I missed
the 2007 Biz Fair - when will the next fair be held?
The 2008 Washington
Small Business Fair (Biz Fair) is scheduled to take place on Saturday,
September 6, 2008 at Renton Technical College. You may find out
more about the fair by browsing this section (FAQs), the 2007
exhibitor list and the 2007 seminar schedule
and accompanying speaker handouts for some of the seminars.
We will post more information
on the 2008 fair in the early summer of 2008, as it becomes available,
so please keep checking back.
Do
I need to pre-register for the fair or the individual seminars?
No pre-registration is required or accepted for the fair
or the seminars. Pick up your fair packet at the Resource
Center (Building I ), which includes
seminar schedule and descriptions along with other important materials.
Attendance at all seminars is on a first-come, first-served basis.
What is
the Biz Fair?
The Washington Small Business Fair (Biz Fair) is a free, one-stop
shopping event for new and existing business owners. The purpose
of the fair is to provide a wide spectrum of information that small
business owners need, in a non-sales environment. The fair has been
held once a year since 1997 on the Renton Technical College campus.
About 50 exhibitors participate each year, providing information
to small business owners and answering their questions. About 40
seminars are offered throughout the day, with topics such as marketing,
financing, import/export, record keeping, legal issues, taxes and
licensing, building a web site and more.
Who are the exhibitors?
The exhibitors are government agencies or non-profit organizations,
such as trade or business associations and chambers of commerce.
No private businesses or vendors are allowed to exhibit, sell or
pass out information.
Is there a fee to exhibit?
No. The planning committee provides one table and a tablecloth for
each exhibitor. Exhibitors may make arrangements for electricity
and for larger booth displays (as space permits).
I am a representative from a government agency or non-profit
business organization – how can I find out more about becoming
an exhibitor?
Contact us by email at
or call 206-220-5300.
Who teaches the seminars?
The seminars are taught by a variety
of local business experts from both the public and private sector.
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Are
the speakers paid?
No. Speakers volunteer their time, and also incur the cost of
producing handouts or other materials for their seminars. Speakers
are allowed to tell attendees which business they work for (or
own), and are allowed to put business cards and a brochure about
their business at the back of the seminar room as well as at
the Speaker’s Table in the Resource Center (exhibit area,
Building I). However, speakers
are strictly prohibited from making their seminars a sales pitch
for their (or any) company’s products or services. |
How can I find out more about becoming a speaker at the fair?
Contact us by email at
or call 206-220-5300.
How many people attend the fair?
600-1000 people attend this free fair each year. Most attendees
are from the Puget Sound metropolitan area, but each year a number
of people come from other parts of the state.
Who plans and sponsors the fair?
There is no single sponsor. A fair planning
committee puts on the fair, and Renton Technical College donates
the use of their space. The planning committee is composed of 10-20
representatives from federal, state and local government agencies,
business and trade organizations, and small business owners.
How is it different from other trade shows or business fairs?
• It's free, and no advance registration is required.
• The focus is on getting small business owners ALL the types
of information they need to start or expand their business.
• No private vendors or selling is allowed.
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How is the
fair publicized?
The primary marketing tools are our website, www.bizfair.org,
and 20,000 printed brochures. The brochures are distributed by agencies
and organizations on the planning committee
to their constituents or to targeted groups. Exhibitors
are also provided with brochures and asked to distribute them to their
clients. In addition, agencies on the planning committee and many
of the exhibitors place a link to www.bizfair.org
on their web sites.
The publicity committee sends out news releases, places articles
and editorials in newspapers, and works with local radio and TV
stations in an attempt to air public service announcements. Committee
member agencies and exhibitor organizations are provided with "ready-to-go"
articles for their newsletters.
Is food available at the fair?
Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the college.
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Who
pays the costs associated with putting on the fair?
Since the fair planning committee
is not a separate "entity", there is no official "fair
budget". All costs (such as printing and mailing of brochures
and posters) are borne by one agency or another, and the fair
is truly produced on a shoestring budget. Speakers,
moderators, and panelists all donate their time (or may
be compensated by their agency/company, but not by the fair
committee) and cover the cost of producing their own handouts/materials. |
What were participants' responses to the fair? How is the success
of the fair measured?
Evaluations on the overall quality of the fair are distributed to
all participants. Evaluations are also collected from seminar attendees
for each seminar and speaker. Most participants have been in business
less than 2 years, and the majority are between the ages of 30 to
50. See our Testimonials section for
reactions to the fair from some of the participants.
home | about the fair | seminar
schedule | exhibitors | map & directions | resources | faq's | contact
For
more information:
206-220-5300
Thanks to Renton Technical College for donating space to make this fair possible.
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