SCORE Chester and Delaware Counties has free October SCORE webinars and live presentations to help you maximize your small businesses’ potential.

How to Launch a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign for Your Small Business

In this Tuesday, Oct. 10, 1 PM live webinar, learn the best practices to ensure your crowdfunding campaign reaches its funding goals and connects meaningfully with your target audience. 

Crowdfunding is not only a good way to raise capital, but it’s also a great way to build a community and customer base for your product or services. However, running a successful crowdfunding campaign is not easy.

In this webinar, our presenter will walk you through best practices to ensure your crowdfunding campaign reaches its funding goals and connects with your target audience on a meaningful level. 

You’ll learn:

• Setting clear funding goals and timelines
• Identifying and connecting with your ideal backers
• Crafting a compelling pitch and marketing strategy

Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.

Click here to register.

In-Person–How to Start and Operate a Small Business

You have come to the right place if you are in the early stages of thinking about starting a small business.

On Oct. 10, from 6 to 7:30 PM at the Chester County Library & District Center, attorney and SCORE presenter Frank Farmer will lead a discussion of the ‘nuts and bolts” issues that should be considered when starting and operating a small business.

Farmer will discuss topics including the need and usefulness of developing a business plan, selecting a business organizational structure, fictitious name registration, licensing, hiring employees vs. independent contractors, obtaining tax identification numbers, and other related topics (as time permits).

About the Presenter

Frank Farmer, Jr. is a graduate of Widener School of Law and a member of the Pennsylvania Bar. He has been engaged in the private practice of law since 1980. 

Located in Kennett Square but providing services throughout the Delaware Valley region, Farmer’s practice concentrates on the area of small business transactions, which includes the representation of individuals and business entities, starting, operating, and/or buying/selling small businesses. 

His services include, but are not limited to, incorporation services and registration of fictitious names; preparation and review of leases, contracts, employment agreements, shareholder/operating /partnership agreements; representation of buyers/sellers of businesses; conflict resolution; and problem-solving.

This program is being presented in partnership with the SBDC Kutztown, SBDC Widener, SBA, and Small Business Assistance Center.

This presentation takes place at the Chester County Library & District Center, Burke Room, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton.

Click here to register.

How to Hire an SEO Agency–What Services to Expect and Interview Questions to Ask

In this Thursday, Oct. 12, 1 PM live webinar, we will break down what an SEO company does, what you should expect, and the interview questions you can ask to feel confident when hiring an SEO expert.

Hiring an SEO company can be an excellent investment to improve your online presence, but it can also be risky.

Unfortunately, some SEO experts take advantage of clients by doing quick work that wrecks a website’s optimization in the long run. So, how can you determine the right SEO partner to hire?

In this webinar, our expert presenter will break down what an SEO company does, what you should expect and the interview questions you can ask to feel confident when hiring an SEO expert.

You’ll learn:

• What an SEO company should be providing
• What services are not worth investing in
• Interview questions you should be asking and the answers you should expect.

Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.

Click here to register.

Online–How to Create Snazzy Graphics for Social Media, An Overview

Whatever social media platform you use, you will need eye-catching content to capture the attention of potential customers and clients.

On Oct. 12, 6:30 to 7:30 PM, this webinar will help develop a big-picture overview.

Do you need a banner image or an image for a social media or blog post? How about a presentation or a video? Are you familiar with Canva, Over, Snappa, Piktochart, or WordArt?

Do you know where you can get images that do not violate copyright laws?

A follow-up session will provide live demonstrations.

About the Presenter

Lynne M. Williams is a SCORE volunteer and the executive director of the Great Careers Group & BENG, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career education and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.

She is also president of ChemPharma.net, a professional association.

In addition, Williams writes resumes and LinkedIn profiles and presents unique research-based workshops on LinkedIn, resumes, the Applicant Tracking System, the Art of Networking In-person and Online, and other career-related, social media, and technology topics.

