As retailers we need to be ready to make any move necessary in our business to strengthen our position in the market. 

This is a time to gain some ground by building your plan to trade smarter and channel your resources and energy to improved customer experience and more diligent retailing disciplines.

The Illawarra ITeC and a speaker from the Australian Retailers Association would like to invite you to a Breakfast Seminar where you will learn how to:

• Make your competitive edge last
• Build your point of difference
• Use your team as a secret marketing weapon
• Motivate your salespeople for immediate results
• Create a targeted marketing plan that achieves profit 

Time:  7am to 8.45am
Date:  Tuesday 8 September 2009
Venue: Villa D’oro Function Centre
   39 – 41 Flinders Street Wollongong
Cost:   $10.00 per person 
RSVP: Please call Illawarra ITeC on 4223 3100 to register

The services provided by The Illawarra ITeC Ltd are partially funded by the Australian Government.  

Intro to Business Planning   

A good business plan will increase your chances of business success. It will help you identify your customers, market area, pricing strategies, financial and operational goals. By completing a business plan you will better understand your competitive advantages, new opportunities, current weaknesses and longer-term objectives for the business. Having a business plan is also an important requirement for gaining finance from financial institutions.

The aim of this workshop is to provide an overview of the business planning process and increase the skills of participants to enable them to complete a business plan for their business.  Business Plan templates will be provided. 

Time  :   12 noon to 1.30pm 
Date   :   Friday 21st August 2009
Cost   :   $33.00 – light lunch included
Venue :     Illawarra ITeC Wollongong

Small Business – is it for you

This FREE workshop outlines the steps you need to take to properly research your business idea and will help you understand where your product/ service fits in the market.

What you will learn:

- Are you suited to run your business
- What business skills will you need
- What are the legal / regulatory requirements
- Will your product / service sell
- How to do the market research
- Money needed to start the business
- Other services available to help you start your business

Time  :  5:30pm till 8pm
Date  :  Wednesday 2nd September 2009
Cost  :  FREE
Venue  :   Mittagong RSL Club Hume Highway Mittagong

Marketing Your Business  

It is not enough to just have a fantastic product or service; you also need to be able to understand how to market your product or service to potential customers and clients. 

This workshop will help you understand the different aspects of marketing, how your product / service fit into the whole market and how you can market your business more effectively?  We will discuss:

• Conducting Market Research
• Who is Your Target Market / Competitors
• The Four P’s of Marketing
• SWOT Analysis
• Requirements of Developing a Marketing Plan

Time  :  9.30am to 12noon  
Date   :  Friday 25th September 2009     
Cost   : $40.00 – light Refreshments included
Venue  :   Illawarra ITeC Wollongong

Serviced Offices Available    

Are you looking for serviced offices in the CBD of Wollongong for a reasonable cost?

Illawarra ITeC has fully serviced office space available now
 
Offices start from as little as $506.00 per month!
No LEASE – Monthly Rental Agreement only.

Run your business from an establish offices in a prime location or utilise Illawarra ITeC’s virtual office facility.

Benefits include:

• Short term / Long term availability
• FULLY services offices
• Reception/Mailing/Cleaning
• Your phone answered in your business name
• Business name signage

Additional services available:

• Broadband Internet Access
• Undercover Parking available
• Training/Casual Interview Rooms for hire

Premises located at:  
1/336 Keira Street  (Cnr Keira and West Streets) Wollongong, NSW 2500. 
Contact Sarah on (02) 4223 3100 to arrange an inspection and discuss rates.

Free Advisory Services   

If this current economic situation is really getting you down and you find you are struggling and really need some business advice – call Illawarra ITeC and make an appointment to see one of our Business Advisors. 

Illawarra ITeC has five Small Business Programs to either :

- help you get started in your business venture; or
- further develop your business skills and improve your business.

All programs provide free and confidential business advice.  We have offices based in Wollongong, Nowra and Mittagong - but we are also a mobile service and can come to you.

• Illawarra Business Advisory Service (IBAS)
• Business Enterprise Centre (BEC)
• New Enterprise Development Scheme  (NEIS)
• Illawarra Innovation Advisory Service (IIAS)
• Aboriginal Enterprise Development Officer (ADEO) Program

Call Illawarra ITeC today on 1300 065 058.

If you require further information please don’t hesitate to contact me on 4223 3100 or 1300 650 058.

Do you receive our weekly Illawarra ITeC Small Business News Newsletter?   If not, email Virginia today on ibec@illawarraitec.com.au and we will automatically send you a copy.  

This is only a brief outline of the types of small business advice and assistance that we can offer.  Want to know more?  Remember I am a FREE service and can assist you in developing your business in many ways.  Call me today on 4223 3100 or check out our website at www.illawarraitec.com.au