University of La Verne SBDC Small Biz Blog

by Sean Snider Building a website can sometimes feel daunting, but trust me it’s not hard at all. Nowadays building a website is really easy – even for those who aren't "Tech Savvy". And even if you don't plan to build the website yourself and hire it out this blog post will help. DIY vs Hire-it-Out First off, you need to have a heart-to-heart with yourself and decide if you are going to do this yourself or if this is something you are just going to hire out. I tell clients to consider three things to help make this decision. Do you have the Time? Do you have the Talent? Do you have the Treasure? ($$$) If you have the desire to learn how to build a website and you have the time then you can certainly save some of your treasure to do this yourself versus hiring it out. If you plan to hire it out – don’t fret. There are a lot of resources for you to help build a website inexpensively. Check out the e-lance resources below. "E-lance" is jus...

By Joshua Botello Managing your business daily is stressful enough, not to mention in the midst of a crisis. Whether it be a Category 5 hurricane, 8.0 magnitude earthquake, or your office flooding because of a faulty toilet, but what do you do in the midst of a disaster? The answer to that question will determine whether your business sinks or gives you a fighting chance.  The key is preparation. Having an existing plan in place before disaster strikes can make all the difference. But what exactly are you supposed to be prepared for? Here are some tips and scenarios to avoid certain disasters. Photo by  Helloquence  on  Unsplash Know and Review Your Insurance Business insurance is a necessity. Policies for natural disasters like a brush fire, flood, and earthquakes (like California) will require you to weigh your options. Consider the likelihood of an event and whether you can stand to do business if your physical location is compromised. Here...

By Joshua Botello Getting into the foray of Facebook marketing is every aspiration of the new business owner. They jump into facebook to access those 1 billion users, only to find out it's harder than it looks and nothing they do works like what they have heard about. Using Facebook for marketing is all about strategy and using it as a tool requires some planning and business knowledge to be successful. Here are 4 easy strategies to get started on your Facebook marketing journey.  But first... There are 3 requirements you must have before you start marketing your business on Facebook: You have to know your customer. Knowing your customers will let you know what they want and what they are looking for. You have to know the funnel. Knowing what customers are looking for and knowing that at each stage of the buying process will inform you of the content you will make and how you can get them to buy. You need a business page. You really do. You can advertise, get analytic...