Connect with Williams at www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewilliams.

Click here to register.

In-Person–Marketing Basics for Entrepreneurs

If you are looking to promote your new start-up, there are things to consider.

On Oct. 17, 6 to 7:30 PM, at the Chester County Library & District Center, this workshop will provide an overview of marketing a small business.

Marketing Basics is a survey of all the marketing topics you MUST consider if you’re planning or starting up a new business, including:

• Marketing Message

• Target Market

• Competitors

• Differentiation

• Customers

• Branding

• Pricing 

• Website

• Social Media

• Email

The workshop includes leads for where to get more information and how to get a free SCORE Mentor.

This workshop takes place at the Chester County Library & District Center, Burke Room, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton.

Click here to register.

Online–Plan Your Website for Online Success

Some say it is all in the planning. Join this online webinar Oct. 18, 1 to 2 PM, to find out what you need to consider when planning a new website.

You know you need a website for your business. But how do you set it up for online success? 

First, you need to have a solid plan in place. Fortunately, this webinar will help with exactly that! 

After this webinar, you’ll have a better understanding of:

● Your website’s audience

● Feature and functionality needs

● Content planning

● How to choose the right platform

● Best practices for online success

After this webinar, you’ll have a comprehensive plan in place for your business’s website. Attendees may also request the free workbook upon completion of the webinar.

About the Presenter

Jessica Baldwin is the Co-Founder of Cardsetter, an easy-to-use website platform with custom design and setup included.

Baldwin has been helping small businesses launch successful websites for over seven years. She also spent more than 10 years growing her own successful blog and entertainment website for Billings, MT, Billings36.

Baldwin has been on both sides of website development, as the client and then later as the development company, giving her a robust understanding of the entire process.

Click here to register.

Is LinkedIn an Effective Tool for Small Businesses?

Join this Thursday, Oct. 19, 1 PM webinar to learn how to use LinkedIn as an effective marketing tool to grow your business.

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform and marketing on LinkedIn can generate more leads than some of the top social media platforms, especially for for B2B marketers.

If you want to grab the attention of top-level executives, then you should work on your LinkedIn marketing strategy. In this webinar, our expert presenter will explain how you can use LinkedIn as an effective marketing tool to grow your business. 

What you’ll learn:

• Why LinkedIn can be an effective marketing tool
• What you should have on your LinkedIn profile
• How and why to create your company page
• Finding LinkedIn groups and making connections
• LinkedIn posts, engagement and the unique LinkedIn algorithm

Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.

Click here to register.

Online–Leanstack Canvas: Business Plan on a Page

On Oct. 19, from 10 to 11 AM, learn how to use the Leanstack Canvas, a 1-page business plan template that helps you deconstruct your idea into its key assumptions. It replaces elaborate business plans with a single-page business model.

Leanstack Canvas is a 1-page business plan template that helps you deconstruct your idea into its key assumptions. It replaces elaborate business plans with a single-page business model.

Business plans take too long to write, are seldom updated, and almost never read by others, but documenting your hypotheses is key. Leanstack Canvas solves this problem using a 1-page business model that takes under 20 minutes to create. 

Sign up now to create a business model that will be read by more people, be more easily updated, and let you focus on building your business – faster.

About the Presenter

John Hess is a SCORE mentor volunteer and a professor at West Chester University, where he teaches finance and entrepreneurship. 

He has more than 25 years of experience driving transformational change in senior leadership roles with global responsibility at Fortune 50 banking companies. Hess is a public speaker and consultant on banking and systems topics, as well as a township planning commissioner. 

He has a BS degree from The Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Rutgers University.

Click here to register.

Online–How to Create Killer Content for Social Media and Your Website

We’ve all heard that “content is King,” but what does that mean? Even if you do not consider yourself to be a writer or artist, you can learn how to create content that will engage prospects and optimize your business’s ranking on search engines (SEO).

