GOOGLE
Get to the Top of Google

Jennifer Croft
As more people turn to the Web to look for the products, services, and information they need, it is vital that you have a Web site that can be easily found in the search engines. There is no need to pay for clicks or banner ads. Come to this fun basic class on search engine optimization (SEO) and learn how to get your Web site to the top of Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

Jennifer Croft has more than 25 years marketing experience and has spent 650 hours in the past year studying search engine optimization “best practices” techniques.

Wed, Apr 28, 6-8 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1075S01-78644     $49, $5 material fee to instructor

TECHNOLOGY
Geek Speak 101: Talking Tech  

Steve Sande
Do you know the difference between a netbook and a notebook? Not sure if it’s an iPad or an iPod that you want? Can’t figure out whether a digital camera or a camcorder is what will fill your needs? And how about all of the hype about iPhones, Droids, and Pixis? Even worse, it’s almost impossible to know what all of those acronyms mean -- what’s HDMI, and why should you care? Steve Sande is a self-professed gadget geek and an editor at The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW.com). Discuss just about everything dealing with consumer electronics, and learn what’s the latest trend and what is just a passing fad. Steve will cover the spectrum of consumer electronics, from A-GPS to Wii, and help you navigate the complex alphabet soup of acronyms that describe what’s going on in the fast-moving world of gadgetry.
 
Steve will provide demonstrations of many devices to illustrate the capabilities and limitations of today’s tech toys, and all you need to do is bring along a pad of paper to take notes on.

Wed, Apr 21, 6-9 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1080S01-78647      $44

BLOGS

Blogging for Dollars! How to Create Blogs to Make $ for Your Business

Steve Sande
Blogs are a hot trend and are a quick, easy and inexpensive way to get your business on the Web making money. Figure out what a blog is and learn the 5 reasons you should have one as part of your business marketing plan.Pick apart a blog and discover what makes it work (i.e. header/masthead, date design, body copy, links, modules, footer).

• Learn to add PayPal and affiliate advertising to your blog.
• Get to know the most common blog service providers.

Search engines absolutely love blogs, which is great for getting your company noticed. Get tips for promoting your blog to Google and Yahoo. Discover where you can find lots of easy ways to use blog goodies for free or almost free.

Tue, Mar 23, 6-9 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1031W01-78100     $49, $10 material fee to instructor

Thu, Apr 8, 6-9 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1031S01-78668      $49, $10 material fee to instructor

TWITTER AND MORE
How to Grow a Business with Twitter

Lori Osterberg
You can’t open up a magazine or watch a television show without someone mentioning Twitter. But what can you truly do once you are on Twitter? Though businesses around the world are discovering how to use Twitter to grow relationships and generate sales, many more are still wondering how it all works. If you find yourself in the latter category, join us for a hands-on class in which you’ll learn:

• How to set up your Twitter account
• Create a bio that will help you find followers
• Understand how to customize your Twitter page
• How to grow your followers – you’ll leave class with at least 25 followers
• Resources to help you use Twitter in your daily routine
• Learn Twitter language – what’s so important about re-tweets

Wed, May 12, 6-8:30 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1078S01-78633     $49

How to Use Social Networking to Boost Your Business

Lori Osterberg
What’s all the madness about MySpace and Facebook? These sites are not just for teens. Become familiar with and learn to use social networking to build your business quickly. Discover the top social networking sites, including MySpace and Facebook. Learn to build your profile, what information is important to include about yourself and your business, build your friends and connections. Discover ways to connect your blogs and Web sites to your social sites and use them for effective marketing. Traditional marketing may be a thing of the past when you discover how easy it is to network online.

Lori Osterberg has been marketing online since the mid 1990’s and has developed three companies that have relied on online marketing for their success. She has helped hundreds of small business owners develop an online presence locally and internationally and writes for a number of trade publications. She is a marketing columnist for the Denver Business Journal and is writing a book on social networking.

Tue, Apr 20, 6-8:30 p.m      ACC Campus
BUSI 1060S01-78634      $49

SUCCESS

Dissolve the REAL Blocks to Your Success

Vicki Nelson
You have studied, read countless books, created goals and rock solid plans, networked and worked really hard. Yet you are still struggling to experience the success you want. Ready to get to the heart of the matter and finally clear out the REAL blocks that are tripping you up? Willpower won’t do it, as your own life experience has shown you. Yet there is a simple technique to effectively expose, and permanently dissolve, your hidden personal blocks to success. Take a few sessions to learn this skill and it’s yours for life. When you clear the path so that your unconscious auto-pilot is aligned with your goals, nothing can stop you from having the success you want.

Wed, May 12-19, 6:15-8:45 p.m., 2 wks      ACC Campus
BUSI 1048S01-78635     $59

SPEAKING

Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking

Leanna Fredrich
According to a well-known survey 65% of us would rather die than speak in public. Many have tried to overcome their fear and have given up. But wait! There is hope. Discover a simple but powerful tool, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), a therapy that works on the mind through the body. Discover how to tap on various areas of your body while focusing on a fear-producing situation, such as speaking in public. By continuing the procedure while imagining the fearful situation, you will experience lower levels of anxiety. In most cases, the situation will no longer generate anxiety. Don’t suffer another minute! Discover what you need to be comfortable speaking “up front”.

Leanna Fredrich is a Life Coach and an Advanced EFT Practitioner. The whole focus of her business is to help people get past their fears and have the freedom to reach their full potential.

Tue, May 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1041S01-78667      $44, $3 material fee to instructor

DATA SECURITY

Safe Computing for Home Users

Steve Sande
Did you know that 75% of Americans have an e-mail address and the average Internet user is online 3 hours per day? But 8% of our time online is spent dealing with spam and 88% of home computers have been infected by some kind of unwanted program.

Discover:

• The single biggest mistake home computer users make.
• The nine steps you should take to make your computer safe.
• How to make your wireless network secure in less than 15 minutes.
• Why hackers are interested in your home PC.
• Five simple tasks that can protect you from identity theft.
• What to do to keep track of your passwords and keep them away from others.
• How to tell if an e-mail message is authentic or a phishing attack.

Learn to defend your home computer against viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spam, and spyware. Discuss what to do if you think you have already been infected. Uncover the meaning of security terminology. Witness hacker tools in action.

Tue, May 11, 6-9 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1037S01-78636      $49

E-BAY

Successful Selling on eBay

Rich McGaughey
Ever thought about selling some of your “stuff” or a product on eBay? Want to learn the necessary steps to get started? Discuss the steps to have an attractive successful e-Bay auction. Learn the importance of accurate descriptions and picture placement from someone who is very successful selling products on eBay. Basic mouse, keyboard and computer skills are needed to have a successful experience in this hands-on class. A flash drive or memory stick is encouraged.

Rich McGaughey is an accomplished eBay seller with over $10,000 in sales. Rich is an engaging instructor with 20 years of experience teaching adults in a variety of topics.

Thu, June 3-17, 6-9 p.m., 3 wks      ACC Campus
BUSI 1008S01-78637      $69

Advanced eBay Selling

Rich McGaughey
Explore how presentation will make your eBay sale successful every time! If you are already registered on eBay and have conducted at least one auction, discover how to maximize your eBay sales. Protect yourself from credit card charge backs by developing a firm written policy for each sale. Discuss basic web site creation, including use of HTML and FTP for maximum impact and efficiency. Gain tips for organizing your eBay business, including topics such as appropriate tax forms, customer service and support, and securing a good eBay seller rating. Please bring the item you wish to sell, or a digital photo plus detailed description to the class. A flash drive or memory stick is encouraged. Basic computer skills are required.

Thu, Mar 4-18, 6-9 p.m., 3 wks ACC Annex 1000
BUSI 1009W01-78104     $69

FRANCHISE

Franchising 101: There’s More to Franchising than French Fries and Sub Sandwiches

Cindy Rayfield
Discuss why many aspiring entrepreneurs choose a franchise business over starting their own business. More and more people are drawn to the idea of owning a franchise business because of the proven systems and the support that are at the heart of any good franchise concept. Is a franchise right for you too? Find out:

• Why own a business
• Why own a franchise business
• Learn about the myths and realities surrounding franchising
• Get familiar with franchising terminology
• Understand the steps to finding the right franchise
• How to make a decision about the franchise you may want to purchase

Wed, Apr 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1073S01-78638      $49, $5 material fee to instructor

WEB SITES

Web Site Savvy

Steve Sande
Do you want your own Web site but don’t know where to begin? Find out how to register a domain name and select an ISP. Learn how to use templates and blogs to design a successful Web site with the least amount of time and money. Confused what software to use to create/manage your Web site? Discuss the advantages (and disadvantages) of the common Web development software programs. Before you upload your site to the Web, be sure you know the most common design mistakes people make when creating a site. If you are going to sell products, make sure you know about shopping carts and SSL. Get pointers on how to effectively promote your Web site, learn what it takes to get the top search engines to see your site, and find out where you can get free stuff for your site.

Tue, June 1, 6-9 p.m.       ACC Campus
BUSI 1023S01-78640     $49, $10 material fee to instructor

SMALL BUSINESS START-UP

Starting a Business in Colorado

David Laverty
Are you thinking of starting or have recently started a business, but aren’t really sure what you are doing? Do you want to avoid the pitfalls that cause so many businesses to fail? Want to make sure that your personal assets are protected? Discover the pre-startup and startup steps to building your business on a firm foundation. Receive a Colorado Business Resource Guide and learn where to find reliable business information.

Tue, Apr 13, 6:30-9:30 p.m.      ACC Campus
BUSI 1024S01-78641      $49, $5 material fee to instructor

SMALL BUSINESS FINANCES

Bookkeeping and Financial Basics

Learn to read an income statement and balance sheet, understand depreciation and cash flow analysis. Discover how to keep track of all the money that is coming and going and prepare basic reports on how your business is doing. Talk about accounting terminology, record keeping, and bank reconciliation. Bring a calculator and a pencil.

Wed, May 5-12, 6-8 p.m., 2 wks      ACC Campus
BUSI 1043S01-78642      $49, $10 material fee to instructor

CONTRACTS

What the Contract Really Says: Know What You’re Getting Into

Pam O’Mara
Do you understand everything you see in a contract? Have you ever signed a contract to find you’ve unintentionally agreed to something? Did you know you can form a contract without signing anything? During this session, we’ll consider different types of contracts and what various clauses really mean. Look briefly at what happens when a contract dispute lands in Colorado Small Claims Court.  Learn why you shouldn’t sign now and assume “it will all work out later.”

Pam O’Mara is a business owner and consultant who has been assisting businesses of all sizes to develop sound business and marketing strategies since 1983. Her background includes a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property (LLM-IP) and JD.

Tue, Mar 30, 6-8 p.m. ACC Campus
BUSI 1052W01-78110     $44, $10 material fee to instructor

NETWORKING

The Referral Marketing Miracle: Or How to Triple Your Business Referrals

Cindy Rayfield
Explore one of the most basic concepts of marketing, “word-of-mouth” (a.k.a. referral, viral), what it really means and how we can measure it (yes, we really can measure it!). We all know that referrals are the very best source of new business but we don’t always understand why people refer things in the first place. Why do we do it ourselves? Find out by:

• Learning why conventional media marketing doesn’t work like we think it should, and why, in fact, the “people network” is better.
• Understanding exactly why people decide to refer your product or service, and how you can influence this behavior for your immediate benefit.
• Learning how to create conditions for referral activity.
• Understanding customer perceptions and what needs to change for more referral activity.
• Creating a results-oriented “looking good” statement for your business.

Cindy Rayfield has a history of helping people build and grow their business. Since 2001 she has been a business owner, operating a Web site and copywriting company in Denver that helps small businesses, churches and other non-profits with marketing and communication projects. She is also a local franchise consultant for Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, helping people understand the best fit for them in the franchise investment process.

Wed, Mar 31, 6-9 p.m. ACC Campus
BUSI 1072W01-78113     $49, $5 material fee to instructor

MARKETING
Marketing “Your Way”:
Using Your Strengths to Market Your Business

Leanna Fredrich
If you dread marketing your business or you have avoided starting your own business because you hate marketing, then this class is for you.  During the three weeks of this class you will learn your top marketing strengths and how to leverage them so both you and your business flourish!  Instead of burn-out you will discover new energy and your business will stand out as exceptional.  Stop the struggle and begin marketing (your way) with ease.

Tue, May 4-18, 6:30-8 p.m., 3 wks      ACC Campus
BUSI 1068S01-78643       $69