BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT Thank you for taking this survey. By completing this survey, you are assisting us in our efforts to help small businesses and entrepreneurs. We hope you find this online survey easy and quick to complete. All data will be reported collectively; no single response will be traced to any individual or specific business entity. This survey is a project of the SC African American Heritage Foundation for USDA Rural Development. OK Question Title * 1. What is your primary industry? Retail Musician / Music Business / Music Venue Artist / Creative Arts /Art Gallery Child Care Construction Event Planning Marketing / Advertising / Public Relations Media & Video Production or Photography Health / Wellness / Fitness Pet or Animal Related Services Restaurant / Food Service Salon / Spa Technology Services / Hardware & Software Travel Agent Hotel / Hospitality Wholesale Goods Tourism Professional / Tour Guide History Heritage Museum Agriculture Please specify other OK Question Title * 2. Please describe in detail the kinds of services and/or specialty area of your business. OK Question Title * 3. Please check all that apply to your business. Female Owned Minority Owned Veteran Owned Family Owned Franchise business Rural Setting Urban Setting Downtown Setting NONE Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 4. Where do you go for resources or support to help you as a business owner/entrepreneur? Check all that apply. I don't have access to resources or support I choose not to use resources or support I don't know about resources or support Bank Community Development Corporation Community Development Finance Institution Community Foundation Local government agency - town or county administration Network organization specific to your business Online - do it yourself Personal Friend or Family SCORE Small Business Development Centers State government agency Other (please specify) OK Technical Assistance to Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs. The next questions will tell us what types of technical assistance are most important or effective for the small business owner / entrepreneur. OK Question Title * 5. MARKETING - Select up to three areas that would be most important for your business. Marketing Strategies Advertising / Online Marketing Networking Market Research Sales Techniques Public Relations Merchandising techniques Franchising Marketing Overview Trade Show Participation Tourist Enagement NONE Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 6. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT - Select up to three areas that would be most important for your business. Sources of Capital Writing a Business Plan Access to Capital Cash Flow Management Taxes Credit and Collections Purchasing / Cost Control Overview of Money Management Bookkeeping / Financial Statements Budgeting NONE Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 7. COMPUTER SYSTEMS / TECHNOLOGY - Select up to three areas that are most important for your business. Computerizing a Business E-Commerce / Selling Online Accounting Software / Inventory Management Spreadsheets Databases Using the Internet Email Word processing Overview of Computers / Technology Website Optimization NONE Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 8. GENERAL MANAGEMENT - Select up to three areas most important for your business. Insurance Strategic Planning Business Expansion Pricing Leasing vs Buying Legal Work Patents / Copyrights / Trademarks (IP Protection) Setting Goals Business Checkup / Evaluation Facility Planning / Management Retirement / Succession Planning Quality Control Production management Policy and procedure manuals Inventory Control and Management Effective Communication Diversification Disaster Planning / Business Continuity Technology Transfer Security NONE Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 9. PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - Select up to three areas most important for your business. Customer Service Motivating Employees Hiring / Firing Personnel Management Workplace Ethics Employee Evaluations Employee Manuals Employment Laws Healthcare NONE Other (please specify) OK Question Title * 10. How familiar are you with the following? Very Somewhat Very little None Tourism Industry Tourism Industry Very Tourism Industry Somewhat Tourism Industry Very little Tourism Industry None Cultural Tourism Cultural Tourism Very Cultural Tourism Somewhat Cultural Tourism Very little Cultural Tourism None Heritage Tourism Heritage Tourism Very Heritage Tourism Somewhat Heritage Tourism Very little Heritage Tourism None Agri-Tourism Agri-Tourism Very Agri-Tourism Somewhat Agri-Tourism Very little Agri-Tourism None Eco-Tourism Eco-Tourism Very Eco-Tourism Somewhat Eco-Tourism Very little Eco-Tourism None Health-Tourism Health-Tourism Very Health-Tourism Somewhat Health-Tourism Very little Health-Tourism None OK Question Title * 11. We want to know a bit more about you. We will use your contact information to invite you to participate in events. We will not sell your contact information. First Name Last Name Business Name County City/Town Email Address OK Question Title * 12. How do you like to learn? Very Interested Somewhat Interested Neutral Not Interested Depends on the topic Online webinars Online webinars Very Interested Online webinars Somewhat Interested Online webinars Neutral Online webinars Not Interested Online webinars Depends on the topic Less formal workshops & seminars on a variety of topics Less formal workshops & seminars on a variety of topics Very Interested Less formal workshops & seminars on a variety of topics Somewhat Interested Less formal workshops & seminars on a variety of topics Neutral Less formal workshops & seminars on a variety of topics Not Interested Less formal workshops & seminars on a variety of topics Depends on the topic One-on-one coaching or working with a mentor One-on-one coaching or working with a mentor Very Interested One-on-one coaching or working with a mentor Somewhat Interested One-on-one coaching or working with a mentor Neutral One-on-one coaching or working with a mentor Not Interested One-on-one coaching or working with a mentor Depends on the topic Lectures, interviews & panel discussions Lectures, interviews & panel discussions Very Interested Lectures, interviews & panel discussions Somewhat Interested Lectures, interviews & panel discussions Neutral Lectures, interviews & panel discussions Not Interested Lectures, interviews & panel discussions Depends on the topic How-to manuals, guides & FAQs How-to manuals, guides & FAQs Very Interested How-to manuals, guides & FAQs Somewhat Interested How-to manuals, guides & FAQs Neutral How-to manuals, guides & FAQs Not Interested How-to manuals, guides & FAQs Depends on the topic Podcasts & videos - I like to learn at my own pace Podcasts & videos - I like to learn at my own pace Very Interested Podcasts & videos - I like to learn at my own pace Somewhat Interested Podcasts & videos - I like to learn at my own pace Neutral Podcasts & videos - I like to learn at my own pace Not Interested Podcasts & videos - I like to learn at my own pace Depends on the topic Other Comments OK Thank you for completing this survey. Please email J. Harriot at professionaljmh@aol.com if you have questions. OK DONE