March 1, 2008  

A BUSINESS NEWSLETTER from SCORE: the SBA's resource partner.
Newsletter also at e-news on the web. Free Counseling here.

WATCH A VIDEO

HOW TO GROW SALES.

Watch real small business owners talk about sales tactics that worked - and didn't. They've been there, done that! Brought to you by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and SCORE. Click the image or use this link: SCORE-Cedar Rapids VIDEO

SADDLE & LEATHER SHOP

WORK-IN-PROCESS - PART2

 
“You can’t call SCORE soon enough!,” Nancy Barta told you in our January, 2008, issue. This is Part 2 of that “personal tour” through the revitalization of a real business--a longtime Cedar Rapids institution. If you follow this series you will learn how to improve your business by doing similar things. It costs nothing.

The Saddle & Leather Shop of Czech Village wanted help to rediscover a winning recipe.  It called SCORE for that help.  Nancy Barta now knows her market, her competitive advantages, how to win against the "other guys" and more. READ ON to find out how you can discover these things for your business as well--and WIN.

REVISIT PART 1 - HERE

READ ON...

ASK SCORE

GROWING BUSINESS BY WORD-OF-MOUTH .

THIS is one of the best ways for a small business to attract new customers. It requires no expensive and time-consuming advertising or marketing campaigns, and uses the most trusted spokesperson you could ever find for your business—a satisfied client.

HOW TO GROW BY WORD-OF-MOUTH > WORTH A READ.

U.S. CELLULAR CENTER. MARCH 20.

STOP BY AND VISIT OUR BOOTH.

FIND OUT:

WHO are these SCORE folks?
HOW can you get FREE business counseling?
MEET folks who have been there, done that--succeeded.
WHEN: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.
WIN A FREE DINNER at Applebee's
 MORE INFO.

HOBBY OR BUSINESS ?

THREE OUT OF FIVE...

CARE IS IN ORDER if you think your hobby has become a business. Many business people start this way, by converting hobbies into businesses. But, how do you do this right?

When one takes into consideration the ever important IRS, there is a set of five rules to guide you. I point out here that you must satisfy "three out of five." Find out what these rules are and do it right.

>>> CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO READ ON.

Jean Kruse
SCORE Chairperson and CPA

LOCAL NEWS

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK - COMING SOON!

SCORE, the Small Business Administration's business resource partner, is looking forward to this year's national celebration of small business. The celebration will occur during the entire week of April 21-25, 2008.

SCORE Cedar Rapids is planning to celebrate in its own way. Keep watching our Web page for things we will be doing to honor the nation's most important resource--you.

To learn more about the national initiatives and events surrounding this important week, CLICK HERE.

FREE OFFICE SOFTWARE

Small businesses often start with minimal resources. Many cannot afford the commercial and proprietary office software suites distributed by the major software companies. There is good news:

or OPEN OFFICE. ORG

One of the world's most powerful and current Office suites is free. More importantly it is "open" (meaning no restrictive licenses) and can be downloaded by anyone. It includes a powerful word processor, spreadsheet, presentation program, "pdf" export and data base. It is also compatible with the leading commercial equivalent. If you need an Office suite and cannot afford hundreds of dollars for one, check it out.

Brought to you by the Cedar Rapids chapter of SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," a nonprofit association and resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SCORE is dedicated to entrepreneurship and the formation, growth and success of small businesses nationwide. Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 7.5 million entrepreneurs.

Copyright 2007. SCORE Chapter 227. All rights reserved.

SCORE® Ch. 227 c/o SBA, 2750 First Avenue NE, Ste. 350,
 Cedar Rapids IA 52402-4831
(319) 362-6405 Ext. 2005

Office hours:  10-12 and 1-3  --NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED