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As you build your business, the following
resources may be of great use to you. Select a category below to take
advantage of all the resources available at your fingertips!
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Starting and Growing your Business |
The U.S. Small Business Administration
(SBA)
This Federal agency aids, counsels, assists, and
protects the interests of small businesses. The SBA offers
education, training, counseling, and technical assistance:
www.sba.gov
IRS
The Internal Revenue
Service website offers a section dedicated to self-employed
entrepreneurs and small businesses, with information about federal
and state resources and industry- and profession-specific
information:
www.irs.gov/smallbiz
Small Business Development Centers
Locally based resources from the SBA:
www.sba.gov/sbdc/
SBA Online Women's Business Center
Assists women with starting and running successful
businesses:
www.onlinewbc.gov
Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization
Promotes use of such
businesses:
www.osec.doc.gov/osdbu/ |
StartupNation
A community of
entrepreneurs and small business owners, StartupNation provides
advice on starting and growing your own business:
www.startupnation.com
AllBusiness.com
"Champions
of small business," they offer business forms and agreements,
business advice, buyer's guides, directories, and other resources to
help small- and medium-sized businesses succeed:
www.allbusiness.com
SCORE
A resource partner
with the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE offers counseling
to small businesses from retired executives who provide mentoring:
www.score.org
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Business Plan Development |
Bplans.com
Sample business plans:
www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm |
SBA
Business plan
basics:
www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html |
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Demographics, Market Information and Help Targeting Customers |
The U.S. Census Bureau
One of the greatest sources of demographic information is the
U.S. Census Bureau, which measures the population of the United
States every ten years. The information obtained by the U.S. Census
determines the make-up of the U.S. House of Representatives by
state. In addition to actually counting the general population, the
Census also breaks down Congressional Districts throughout the
nation along numerous demographic standards and criteria, with all
information organized by zip code. Best of all, this Census data is
available by zip code to anyone at no charge! U.S. Census data is a
treasure trove for any marketing pro who wants to learn specific
information about a community:
www.census.gov |
Voter Registration List
You can also target your consumers via a more local and fairly
inexpensive route – the voter registration list. Go to your local
County Board of Elections and ask to buy a copy of the list. This
will be only a fraction of the price of an outside company's list.
The voter list will tell you the age, sex, and location of each
person registered to vote. You can target these people by looking at
the list and determining which neighborhoods they live in. Once you
have developed a customer profile, you will know where and how to
advertise. Targeted demographics are more likely to buy or use your
products or services. |
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Finding a Lawyer |
American Bar Association
Their website provides lawyer referral services, tax tips,
educational publications, and information about court procedures:
www.abanet.org |
FindLaw
Here, you
can get commercial lawyer referrals, read up on small business
incorporation, and learn about forms, contracts, employee rights,
and other legal topics:
www.findlaw.com |
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Patent and Trademark
Information |
United States Patent and
Trademark Office
Includes inventor
resources and information about applying for patents, protecting
intellectual property, and obtaining trademarks:
www.uspto.gov
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Grant Writing Assistance |
The Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance
Access to
a database of Federal programs:
www.cfda.gov/default.htm
Grant Writer
Grant
writing services:
www.grantwriter.com |
The Foundation Center
Offers a virtual classroom where you can find online tutorials for
grant writing technical assistance:
www.fdncenter.org |