Things To Do in North Charleston Today

North Charleston is filled with interesting stuff to do today!

I’ll be heading over to the Latin American Business Expo put together by the Chamber today at 10 Storehouse Row.  Looks to be a very informative event!  Follow @ccplbusiness on Twitter for live updates.

Something I wish I could do is to head over to North Charleston around lunchtime to check out the City of North Charleston’s new coworking space.  It’s great that the City is showing some real support for local at home professionals.  Anyone who has worked at home can tell you that it can be a challenge.  For one thing, you’re isolated from other workers, and it can be hard to stop thinking about your personal life and get down to business.  (Geez, that carpet really needs vacuuming.  I’ll just watch a little of the NCIS marathon while I go through my email.  I can turn off the TV whenever I want.)  Sometimes you just need to get away from temptation, but it can be a pain to set up shop everyday in a Starbucks.  Coworking sites provide a place to go which is designed with work in mind, a place where you can be around other people but actually get stuff done at the same time.

The new coworking site is a storefront on East Montague Ave. located between EVO Pizza and the BBQ Joint.  Pluses for the site: um, it’s between EVO Pizza and the BBQ Joint, parking is easy & free, and it’s possibly the nicest business district in town. 

If you’re interested in checking out the coworking site, head over to Twitter & search the #chscowork hashtag for details.  The site is still in the planning phase, but sounds like it will be up & running some time in January.

Have a great Thursday!

Got a Question? Text Us!

We’re happy to report that as of today, you can use SMS messaging to ask a librarian a question at CCPL!

It’s easy to do: simply text 66746 and begin your question with askccpl. That’s it!

We’ll be here to answer your questions whenever the Main Library is open (M-Th 9 to 9, Fri & Sat 9-6 and Sunday 2-5). Unlike other text a librarian services you’ve seen advertised, CCPL won’t charge you a penny for the service. Why? We just want to be available for you whenever (and wherever!) you are. Your cell plan’s charges, if any, still apply, but I know you saw that coming. We’re librarians, not miracle workers.

(Of course, you can still call us at 805-6930, email askaquestion@ccpl.org, or IM us, too.  It’s your call.)

Nice NY Times Article on Small Business Marketing with Facebook

Nothing new here from the New York Times, but nothing really incorrect, either:

How to Market Your Business With Facebook

Mr. Meyer, a wedding photographer in Woodbury, Minn., had had little luck with traditional advertising … But Facebook proved a digital bonanza.

Mr. Meyer aimed at women ages 22 to 28 who listed their martial status as engaged in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. He estimates that he has spent about $300 on Facebook ads in the last two years and has generated more than $60,000 in business.

Wow.  You’d be crazy not to brag about these results!

Our Last Networking Lunch of ‘09

Today’s nonprofits and small businesses share many of the same business issues.  Come find common solutions at our monthly bag lunch presentation! 
 
Join us tomorrow for the last Networking Lunch of 2009!  I’m going to share my favorite marketing/market research tips, tricks, and some marketing blunders you should avoid at all costs.
 
When: Wednesday, November 4th from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM
Where: Main Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun Street
 
For more information, call the Reference Department at 805-6930 or email us at askaquestion@ccpl.org.

Small Business Matters from Business.GOV

A new blog titled “Small Business Matters”  from Business.GOV, the official business link to the U.S. government,  ”provides helpful information about a broad range of small and home business issues, taking a deeper dive into topics on the minds of entrrepreneurs, and including direct links to resources that every business owner looks for when navigating the goverment maze.”

http://community2.business.gov/t5/Small-Business-Matters/bg-p/GovernmentResources

At BarCampCHS

Had a great time at BarCampCHS over the weekend!  If you’re not familiar with BarCamp, it’s an unconference-style meeting where the attendees are both the audience and the presenters.  The attendees choose which presentations/workshops happen during the event.  The first BarCamp was held in 2005 in California, and since then the idea has spread around the world.

