SCORE Eastern Connecticut Presents: “Fundamentals for Starting Your Business” Free 5-Session Webinar Series, Beginning October 1, 2024

SCORE Eastern Connecticut Presents: “Fundamentals for Starting Your Business” Free 5-Session Webinar Series, Beginning October 1, 2024.

Series Sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank

DATES: Tuesdays & Thursdays: October 1, 3, 8, 10, and 22, 2024

TIME: 5:30 – 7:00 PM EDT

LOCATION: Online (Zoom) INFO/REGISTRATION: https://www.score.org/easternct/fundamentals-starting-your-business

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar. Webinar attendees will receive a link to the presentation recording(s) and a copy of each presentation pdf.

SCORE Eastern CT (https://www.score.org/easternct), Mentors to America’s Small Businesses, launches its free bi-annual business planning webinar series on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The five-part series, offered online via Zoom, is for individuals who are considering starting a business. Registration is required to receive the link to join the webinar. It is strongly suggested that participants attend all five modules.

In Session One: “What’s the Big Idea?” on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm, you will review whether you have a good idea and explore the feasibility of your product or service idea and how it can become a viable business. Do you have access to the operational skills (yourself and others) to manage the business to success? Register for Session One here.

The series continues with the following topics (click on each title or registration link to learn more and register, or go to https://www.score.org/easternct/fundamentals-starting-your-business): · Customers and Competition (Session 2, Thurs., October 3, 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm)

In Session Two you will explore who your customer is in more detail. We’ll discuss competition and we’ll use SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats – to help you understand how to position your business and how to compensate for aspects of your business that are being developed. REGISTER FOR SESSION 2

· Marketing and Sales Basics (Session 3, Tues., October 8, 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm)

Session Three will help you understand what your Brand is, how best to reach your target audience with the most compelling messages and how, when and where to ask for the Sale - selling tactics, greater comfort selling, and the right selling process. REGISTER FOR SESSION 3

· Pricing and Managing Money (Session 4, Thurs., October 10, 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm)

In Session Four, we’ll discuss developing pricing, identifying costs, and essential financial management. Topics include selecting a pricing model, setting prices, estimating variable costs, accounting for overhead costs, and how to get a handle on managing small business finances. REGISTER FOR SESSION 4

· Digital Marketing Must-Haves (Session 5, Tues., October 22, 2024, 5:30-7:00 pm)

Session Five covers the essential digital requirements to run a business. You’ll walk away understanding that you do not exist without a web presence, but you don’t need to have a full e-commerce-enabled site. We'll also discuss digital marketing techniques to help you get noticed by your target customers. REGISTER FOR SESSION 5

Led by Eric Munro, Arlene Saffron, and Anne Driscoll of SCORE Eastern CT, the series offers an opportunity to learn from SCORE Mentors and other entrepreneurs. To learn more and register, visit https://www.score.org/easternct/fundamentals-starting-your-business or email Anne Driscoll at anne.driscoll@scorevolunteer.org.

Series Sponsor Guilford Savings Bank (GSB) has been serving the financial needs of individuals, families, and businesses in Connecticut for over 148 years. Founded in 1875 by local business owners, it has proudly stood as a trusted institution in the communities it serves. Starting with a $17,000 investment and one branch on the picturesque Guilford Town Green, GSB has grown to eight branches with just over $1+ billion in assets, offering digital and virtual banking services to customers throughout the state of Connecticut. Learn more at https://mygsb.bank/.

About SCORE: SCORE® is a nonprofit association that offers free and confidential advice on starting your own business or improving and growing your existing small business. Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million current and aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE’s 10,000 volunteer business experts provide hundreds of thousands of free small business mentoring sessions, workshops, and educational services to clients in 300 chapters nationwide. In 2022, SCORE volunteers shared 4.65 million hours of expertise and advice with their clients, helping people start over 30,000 new businesses, and creating over 82,000 additional non-owner jobs. With 50+ workshops/webinars and special events each year, and advances in remote mentoring tools, SCORE Eastern CT helps small businesses across Southeastern and Northeastern CT. For more information on upcoming free workshops and how to schedule a free small business mentoring session with our counselors, visit https://www.score.org/easternct.

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SCORE Eastern CT PO Box 283, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 Email: eastern.ct@scorevolunteer.org / Website: https://www.score.org/easternct.

Caption for attachments: SCORE's free 5-part Fall series "Fundamentals for Starting Your Business" kicks off on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, 5:30 – 7:00 PM. The series runs on consecutive Tuesdays and Thursdays through October 10, then the fifth session takes place on Tuesday, October 22. Pre-registration is required. It is strongly suggested that participants attend all five sessions. The Series is sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank.