DURHAM, N.H. - If you sell online or hope to, the "Growing Your e-Commerce Business" conference Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, offers sessions critical to building your business. The event is hosted by the NH Small Business Development Center (NH SBDC) and offers informative and timely topics for the online seller.

"Growing Your e-Commerce Business" will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nashua Community College. It is sponsored by Citizens Bank Foundation, UNH Cooperative Extension, and New Hampshire Broadband Mapping & Planning Program.

Topics to be discussed at the conference include advice on shipping solutions, accepting credit cards online, increasing your online presence, FBI cyber threats, creating videos and product photos, and building your brand across online and in-person environments.

Registration of $85 includes coffee and lunch. Register online.

Enter a drawing for free tickets by registering and liking NH SBDC on Facebook.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

General Sessions

• Cyber Threats & Emerging Concerns
  Special Agent Timothy Russell, FBI, Boston

Russell will talk about current cyber threats that the FBI Boston office views as a concern for its area of responsibility in New England, and how that affects businesses; specifically businesses involved in e-commerce. Additionally, some mitigation strategies will be discussed.

• Montgomery Who? Brand Alignment and Mindshare
  Jeff Baker, Image4

Baker will discuss how to keep your brand from sinking into irrelevance in the 24/7/365 global consumer free-for-all.

Workshop Sessions

• Growing Your Online Presence
  Shane Bradt, UNH Cooperative Extension

Bradt will talk about how to improve your rating in online search listings and build traffic flow to your website. The increased usage of mobile devices to access the Internet also will be considered, and how to address the need for mobile websites.

• How to Get Great Product Photos
  Charley Freiberg, Charley Freiberg Photography

Freiberg will discuss how to photograph a sample product and discuss how digital cameras work, how to get high quality images, and what software you need to process images. You will be able to make an informed decision on whether to photograph your products yourself or how to choose a commercial photographer for your company's needs.

• The Ins and Outs of Accepting Credit Cards Online
  Joel Breton, MJM Associates

Breton will discuss the pricing structures and various payment options as well as a basic overview of the card networks, and review some key terminology to help one find the right payment processor and or gateway.

• Leveraging Broadband for Small Businesses
  Charlie French, UNH Cooperative Extension

French will address why, as well as what, small businesses around the state would like for training and resources to enable them to more effectively use the Internet.

• Making Internet Videos Work for You
  Kenneth Sheldon, Halvorson New Media

Sheldon will present the basics of creating video content for your website, YouTube, Facebook, and other online sites. Explore strategies for gaining more exposure for your company and/or products using videos.

• Opening an e-Commerce Store - It's Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think
  Jonathan May, YourPresenceOnTheWeb.com

May will discuss how - with the right tools, a little bit of know-know and a very modest budget - you can quickly establish a polished, professional-looking online storefront to market and sell your products and services to anyone within reach of the Internet.

• Shipping Solutions for Online Businesses
  Mike Crosby, Small Business Coach, Pack & Ship Specialist

Crosby will present information on various shipping options and how to improve top line sales and prevent bottom line erosion.

NH SBDC is an outreach program of the UNH New Hampshire Whittemore School of Business and Economics, and a cooperative venture of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of New Hampshire (DRED), the University System of New Hampshire, and the private sector. A part of 64 SBDC programs nationwide, the NH SBDC was fully accredited in 2010 by the Association of Small Business Development Centers. The NH SBDC has advised businesses for 26 years, helping 8,000 businesses create and retain more than 4,500 jobs over the last decade.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

-30-