BarCampCHS was held this past Saturday at the Lowcountry Innovation Center in the Navy Yard and it focused on technology and the arts.  250 folks met and discussed everything from lesser-known social networking sites to selling what you know to learning about belly dance and artisanal bacon and everything in between.  Oh–and did I mention the giant robot??

Check out some pictures from BarCampCHS on Flickr for some idea of what it was like.  If there is an unconference event happening in your industry area, I definitely recommend that you try to attend at least once.  The spontaneous nature of the event is a lot more fun than your usual professional conference and the fabulous admission price (free!) is always a big plus.

Learn to Start Your Business, Step By Step on 10/13!

Have you dreamed of starting your own business?  Do you have a friend or family member who longs to be their own boss?  We’ve got the solution @ CCPL!  Learn how to write a business plan & start the business of your dreams at our October business program, Learn to Start Your Business, Step By Step.  Mary Dickerson of FastTracSC will share tips, tricks, contacts, and a great business plan template that will get your small business off to the right start!

Mary has years of experience assisting our local business community. As a former SC Women’s Business Center counselor, she has helped hundreds of people start a local business or solve problems with their existing business. Mary is currently the director of FastTracSC, an entrepreneurial education program sponsored nationally by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and a coalition of SC organizations, including the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.

When: Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 from 6-7:30 p.m.

Where: Main Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun Street

For more information, email us at askaquestion@ccpl.org or call 805-6930.

Branding Bits from the Presentation

I really enjoyed Lee’s branding presentation this morning!  Here’s some food for thought I took away with me when it was all over.

• A brand is also an experience.  Think about Starbucks.  They are selling more than a product or service: being a third place, an experience, is a crucial part of their brand.
• Coca-Cola continues to be the most valuable international brand.  Although we may think of them as being part of an all-American event like a backyard barbecue, they do a great job tailoring their marketing to each country where they do business.  Target your brand separately to each target market!
• Generational branding…you don’t talk to Boomers, Gen X or Gen Y the same way.  [And we have some great books on that topic you can check out...take a look here, here and here.]
• Authenticity is key, especially in this 2.0-driven world.  What does this mean?  At heart, your brand makes a promise to the public.  Your reputation should show that you keep your promises.
• Solicit feedback from the naysayers who don’t like your brand.  Why don’t the like you?  If they were your customers, what went wrong?  Ask how can you make it right if you did something wrong.
• When you are working on branding, let your employees know what you’re doing and why.  Treat your employees well, while you’re at it.  If they are not treated well, their plight will conflict with your branding.  (Think about Wal-Mart’s struggle with the minimum-wage image they have, which conflicts with their main marketing messages.)
• If you say you’re Number 1, you better be able to prove it.
• If you think you don’t need to worry about your brand since you don’t use the Internet to find customers, think again.  Google your company or nonprofit and you are already out there.  Either you control your brand’s image online…or the world will.

I twittered a few other interesting points during the presentation, but I’m way too lazy to repeat them here.  Take a look at http://www.twitter.com/ccplbusiness if you’d like more!

Branding & Your Organization at Our 10/7 Networking Lunch!

This month’s Small Business and Nonprofit Networking Lunch topic is Branding and Your Organization.  Lee Deas of Obviouslee Marketing will explain the basics of branding and share tips on how to use branding strategies to your organization’s advantage. 
 
Since Lee entered the marketing field 10 years ago, she has helped organizations of every kind from nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies implement sophisticated marketing solutions.  Bring a bag lunch & be ready to learn from her marketing experience!
 
When: Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Where: Main Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun Street

Top small workplaces 2009

“For the third year in arow, The Wall Street Journal has teamed up with Winning Workplaces, an Evanston, Ill., nonprofit that helps small and midsize companies create better work environments, to identify 15 small employers who have built some of the most exemplary, innovative workplaces…” One of the businesses selected and profiled is Advanced Technology Institute of North Charleston, an R&D management nonprofit. The profile and article are on the front page of The Journal Report — Small Business, Monday Sept. 28.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204731804574384600167797142.html