professionally facilitated, open strategic discussions.

Designed for Pre & Early Owners tuition: $250

Sat April 14 & 21 8:30AM-5:30PM Hughesville

Russell C. Teter III, Internationally Certified Executive Coach / Director of Training for SBDC at University of Maryland will facilitate. . . . read Russell Teter's Article page 24

Filling your Entrepreneurial Toolbox

This informative session will showcase business resource partners that can help with the development and growth of your small business, including start-ups. This is an open forum with opportunities for Q & A.

Mon May 07, 2018, 9:30AM to 12:00PM Prince Frederick

Sponsor : Calvert County Department of Economic Development and Calvert County Minority Business Association

Registration Required

Be Emboldened Not Beholden

Women’s Business Roundtable and W2W Networking Luncheon:

Gwen Schiada, Psy.D., president and co-founder of Career Puppy, Inc., presents this session on creating a business and life on your own terms by clarifying personal values and vision, and unleashing your inner compass. Gwen will share anecdotes from individuals who have done it and what works.

Wed May 9, 2018, 12:00PM to 2:00PM Prince Frederick

Sponsors : Calvert County Chamber of Commerce Women to Women (W2W) Group and the Southern Maryland Small Business Development Center

Seating is limited. So Please Register

See All of Maryland Offerings

So Many More Great Workshops, Classes & Events

No-Cost & Low-Cost Training

The SBDC offers a comprehensive range of training courses and programs. Our face-to-face sessions will provide you with valuable knowledge as well as opportunities to meet and share ideas and issues with business owners and entrepreneurs of similar experiences forging new alliances.