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Frequently Asked Questions
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The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions. To simplify your search, we have divided the FAQ's into three seperate sections. If your questions are not answered here, please use the Contact Us form to email us your question so it can be added to this list.
1.) FAQ: Small Biz 2.) FAQ: Sponsors 3.) FAQ: SBDCs
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Small Biz: Why should I participate in the GASBC?
Small Biz: I have a family owned business with no employees, am I eligible to participate in the GASBC?
Small Biz: If I register for the GASBC do I have to participate in the Challenge all year long to win an award?
Small Biz: Do I have to use the supplied business development and management software to participate in the GASBC?
Small Biz: How can my Small Business register to participate in the Challenge?
Sponsors: What is the difference between a Sponsor and a Supporter?
Sponsors: Why should my company or organization get involved as a GASBC Sponsor or Supporter?
Sponsors: Does my company have to be a large corporation or large non-profit to become a GASBC Sponsor?
Sponsors: Do I have to provide products/services to every small business owner that is participating in the GASBC?
Sponsors: Are product/service donations distributed directly to Challenge participants and SBDCs?
Sponsors: Can I offer special promotions or product and/or services discounts to Challenge participants and SBDCs?
Sponsors: What type of products, services, equipment or other donations can my company offer to support the Challenge or Challenge participants?
Sponsors: What type of products, services, equipment or other donations can my organization make to participating SBDC's who are helping GASBC participants?
Sponsors: If I am Sponsoring or Supporting the GASBC, should I place a GASBC logo on my website.
Sponsors: I would like to promote the Challenge by placing a GASBC logo on my web site, where do I get the logo?
Sponsors: How can I spread the word about the GASBC?
Sponsors: How can my Company register to become a GASBC Sponsor or Supporter?
SBDCs: Why should my SBDC get involved in the GASBC?
SBDCs: How can SBDC's benefit from participating in the GASBC?
SBDCs: Will participating SBDCs receive other products, services and other resources?
SBDCs: How can my SBDC register to participate in the Challenge?
Small Biz: Why should I participate in the GASBC?
Small business owners who participate in the GASBC will be supplied with free business development and management software, online training, support and one on one counseling. Business owners will gain important leadership skills that can help them create a rewarding and profit generating enterprise that is easy to manage, scalable and saleable.
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Small Biz: I have a family owned business with no employees, am I eligible to participate in the GASBC?
Yes. The GASBC is open to all U.S. based small businesses. This includes businesses with one or no employees.
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Small Biz: If I register for the GASBC do I have to participate in the Challenge all year long to win an award?
No. Small Businesses will be eligible to receive a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platnium Award based on the progress that they make during the period January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. If you get a late start or run into some problems, you should still have plenty of time to win an award. However, the longer you participate in the Challenge, the greater chance you will have to establish best practices and create a scalable organizational infrustructure.
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Small Biz: Do I have to use the supplied business development and management software to participate in the GASBC?
Yes. The software will help your SBDC Counselor monitor and measure your performance. Your Counselor can assist you in completing each step in the four-step business development process as you are working towards earning your awards. The software allows you to quickly achieve a series of best-management practices which have been designed to help you create a highly organized, innovative, productive and profitable company. You will be supplied with the business development and management software free of charge. In addtion, you will receive online training and support to help you understand how to use the software to create and plan the strategies that will help you manage and grow your business. The software is extremely user-friendly and easy to navigate.
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Small Biz: How can my Small Business register to participate in the Challenge?
Small Businesses can register for the challenge by completing the Small Biz Sign-up form on our web site.
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Sponsors: What is the difference between a Sponsor and a Supporter?
Sponsors agree to make a product/service donation to support the Challenge, Challenge participants and/or SBDCs. Supporters agree to help publicize the Challenge by placing a GASBC logo on their website and spreading the word about the Challenge throughout their network.
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Sponsors: Why should my company or organization get involved as a GASBC Sponsor or Supporter?
Many corporations are spending millions of dollars trying to market their products and services to small businesses. As a sponsor/supporter, your company will be listed or featured in our monthly e-newsletter. The e-newsletter will detail the type of products/services your company provides. The e-newsletter will be emailed to Challenge participants, Small Business Development Centers(SBDCs) and other organizations helping us publicize this event. Addtionally, you will also be listed on our GASBC web site on the Sponsors page. We will provide a direct link back to your web site to help you generate more traffic to your web site. Sponsoring/Supporting the GASBC is a great way to gain more exposure for your company and to earn a reputation as an organization that supports small business America.
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Sponsors: Does my company have to be a large corporation or large non-profit to become a GASBC Sponsor?
No. We encourage individuals, groups, associations and smaller companies to sponsor and support the Challenge. Obviously, we are thrilled when small busineses get involved to support their fellow small business owners. The GASBC is designed to encourage every one to help no matter what type of time or resources they have available. If you can not afford to donate products or offer discounts, you can show your support for the Challenge by placing a GASBC logo on your web site. You can also help by spreading the word about the Challenge. We encourage you to talk to other business owners, friends, colleagues, networking groups and other individuals inside and outside your social circle. We want you to feel completely comfortable about helping support the GASBC. We also want it to be fun, exciting and beneficial for you too.
