America’s SBDC Blog

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The Commerce Control List and Self-Classification

July 2, 2012

Where do I find the Commerce Control list?; Do I need a license to export my good?; How to Reference the ECCN; Designation of EAR99; Source: Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy. We honor privacy, protect confidentiality, share our expertise globally, and conduct our work openly. We are guided on this mission by our strong and capable workforce, our readiness to innovate, and our abiding commitment to our customers.

Fine-Tuning Your Small Business Value Proposition

June 29, 2012

Getting your business noticed can be challenging. To show your business stands head and shoulders above not only your smaller competitors but also the dominant players in your market, you need to differentiate yourself from the pack.

You may already be familiar with the concept of a “value proposition” — a fancy term for a short statement encapsulating why customers benefit from doing business with you. But even if you have one, it might not effectively differentiate you from your competitors or show the true value your business provides.

As a small business owner, you usually assume your value proposition should perform two key functions when it comes to the competition:

1. Show the value you provide that small competitors don’t.
2. Show the value you provide that large competitors don’t.

But, in reality, your value proposition should focus on just one thing: Showing the unique value you provide to your target customer. Period. (more…)

Cloud Computing Rains Business Benefits for SMBs

June 27, 2012

Small businesses have been buzzing about cloud computing for some time.  A number of small-business owners have either seen firsthand or heard about the cloud’s ability to save them money and increase productivity.

However, many may be surprised to learn the cloud goes beyond these benefits, allowing companies to reinvest in themselves and their employees, as well as drive broader innovation and fuel job creation that will take their business to the next level.

Cost savings through the cloud are huge in the small-business sector.  The very nature of the cloud – providing IT applications and services on an as-needed basis, charging only for what is used – gives small businesses access to enterprise-grade technologies at an affordable and predictable price. (more…)

Proposal Preparation

June 25, 2012

Anyone who has invested hours of time and precious manpower into writing a proposal – and has not been successful in winning the contract award — knows the frustration involved. You wonder what you did wrong, what you did right, and what you should do differently next time. Sometimes it just takes a few tries before you’re able to get your foot in the door, but there are steps you can take to better position yourself for when the next time rolls around.

The first thing you should do is ask the buyer for a debriefing to provide you with an overview of your unsuccessful proposal’s strengths and weaknesses. If possible, arrange for a face-to-face meeting so you can ask questions; otherwise, request a written report. When you’re working on your next submission, take all the feedback you receive to heart.

Proposal preparation takes a lot of time and effort, and you want to expend your energies wisely. Assign someone the task of searching for opportunities and have a mechanism in place to quickly determine if the opportunity is right for your company. Only go after work that you know your company can handle well, and that includes having the time and resources to prepare a winning proposal as well as being able to meet both the specifications and the schedule. (more…)

Three Ways to Help Customers Find Your Veteran-Owned Business

June 20, 2012

If you are a military veteran running a small business, we have some good news for you. Americans want to purchase from a veteran-owned business. It’s true.

In fact, two-thirds of the respondents in a national poll revealed that they’d be more likely to buy from a veteran-owned business, according to the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA). They trust veterans, appreciate their skills and respect their work ethic.

Now that you know most people would prefer to do business with a veteran, how do you get the message out that you are a veteran-owned business?  Try implementing these three strategies.

1. List your business in veteran-specific online directory listings. You can tap into several free online business directories specifically for veteran-owned businesses. Consider listing your business in: (more…)