WBEC West Blog

Benefits of WBE Certification for Business Growth

Posted on Tuesday, 23 February
by Dr. Pamela Williamson

Although women-owned businesses are growing in numbers nationwide, they still lag behind their male-owned counterparts in terms of revenue and business growth.

In a recent article in The Business Journal it stated that:

According to a report released last year by the National Women’s Business Council, the number of women-owned firms jumped 26 percent between 2007 and 2012. The 2012 numbers are the most recent available and showed more than 9.8 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. that year.

The overwhelming majority of the studied firms — 89.5 percent — employed no individuals other than the female owner, however, and reported total receipts of just over $182.2 billion.

There are several organizations established to specifically address the trend of slow growth and help WBEs grow their business footprint. Two Federal entities include the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) certifications.

The programs require businesses to demonstrate a minimum of 51 percent ownership by one or more woman and that she be actively involved in the company’s management.

Especially when it comes to EDWOSB the criteria is as follows:

To qualify for the EDWOSB certification, businesses must demonstrate that the owner’s net worth is less than $750,000, her adjusted gross yearly income average from the three years prior to applying did not exceed $350,000 and the fair market value of all her assets does not exceed $6 million.

Stating the importance of WBEs getting certified, Dawn Golik, deputy director and public affairs officer with the SBA’s Fresno District Office stated that, ““It gives them a competitive edge and opens the door to new contracts that might otherwise have been out of reach.”

Benefits of WBENC Certification through WBEC-WEST

Once you are certified through WBEC-West you become a member of the WBEC-West Community, which allows you the ability to communicate with  other certified WBE to share best practices and to grow WBE to WBE connections and corporate relationships.

You will also be able to attend WBEC-West hosted corporate workshops including the coveted Platinum, Supplier Program, watch  videos, broadcasts and podcast that provide insider information on how to  successfully engage corporations and increase your exposure and opportunities.

How Women Business Owners Can Use Technology for Marketing

Posted on Tuesday, 10 November
by Dr. Pamela Williamson

Image by Ed Yourdon via Flickr

 

Did you know that…Women (56 percent) spend more time visiting retail sites on mobile devices than men (43 percent), according to comScore?

 

Did you also know that women oversee 80% of consumer spending (U.S. Census Bureau) – so it’s actually fairly easy to see why many smart retailers are focusing their technology efforts on women.

 

Today, women comprise one of the fastest growing demographics of Internet and technology users, with some 87 million women between 18 and 76 online according to a BlogHer study. With that, women have become top mobile commerce adopters as well. Credits: Sephora CMO On Women And Tech – Business Insider
There’s no doubt that women are embracing technology faster than ever; and everyone from online and offline retailers to the big brands are taking advantage by targeting their marketing efforts to women both online and in-store.

 

But marketing to women is an art and a science. It requires the right blend of women-centric marketing – mobile, social and both offline and online marketing is key.

 

Here are three ways to market to women:

 

1. Make the Experience Social

 

Women are enthusiastic social media users, and they’re highly engaged in shopping as an online social experience, too. Leveraging the big social networks to reach out to women consumers is surely a good way to start.

 

2. Make the Experience Mobile

 

Sephora, through the use of Analytics and reporting were able to see that 70% of Sephora mobile traffic was coming from iOS devices – this lead them to focus all their development efforts on Apple mobile app development as that’s where their customers are. Finding out which devices and platforms your customers are using and be there when they are with a seamless user experience can drive sales and boost profits exponentially.

 

But Sephora is not alone in this trend, of course. In 2012, consumer spending on phones and tablets jumped 81 percent over 2011, according to eMarketer.

 

3. Make the Experience both Offline and Online

 

More women are carrying an iPhone in their pocket—and some an iPad in their handbag. Rather than fearing the technology these clients bring with them into brick-and-mortar stores, adept brands are finding ways to unlock entirely new experiences that bridge the offline with the online.  Credits: Sephora CMO On Women And Tech – Business Insider

 

There’s no doubt that technology is altering consumer (and especially women consumer) experiences. The key is not to fear it…but to embrace it, or get left behind in a cut-throat competitive market.

 

If you are a woman business owner and want to reach out and connect with more women get certified.