As of May 22, 2014
2014 Strategic Plan
District #: 459
Chapter #: 0630
Chapter: South Alabama
Chapter Chair: Lee Shelton
Our Mission:
Our mission is to provide all clients with well-informed advice and counsel to assist their
successful progress through the challenges of small business start-up. We strive to form longterm mentoring relationships with our clients to sustain the on-going success of their
entrepreneurial endeavors.
Our Key Strategies for Growth are:
1. Expand the awareness of SCORE’s capabilities and a ‘referral reflex’ throughout the local
business community.
2. Treat every SCORE client as you would treat a high-value, paying client in your own
business.
3. Focus on long-term, partner relationships with our clients.
4. Recruit, train and retain quality mentors and subject matter expert (SME) volunteers.
5. Treat all mentors and volunteers with respect and appreciation. Our Market Segments are:
1. Business novices seeking training, advice and support.
2. Entrepreneurs with a business background seeking assistance.
3. Small business owners seeking a ‘tune-up’ with production, marketing or financial
challenges.
4. Military members retiring or leaving the service.
5. Retired business people and current business owners seeking to share their expertise and
experience. The Key Programs to serve the above segments are:
1. Workshops to attract clients.
2. Presentations to civic clubs and associations to attract quality mentors and increase
awareness of SCORE.
3. Social media advertising and articles to attract clients and mentors.
4. Military transition workshops.
5. Participation in community and county Business Expositions and Volunteer and Job Fairs.
6. Develop resource partners to assist with Chapter funding.
Media planned to communicate to market segments:
1. Local radio and television interview programs that feature business events and news.
2. Constant Contact broadcasts to maintain active, value-added relationships with former
clients.
3. “Ask SCORE” articles in local and Baldwin County newspapers.
4. Pamphlets at Chambers of Commerce and South Alabama business license offices.
5. Articles in Chambers of Commerce newsletters featuring SCORE workshops and
mentoring programs.
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Estimate of funds needed to deliver the Chapter’s objectives – 2014 Budget
Receipts
External Donors
$2,500
National
300
Total Receipts
$2,800
Disbursements
Advertising
Publications
$1,100
Brochures
300
Business cards/ badges
150
Dues (Chambers of Commerce)
225
Office supplies
275
Annual meeting
300
CapEx
300
Workshop expenses
150
Total disbursements
$2,800
Total Receipts Over Disbursements
0
Strategic alliances/resource partners focused on growing small business
1. Commercial enterprises that sponsor local business development activities (i.e., Sam’s
Club Small Business Development, Office Depot Small Business Support).
2. The five Baldwin County Chambers of Commerce Plus Mobile.
3. Small Business Administration (SBA) Regional District Office.
4. Alabama Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
5. Women’s Business Development Center
6. Local educational institutions.
7. ACCION Alabama.
APPENDIX
Functional Chapter Plans to Support Strategic Plan
Marketing & Publicity Committee – John Brown, Chairman
1. Make a minimum of 25 visits to scheduled chamber-member functions this year.
2. Rotate our member’s visits to various chambers so that each member of our committee
comes in contact with groups from each chamber. Solicit the participation of other
chapter members to reenforce our efforts by attending these chamber functions.
3. Contact the Alabama Secretary of State and obtain a list of new businesses in our area to
contact.
4. Contact the Better Business Bureau for names of new businesses to contact.
5. Contact the Fairhope Downtown Merchants Association and gain exposure through their
group.
6. Examine our client’s total experience and recommend ways to enhance it so they will be
our enthusiastic ambassadors to the public at large.
7. Identify women’s business groups in the area and contact them for exposure.
8. Attend the Job Fair sponsored by Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce.
9. Attend the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo.
10. Coordinate with other Committees and assist in their functional efforts.
11. Encourage Chapter members to be active SCORE ambassadors.
12. Incorporate the marketing and publicity resources, methods and guidance provided by
SCORE National.
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Membership & Development Committee – Lee Shelton, Chairman
1. Accomplish a needs analysis to identify skill sets and industry expertise missing from
current mentor roles.
2. Participate actively in networking and outreach activities identified by the Marketing &
Publicity Committee to increase contact with potential new mentors.
3. Recruit those qualified individuals unable to commit to a full-time mentor relationship to
serve as on-demand subject matter experts and subject-specific volunteers.
4. Develop and implement an orientation and training program for new mentors. Focus on
prompt completion of SCORE-required training and certification and assimilation of the
Chapter’s methods and procedures.
5. Encourage maximum participation of mentors in scheduled client workshop events to
promote collateral training and education.
6. Identify voids in mentor knowledge and develop continuation-training sessions to provide
structured opportunities to learn.
7. Recruit, train and develop all mentors with a succession plan in mind.
8. Incorporate the membership recruiting, education and retention resources, methods and
guidance provided by SCORE National.
Fundraising Committee – John Fitzhugh, Chainman
1. Participate in formulation of annual Chapter operating budget.
2. Coordinate with Operating Committees to ensure individual resource needs are identified
and adequately planned for.
3. Develop and maintain a contact list of active and potential resource partners.
4. Incorporate the fundraising resources, methods and guidance provided by SCORE
National.
Workshop & Education Committee – John Carden, Chairman
1. Maintain an active inventory of topics-of-interest to match our clients’ business
development and maintenance needs.
2. Develop and maintain a contact list of individuals and organizations to be called upon to
present / participate in topical workshops.
3. Promote an open and active partnership with similar organizations to ensure maximum
cooperation and leverage in the provision of joint workshops.
4. Manage the presentation of or participation in as many educational workshops as is
considered practical.
5. Incorporate the workshop and education resources, methods and guidance provided by
SCORE National.
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