Handout on small business tips that went with PLA presentation Marketing: The Public Library as Innovator: Statewide Partnership for Economic Development by the SC State Library in March 2010.

2. What is a business plan and why do I need one?

3. What kind of business structure is best for my business?

4. What legal aspects do I need to consider?

5. What regulations do I need to know about? - License, Permits, Taxes and other Regulations

6. How much money do I need to get started?

7. What kinds of business financing is available to me? Are there grants available?

8. What if I have poor credit, business in trouble for various reasons, cannot get financing?

9. What do I have to do to get a business loan?

10. How does an out-of-state business do business in South Carolina?

11. Where can I find companies looking for partnerships, joint venture opportunities?

12. What networking opportunities exist in my community / in South Carolina?

13. How can I promote my business and find new customers?

15. Computers and free Internet access

16. Databases (through a consortium)

17. Subscriptions to printed resources: Newspapers (local); trade-related, Wall Street Journal as budget permits

18. Meeting rooms (relax fees) – if you have the space; if not, offer the public area before or after open hours for meetings

19. Offer a venue for SCORE counseling

20. Promote library as a networking venue – Breakfast meetings are good, or host an evening mixer (check alcohol regulations!)

21. Create a traveling library presentation to take to community events; be prepared with a tabletop display, handouts on what the library has to offer to business people

23. Create a calendar of important or useful conferences, trainings, networking events at the State and Regional level – help your business folks connect with the wider world.

24. Create a simple portal for business–related web content - but don’t duplicate what State or County has already created. Keep focus local, link to other resources.

25. Using sign-in sheets, collect business contact email addresses at all library events. Now you have a list of contacts to invite for future events.

26. Create a newsletter or e-newsletter (Constant Contact is an easy, affordable tool) – highlight library services for businesses, include articles on successful local businesses helped by the library.

28. Don’t schedule programs in conflict with, or duplicating, other events in the community

29. Don’t be surprised if people don’t show up even when they have committed to attending – Business is full of surprises, things come up

30. Don’t waste time with lengthy, boring, repetitive, or duplicative information - Business people want expert advice and useful content.

31. Don’t offer a program using an outside presenter until you are certain of the content and quality being offered -- Some are sales pitches in disguise.

32. Don’t invest heavily in your collection until you know what your community wants and will use. Audio formats are extremely popular in SOME areas, not in others.

33. Don’t neglect your non-English-speaking community. New immigrants are responsible for a huge percentage of new business startups in South Carolina.

35. Find out if other agencies (colleges and technical institutions, government agencies) in your area are already conducting outreach. Try to fill in gaps in content or delivery.

36. Assign a friendly, enthusiastic, and self-confident librarian to be the small biz point person. She/he will quickly become “in demand” with business users, so make this a priority assignment.

37. Early on, make a presentation to the Chamber of Commerce or other business leaders’ association. Leave your card/contact information with everyone in the room.

38. Commit time to keeping your website offerings fresh; maintain links and change photos/focus often.

39. Invite enthusiastic, successful business people who have “made it” locally to share their experiences and advice with an audience of prospective business owners.

40. Have a giveaway for each program attendee – maybe a book bag. Stuff with schedule of upcoming business-related events, sample business publications from State and County agencies, coupons for free services, library brochures, Friends of the Library membership brochure and Book Sale information, Library pen/pencil, etc.

42. Sources/resources can seem daunting. There are so many! Take time to read some librarian reviews, and become familiar with the core titles and how they are searched. Look through the most important business-related websites for your geographic area.

43. Finance questions can be discouraging – There are no easy answers. Everyone’s in the same boat now, moneywise; yet small businesses are opening every day. Financing can be found. Refer to the experts (SBA, SBDC, SCORE.)

44. The need for these services is not obvious in our community – no one is asking. As with many library services, people don’t always think to ask. We must infer the need, and target promotion. Business people will respond to marketing.

45. Implies communication with agencies the library has not traditionally worked closely with. It is time to change all that. Locate the Chamber, the SBA, and meet face to face with the small biz development folks in your jurisdiction. They will appreciate your support as well.

46. Not everyone on the library staff is equally committed. You need the full support of Library Administration. Directors are hearing about economic development, and they are more and more clued-in to the Library’s vital contribution. Make sure yours is on board, and if you are the point person, make sure your colleagues know.

47. Funding for library programs not readily available – grants seem too big, too difficult to win. Big grants are indeed extremely competitive, and also hard to administer. So start small. Ask your FOL for seed money. Apply for LSTA funds. Most services do not require a big outlay of funding – do what you can, get the ball rolling, and look for support along the way.