**NEWEST RESOURCE**

Presentation: Legal Tips for Business Contracts

 

Resource Directories

• East Bay and San Francisco Area Resource Directory --This directory lists resources in the Bay Area that provide general services, education, training, and much more.
• South Bay and Peninsula Resource Directory --This directory lists resources specific to Santa Clara county that provide general services, education, training, and much more.
  

Business Resource Online Library

C.E.O. Women's online resources will help you start and grow your business.  They are organized by topic:

C.E.O. Women now has VIDEO resources! Click here

Legal information and licensing

Money: Loans, budgeting, and recordkeeping

Marketing your business

People: Networking and customer service

Websites and the Internet

Working on your business plan

Helpful websites

C.E.O. Women *VIDEO*

Use the power of people to market your business--This presentation from a C.E.O. Women workshop explains how to market your business by creating and maintaining personal relationships.

Making and Increasing Sales --This workshop by two sales experts gives tips on how to convert interested community members into paying customers and how to increase your sales.

Motivation, Education, and Training--This workshop by motivational speaker and coach Jill Arrington helps you create your own system for success that will allow you to turn obstacles into opportunity and achieve your goals.

Legal information and licensing

• 10 Tips for making strong business contracts--Here are some areas to pay attention to when you are writing a business contract.  Look at this presentation for more tips on what to think about when negotiating a business contract.
  
• Contract Do's and Don't's--This two-page document gives basic advice for writing and carrying out contracts.
• Business Law Basics--This presentation covers the basics of business law including: types of legal entities, choosing a name, contracts, intellectual property, employment, and real estate.  This is a good place to start researching the legal aspects of starting and running a small business.
• Tips to Get Your Business Licenses and Permits--Getting the licenses and permits you need to start your business can be confusing.  This handout will help you get organized and give you some tips to make the process easier.

Money: Loans, budgeting, and recordkeeping

• Planning your finances and improving your credit--Use this presentation to learn how to take control of your finances.  Also, watch the video of this presentation (coming soon!).
• C.E.O. Women helps clients apply for loans--This article has tips on applying for loans and what C.E.O. Women can do to help you get the loans your small business needs.  If you are interested in applying for a loan, please contact us. 
• Check your credit report--This website will let you get a free copy of your credit report.  Fill in your personal information and then ask for the free copy of your credit report (you have to pay to see your credit score).  Check your credit report regularly to make sure all the information is correct.
• Organizations that provide loans--Three of our partner organization provide loans to small business owners.  This document gives you details about the programs and  contact information.
• Business budgeting and cash flow--A C.E.O. Women business coach explains how to organize your budget and determine your break-even point.  You can read the whole presentation here and then use these worksheets to determine your own budget and break-even point.
• Small business owners and recordkeeping--Keeping your records organized is an important part of running your own business.  This document discusses financial statements, guidelines for recordkeeping, and resources available from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Marketing your business

• Increasing Sales--use this worksheet to brainstorm ways you can start making more sales, then watch the video of experts discussing how to increase your sales.  You can follow along with the presentation.
• Learn to communicate effectively about your business--Telling people about your business is necessary to start or expand.  This article will tell you how to talk about your business more effectively.
• Marketing your business or future business during hard economic times--Marketing is difficult when the economy changes.  This article will give you some tips on how to adapt.  Also, read more about marketing in a recession here.
• Learn to identify specific customers for you business--A C.E.O. Women business coach explains the process of "market segmentation" and how to divide the market to improve your business strategy.
• Use the power of people to market your business--This presentation from a C.E.O. Women workshop explains how to market your business by creating and maintaining personal relationships.  You can also watch a video of part of the presentation.
• Create a marketing plan--There are many different parts of a marketing plan.  This presentation tells you how to start the process and create a plan for your own business.
• Grand Opening Assistance--The City of Oakland's marketing department helps local business owners plan and carryout grand openings.  Please contact them a few months in advance of your planned event.
  

People: Networking and Customer Service

• What is good customer service?--These worksheets will help you define what customer service means to you and have more confidence in providing better customer service.
• Making and Increasing Sales --Watch video from this workshop by two sales experts gives tips on how to convert interested community members into paying customers and how to increase your sales.  Use this worksheet to find out how to market your business better.

Websites and the Internet

• So you want to start an online business?--A C.E.O. Women volunteer guides you through the process of starting an online business and explains the different types of websites available.
• The internet as your research tool--This article describes some of the different ways to use the internet to research your industry, competitors, and vendors.
  
• Website building for the non-tech entrepreneur--In this presentation you will learn all about websites and how to start one for your business.
• Internet for your business: Your first website--This outline has a very detailed description of all the steps you need to take to start your website.  Read this document after you have decided that a website is right for you.
• Tips and Tricks: How to use the Internet for your business--When you decide to use the Internet for your business, use these tips to increase the marketing power of your website.
• Building an email list--This article by the email marketing company Constant Contact gives good tips on how to have people join your business's email list.

Working on your business plan

•  The internet as your research tool--This article describes some of the different ways to use the internet to research your industry, competitors, and vendors.

Helpful Websites

• The Beehive --Online resource guide for finances, healthcare, education, and jobs. Searchable by region. (www.thebeehive.org)
• Northern California SBDC Network --Small Business Development Centers help individuals start, manage and grow their businesses. (www.norcalsbdc.org)
• SBA Business Planner --The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of business. (www. http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html)
• SCORE How-To --The "How-to" guide includes articles to help you make decisions in every stage of your business. (http://www.score.org/learning_center.html)