On Oct. 23, from 10 to 11 AM, learn how to generate the original content Google and all search engines are looking for when they rank websites and social media sites.

The more original content you have on your social media and your website, the higher your business will rank in organic searches of the World Wide Web.

This SCORE seminar will show you where professional content creators go for ideas, information, photos, and videos and then put it all together to create original content.

Even if you do not consider yourself to be a writer or artist, you can learn how to create content that will engage prospects and optimize your business’s ranking on search engines (SEO). That “killer content” also will raise your visibility in the marketplaces.

About the Presenter

Judith Lee is a Certified SCORE Presenter who provides SCORE seminars at libraries and Chambers of Commerce in Chester and Delaware counties.

Lee is a highly experienced communications professional who has focused on Social Media as an effective and affordable tool that “levels the playing field” for small businesses. 

Her clients include small business owners, healthcare professionals, and non-profit groups.

Click here to register.

Year-End Tax Planning for Your Business for 2023

In this Thursday, Oct. 24, 1 PM live webinar, learn what year-end tax planning you can do to favorably impact your bottom line and tax bill for 2023 and how to better position yourself moving into 2024.

With the final quarter of the year still ahead, learn what year-end tax planning you can do to favorably impact your bottom line and your tax bill for 2023 and how to better position yourself moving into 2024.

Whether you work with a CPA or go it alone, learn which tax breaks apply to you and how to nail them down now before time runs out.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• What’s new for your 2023 return
• Year-end actions to reduce your 2023 tax bill
• Best business practices to avoid problems with the IRS
• Necessary actions to get ready for 2024

Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.

Click here to register.

Online–Getting Started With Quickbooks Online

Using QuickBooks® Online effectively enables you to improve cash flow, increase profitability, and, for nonprofits, better manage programs and funding. This seminar on Oct. 24, from 10 to 11 AM, focuses only on QuickBooks® Online software.

It will cover:

1. Getting started with QuickBooks® Online: Setting up your company file and chart of accounts.
2. Protecting your data with passwords and preferences.
3. Entering transactions: Recording receipts and disbursements; Managing receivables and payables; recording credit card transactions.
4. Reconciling bank and credit card accounts.
5. Creating key reports: profit and loss, balance sheet, open invoices, unpaid bills.
6. Using classes, job tracking, and billable time and costs.

Millions of businesses and nonprofits use QuickBooks® Online software to manage their bookkeeping. Understanding how to set up and use the software correctly is the key to having accurate reports and useful data to help you run your business.

Using QuickBooks® Online effectively enables you to improve cash flow, increase profitability, and, for nonprofits, better manage programs and funding.

About the Presenter

Following 3 years as a systems programmer at a computer manufacturer, Cal Leighton worked at a few Fortune 500 companies in business systems development and project management. 

He then started a regional IT consulting company based in Philadelphia, serving as its founding President. 

Eventually, the consulting company was named to Inc Magazine’s 500 List of fastest privately held growing companies in the United States. 

Upon the sale of the company, Leighton worked as a senior partner and location manager at two nationally known IT Consulting companies. 

Afterward, he was self-employed as a management consultant. Eventually, he left the IT world and became the controller for a long-care pharmacy that provides drugs to residents of nursing homes. 

It is a great “retirement job” and has allowed him continued employment. Cal has been a mentor with SCORE since 1992.

Click here to register.

Online–Women and Minority-Owned Business Certification

Becoming certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) is about so much more than being able to attach the colorful “women-owned” logo to your business card. It’s about opening up doors to a network of thousands of other women entrepreneurs.

This webinar on Oct. 25, from 10 to 11 AM, is for anyone interested in certification, whether you’re just getting to know us or are already well underway in the process.

 It will cover:

• The eligibility requirements so you can know if certification is right for you
• The process, costs, documents required, and what to expect
• The benefits and opportunities available to certified women-owned businesses

WBENC is the largest certifier of women-owned businesses and is recognized by hundreds of major corporations and government agencies with supplier diversity programs. It will show you how to gain this prestigious certificate and use it to build your business!

