April 2 – Top 10 Marketing Concepts (see Feb. description)

to be held in a new location – stay tuned for details.

presented by Amy Mattinat of Auto Craftsmen

When: Monday, February 6, 2012 from 11:30-1:30. Bring your own lunch!

Where: VWBC, 8 South Main St., Barre (second floor)

FREE and open to women and men.

The business that markets best….wins. No matter how good you are at what you do – if people don’t know about your product or service, they won’t buy from your business. This workshop will give you concrete tools, ideas, and plans that you can immediately put into action for little or no money that  creates sales and cash flow.

Registration is not required- just show up….and bring a friend!

Bring your business marketing materials to share. Meet with other business owners.

For more information contact Mary Johnson at VWBC: 479-7439 or mjohnson@cvcac.org.

If the weather is bad, check in with Mary that morning to find out if the presentation is still going to take place.

When: Monday, January 9, 2012 (second Monday); 11:30-1:30

Where: VWBC, 8 South Main St., Barre (second floor)

FREE event; open to women and men; bring your own bag lunch.

 Tax Day is coming as fast as it did last year! Join Mary for this hands-on presentation:

• Choose to be ready this year
• Bookkeeping can be wonderful
• Come and bring your receipts
• We will have a stress free look at how to organize your numbers in YOUR style and have them ready for tax preparation

Registration is not required – just show up! Bring a friend!

Bring your business marketing materials to share.

Meet other business owners

Please contact Mary for more information or to check on status in case of bad weather: mjohnson@cvcac.org or 802-479-7439.

Join us for a panel discussion with local practitioners, Sylvia Yowe and Eve Desjardins.

When: Monday, December 5, 2011 from11:30-1:30.  Bring your own lunch

Where: VWBC office (second floor), 8 South Main St., Barre

FREE and open to women and men

No registration required – just show up! Bring your business marketing materials to share during networking time.

Sylvia and Eve will talk about:

• Therapeutic massage, holistic life coaching, flower essence therapy, aromatherapy and more
• How small business owners can apply self care thus improving their balance at home and in their business
• Come interact with wonderful healing information
• Take a moment to center yourself this holiday season!

Women leaders and entreprenuers are invited to attend this Key4Women Forum

Topic: Creating a Culture of Courage: The New Leadership Challenge presented by Cindy Solomon

Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Time: 7:30-10:00 a.m.

Location: Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, 870 Williston Rd., Burlington

Cindy Solomon unlocks the secret to building your courage skills in your professional and personal lives. Cindy is an internationally recognized speaker, writer, executive coach, and consultant in the field of leadership development.

Your $30 registration fee benefits the Vermont Women’s Fund. For more information and to register please visit: www.key.com/womensforum

Topic: Empower Yourself in the Workplace

Date: Monday, November 7, 2011

Time: 11:30-1:30; bring your own lunch

VWBC (2nd floor), 8 South Main St., Barre

FREE and open to men and women.

Dona will share ideas and dynamic techniques. Learn how to advocate for yourself:

• Effective discussions about pay or the price of your services or products
• Positive interaction with customers, bosses, family and vendors
• Overcome anxieties and initiate successful conversations

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door!

Pre-registration not required. For more information, please contact Mary at mjohnson@cvcac.org or by phone at 7497439.

VWBC is not a sponsor or affiliate – we’re just helping to spread the word!

Topic: Website Developers or Snake-oil Salesmen?

Date: Thursday, November 17, 2011

Time: 9:00 -11:00 a.m.

Location: Marlboro College Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St., Brattleboro

Please register in advance by calling Denise Mason at 802-772-4575 ext. 150 or email her at dmason@sevca.org.

 Heidi Stanclift from 4Web will present how to manage your website design or redesign process. She will focus on:

• Picking a good developer to help you
• Software used to build sites
• Hosting issues
• Thinking about video on your site
• Who owns the site

Topic: Essential Financial Indicators for Your Business

Please register in advance. Event limited to 25 people.

Date: Monday, October 3, 2011

Time: 11:30-1:30

Location: VWBC Offices (2nd floor), 8 S. Main St., Barre

What are the financial indicators every business owner needs to know, track, and understand on a monthly basis?

• Do you get your taxes done every April and never look at them?
• Do you wonder what the difference is between a bookkeeper, an accoutant, and you as a business as the business owner?
• Why are you keeping track of numbers anyway?

If you know you should track your numbers, perhaps you do track your numbers….but have no idea how to read them or use them for your own good. You are not alone!

This is the Networking Luncheon for you. It’s a FREE lunch (provided by KeyBank).

This is a FREE event, open to both women and men.  Bring business cards or other marketing materials to share with other business owners.

Please register so we can plan the food!

Call Mary at 479-7439 to register or for more information.

If you’d like one, join us for this FREE 6-session class offerd by VWBC in collaborationwith NEKCA.

When & Where:

• Each class is from 2:00 to 4:00 pm
• at the Passumpsic Savings Bank conference room, 1 Gardner Park, Newport
• on the following dates: Sept. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15

In this class you will complete a comprehensive plan that is detailed, practical, and goal-oriented.

You MUST register in advance. 

Sept. 6: Overview of the importance of a marketing plan as a tool for your business and creating an outline for an effective plan.

Sept. 7: What is your marketing message?

Sept. 8: How to develop specific goal-oriented marketing strategies (the 4 P’s – product, price, place [distribution], and promotion).

Sept. 13: Methods – which ones will work the best for you (website/social media/press releases/paid advertising)?

Sept. 14: Tools for tracking your marketing stategies. Did your efforts result in increased sales?

Sept. 15: Formatting it all into a workable plan!

For more information or to register (advance registration required) please contact Amy Robinson at 334-4072 or 748-6048 or amyr@nekcavt.org.