Webinars, Trainings & Resources for Small Businesses

The Competitive Edge Series provides business owners with the tools they need to improve their business and help grow their success. The Partnership knows that small businesses do not have easy access to training to continually sharpen their competitive edge. This series helps to fill that gap.

Sessions are free and open to small business owners throughout Frederick County, with workshops focusing on topics of interest to entrepreneurs.

 


 

2024 Schedule

Advance registration is encouraged for all workshops.

Tuesday, March 19 @ 8:30AM • Making the Sale: Reliable Sales Techniques for Small Businesses REGISTER HERE

Learn how to properly present yourself as the representative of your business. Show that you’re an expert and have the knowledge to solve your customer’s challenges. Build better customer relationships with effective strategies that boost your sales confidence without resorting to aggressive sales tactics. The knowledge gained from this session will enable you to train your team to proudly represent your business and sell confidently. Led by Jean Wright, author of Selling Your Confidence and armed with four decades of experience in the world of sales.

Tuesday, April 9 @ 8:00AM • Disaster Preparedness for Businesses REGISTER HERE
hosted by the City of Frederick’s Department of Economic Development

An informative event on disaster preparedness for businesses. Hear from local leaders who experienced disaster firsthand. Learn from industry experts about strategies and best practices in safeguarding enterprises against unforeseen challenges. Gather valuable insights into risk assessment, contingency planning, and resilience building. Enhance your business’s readiness and ensure continuity in the face of potential disasters.

Tuesday, April 16 @ 8:30AM • AI Unlocked: Elevate Your Marketing with ChatGPT and More REGISTER HERE

[this event description written with help from AI] — Make your life easier and dive into a world where AI becomes your ultimate marketing ally, effortlessly crafting compelling website content, sparking ideas for social media posts, and even concocting the perfect name for that new item on your menu or drafting witty product descriptions for your shelf tags! Join us for a morning filled with inspiring insights and live demonstrations. Walk away with the confidence to harness AI’s full potential for your business success.

Upcoming Workshop Topics (dates TBD)
Entrepreneur Exchange: Opening the Door for Peer-to-Peer Reviews
City Visit to Annapolis, MD

 

Since 1988, the seasoned staff of the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network has provided sound advice, consulting and support to entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state. The Maryland SBDC offers regular trainings and programs for small business owners at every stage of their career.

Annually, the Maryland Women’s Business Center helps more than 1,500 women (and men) gain the skills, connections, and confidence necessary to navigate entrepreneurship. They work to empower small businesses and women entrepreneurs to launch and grow in Maryland’s Capital Region with a focus on collaboration, empowerment, expertise, inclusivity and innovation. Frederick County businesses should contact Karen Kalantzis, the MWBC’s Associate Business Counselor for Frederick County.

Business Performance Survey 2023


Each year, the Partnership administers a Business Performance Survey to gain more insights into the downtown economy, providing a unique opportunity to gauge the health and wellbeing of the Downtown Frederick business community and the effectiveness of the Partnership. The survey is broken into sections that collect data on retail demographics, business revenue, retail hours of operation, rental rates, overall satisfaction, economic outlook and Partnership performance. Download the 2023 Business Performance Survey here.

Window Display Resource Page


Designing a great window display is no easy task. You want it to be eye-catching, budget-friendly, low-effort and — above all else — effective! After all, the mark of a great window display is when you sell out of the product that’s in the window. At downtownfrederick.org/windows, we’ve compiled a few resources to help our Downtown Frederick retailers find a little extra inspiration this holiday season. Please use and share the info collected, and contact anyone on the Partnership staff if you need any extra advice!

Each year, the Partnership tackles strategic initiatives to bring more residents and employees to Downtown Frederick, offers an exciting season of events and works closely with downtown businesses and partners to continue to strengthen and improve Downtown Frederick.