About the Presenter

Colleen LaCoss is the director of Certification & Business Development with the Women’s Business Enterprise Center – East.

She has the pleasure of assisting over 1,700 certified business owners in our local tri-state region to maintain their certification and use it to grow their business network.

LaCoss has spent her career managing strategy, events, and membership services for various non-profits and loves working in a place where women are empowered to change the world.

Click here to register.

Online–Business Finance Basics

On Oct. 25, from 6 to 7 PM, learn from a banking expert why setting up a business financial account is important for your business to grow.

Separating your personal and business banking is important for growing your business. This program will explain the differences and discuss how to:

• Improve the cash flow of your business
• Continue to build and expand your business
• Protect the future of your business.

About the Presenter

Matthew Winston is a Multicultural Banking Leader with Truist Bank, where he supports Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

He started his banking career as a part-time teller in 2011 in Glen Allen, VA.

He was quickly promoted and has since moved up the corporate ladder while living out his personal purpose and inspiring others.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Bellevue University and is currently working towards his Master of Business Administration.

With over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, Matthew feels most accomplished when he is helping people achieve goals they didn’t believe were possible.

Click here to register.

Storytelling Marketing–Using Your Story to Create Marketing Content for Your Business

In this Thursday, Oct. 26, 1 PM webinar, ways to use your story to create story-driving content will be discussed as a way to bring awareness to your business.

Do you want to learn how to use your story to create engaging content for your business? As a business owner or entrepreneur, your first marketing asset should be your story. Whether it’s in the form of a bio, personal narrative, website copy or blog, your story will set you apart from your competition and establish to your audience why they should do business with you.

During this webinar, national bestselling author Joylynn M. Ross, founder and CEO of Path To Publishing, and Brandy M. Miller, Path To Publishing Copywriting and Storytelling Expert, will teach you how to use your story to create story-driven content that will bring awareness to your business. 

You’ll also learn how to repurpose your story to create other marketing material, such as:

• Blogs
• Articles
• Website Copy
• Newsletters
• Social Media Content
• Books

Live attendees will receive free business resources and a link to this webinar recording.

Click here to register.

Online–How to Create Snazzy Graphics for Social Media-A Step by Step Demo

Do you need to learn how to create eye-catching graphics for use online? Learn how to use free tools with this live demo on Oct. 26 from 10 to 11:30 AM.

This workshop will offer step-by-step demos of some tools you can use to create banner images or images for a social media or blog post, presentation, video, and more.

– Wordart.com is a free word cloud tool

– Piktochart.com is a tool for infographics and more, and you can try a few for free before you buy

– Canva.com is a free graphic design tool, and you can use it for social media, personal, business, marketing, education, and more. There are so many templates available, and with too many to list here, take a peek yourself at www.canva.com/templates!

About the Presenter

Lynne M. Williams is a SCORE volunteer and the Executive Director of the Great Careers Group & BENG, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career education and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.

She is also president of ChemPharma.net, a professional association.

In addition, Williams writes resumes and LinkedIn profiles and presents unique research-based workshops on LinkedIn, resumes, the Applicant Tracking System, the Art of Networking In-person and Online, and other career-related, social media, and technology topics.

Connect with Williams at www.linkedin.com/in/lynnewilliams.

Click here to register.

About SCORE

SCORE is the nation’s largest network of volunteer business experts. It is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow, and achieve their goals with a variety of SCORE New Year tools like webinars and workshops.

Make a difference as a SCORE volunteer.

Since 1964, it has provided education and mentorship to more than 11 million entrepreneurs nationwide.

SCORE Chester and Delaware Counties has been operating since 1985. It has 100 dedicated volunteers today. They provide confidential mentoring at no charge. They offer business seminars, workshops, and SCORE webinars to benefit the local community.

SCORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Find out more about SCORE small business workshops and webinars.