Client Management Training

As we prepare to venture into the new SBCN Client Management system, I thought that it might be an interesting use of the blog to collect some feedback, tips, tricks, best practices. My early feedback from another organization's experience with this system is to make sure that we get specific, detailed information and hands-on time with the generation of custom reports. I'm looking forward to getting to test drive the new system! And I hope that we can use the website that Brian provided to sign up counseling clients in the future - that would be a great time saver! Feel free to post any pre-training questions/dirt that you've heard and hopefully we can get some post-training feedback as well.

3 SBCNetwork Commercials on YouTube

All 3 Small Business Center Network commercials are now available on YouTube to more effectively communicate our service offerings, facilitate SBCN brand awareness and allow for embedding into your personal SBC sites. You may recognize some of the faces!

Links to the 3 Commercials:
1) Are You Ready?
2) Free Business Planning CD
3) It Takes a Dream

Example of embedding in your personal site, click on CFCC Small Business Center webpage or view embedded video below!

You and other small business owners can view or "subscribe" to the SBCNetwork "Channel" .

Possible Vision of Utilizing Videos
This could be a great way to have SBC Directors periodically create video content and effectively podcast, or publish, the video to Youtube. All subscribers (presumable sb owners, directors or partners) would then receive notification of these educational installments with 30 second to several minute pearls of wisdom about starting or running a small business. These videos can be created with the video function of a $90 digital camera and a nice backdrop.

See here for example of embedding video directly into this page:



Enjoy!
Thanks,
Matt

Logistics: Limiting Comments and Making SBC Directors Co-Authors

Thanks George for creating the new SBCN blog!

2 quick issues:
1) Some SBC Directors have suggested that we only allow comments from registered users, which may be a good idea. The downside of this is that it limits contribution and collaboration from small business owners. A good middle-ground might be moderated discussion, meaning that any comments must be approved by the moderator (George or other SBC Directors).

2) I'd recommend that all SBC Directors be added as AUTHORs, which means that we can all create blog entries (in addition to comments) to solicit feedback from each other or create new topics, like this entry.

Thanks,
Matt
Small Business Center, Cape Fear Community College
Wilmington, NC

Welcome to the Small Business Center Network BLOG!

Hello and Welcome!,

This is the first blog entry of many and will be a collaborative effort between the many Small Business Center Network (SBCN) Directors across the Community College System of North Carolina (NCCCS)!

Remember, this is experimental - as Directors, feel free to post entrepeneurial tips, best practices, growth strategies, marketing information, questions, etc. As, entrepreneurs or nascent small business owners, feel free to post comments or questions.

Best regards,
George Millsaps