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Sponsors: Do I have to provide products/services to every small business owner that is participating in the GASBC?
No. If you prefer, you can provide products/services to Challenge participants that achieve a certian award level. For example, you can provide your product/service to those Challenge participants that achieve a Gold or Platinum award.
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Sponsors: Are product/service donations distributed directly to Challenge participants and SBDCs?
Yes. Product donations are distributed directly to Challenge participants or participating SBDCs, unless donations are specifically made to support the administration of the Challenge.
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Sponsors: Can I offer special promotions or product and/or services discounts to Challenge participants and SBDCs?
Absolutely. However, to qualify as a Sponsor, the special promotions or discounts have to be different from those that are offered to the general public or to larger corporations.
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Sponsors: What type of products, services, equipment or other donations can my company offer to support the Challenge or Challenge participants?
We need a variety of products and services to help us administer the Challenge. These products range from office supplies to online conferencing software to postal services. We also require professional services, such as online marketing, public relations and SEO. Challenge participants would benefit from a variety of products, services and equipment that would help them make their organization run more efficiently and effectively.
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Sponsors: What type of products, services, equipment or other donations can my organization make to participating SBDC's who are helping GASBC participants?
SBDCs are often short-staffed and underfunded. They are in need of collaboration tools, reference materials and other resources that can help Counselors better service their small business clients. Books, software, training material and other products that SBDCs could use to help Challenge participants would be a great donation. Promoting the GASBC and the SBDCs that are working with Challenge participants in your local area would also be extremely valuable.
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Sponsors: If I am Sponsoring or Supporting the GASBC, should I place a GASBC logo on my website.
As a Sponsor, that choice is up to you. However, we strongly encourage you to place the GASBC logo on your web site. Placing a logo on your web site can direct more traffic to the GASBC web site. We are hopeful that this added traffic will result in more small business owners signing up for the Challenge. Supporters are those individuals or companies that have agreed to place the GASBC logo on their own website and to spread the word about the Challenge to their site visitors and clients.
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Sponsors: I would like to promote the Challenge by placing a GASBC logo on my web site, where do I get the logo?
If you would like to support the Challenge by placing a GASBC logo on your web site, please email us and we will send a variety of JPEG files that you can choose from which can then be uploaded to your web site. Each GASBC logo is embedded with a hyperlink that opens the GASBC web site in another window. If you would like a GASBC logo, please complete the sponsorship form and indicate that you would like to support the Chalenge by placing a GASBC logo on your web site and we will email you the JPEGs.
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Sponsors: How can I spread the word about the GASBC?
You can spread the word any way you like. You can send an email announcement out to your clients. You can call or email your friends. You can personally encourage the business owners that you know to sign up for the Challenge. You can ask your friends, collegues, alumni association, networking group and others in your social circle to tell everyone in their social circle. Getting the word out all starts with you "doing something." Please do something to help spread the word about the Challenge. If you are not sure what to write in an email or newsletter, please contact us and we will provide you with an email or newsletter template that you can use as a guide to help you spread the word.
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Sponsors: How can my Company register to become a GASBC Sponsor or Supporter?
Companies, individuals, groups and associations can register to become a GASBC Sponsor or Supporter by completing the Sponsor Sign-up form on our web site.
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SBDCs: Why should my SBDC get involved in the GASBC?
The GASBC will help introduce more small business owners to the resources and services provided by SBDCs across the country. Many small business owners do not know about the resources that SBDCs offer. The GASBC is a great way for small business owners to connect with the right resources and information. It is also a way for SBDCs to make a greater impact. SBDCs will also earn national publicity for helping small businesses to become SBDC success stories.
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SBDCs: How can SBDC's benefit from participating in the GASBC?
SBDC's will receive free software, training and support to help their small business clients who are participating in the GASBC. SBDC will also receive free business development and management software that they can use internally to establish best practices within their organization. Our goal is to encourage Challenge participants to utilize the resources of their local SBDC, so SBDCs can strengthen their relationships with small business owners within their community. We believe that much more can be accomplished when we pull private and public resources together to help small businesses become more sucessful. No grant writing, additional funding or expensive software has to be purchased by SBDCs to assist Challenge participants. Counselors at participating SBDCs will receive online training and support at no charge.
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SBDCs: Will participating SBDCs receive other products, services and other resources?
Yes. We are working hard to secure additional Corporate and Non-Profit sponsors who have pledged products and services in support of the GASBC. SBDCs will be provided products, resources and promotional materials as they become available through the generosity of our sponsors.
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SBDCs: How can my SBDC register to participate in the Challenge?
SBDCs who wish to help Challenge participants can complete the online SBDC Sign-up/Registration form on our web site.
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