Maybe you’ve tried social media, hired a freelancer, or launched a campaign that didn’t quite land. Or maybe you’re starting to see traction and wondering how to build on that momentum. Whatever stage you’re at, one thing is clear: marketing plays a key role in product-based growth—but it’s not always easy to know where to focus.

Join us for a candid fireside chat with Stephanie Baresh, a seasoned marketing expert who helped grow Eminence Organic Skin Care from a startup into a global brand sold in over 50 countries. Stephanie will share insights on what it really takes to market a product successfully—beyond just flashy ads and social posts.

We’ll talk about:

• Why the first step to growth is defining success
• How to keep your merchandising, PR, and campaigns aligned
• What metrics matter (and which ones to ignore)
• Why face-to-face marketing is still powerful
• How to celebrate your growth and turn it into momentum

Whether you’re doing it all yourself or leading a growing team, this is your chance to hear real-world insights from someone who’s been there—plus ask your own marketing questions in an open, supportive environment.

Facilitator: Holly Keech, Owner of Busy Boss Communications and WeBC Regional Ambassador for Northern BC

Panelists: Stephanie Baresh, Brand and Product Creative Director

The post Fireside Chat: Marketing That Fuels Growth: Insights for Product-Based Brands appeared first on WeBC.

“Step-by-Step Market Research: Build a Viable Business” is part of our SMART Program series, so you can work through the content on your own schedule on our On-Demand Learning Platform. The course is designed to help you understand key concepts, work through interactive case studies, and complete activities that apply the learning to your own business.

About the Course

Successful businesses don’t rely on assumptions, they use market research to minimize risk and maximize success.

Understanding your customers and staying ahead of the competition requires more than just a great idea, it demands insights backed by research. Are there enough customers to sustain your business? What gaps exist in your industry that you can fill? How much are people willing to pay for your product or service? These are just some of the critical questions market research can help you answer.

Effective research not only guides your business decisions but also strengthens your case when applying for loans or pitching to investors by providing concrete evidence of your market potential.WeBC has created this three-part module jam-packed with tools, tips and resources to help you explore best practices for interpreting data, making strategic business decisions, and identifying opportunities to stay ahead of the competition.

This module includes three chapters, which each take about one hour to complete: 

• Chapter 1 | The Market Research Roadmap: Where to Begin
• Chapter 2 | Secondary Market Research: How to Find and Use Existing Data
• Chapter 3 | Primary Market Research: Collect and Analyze Your Own Data

This course is available in English and French.

Thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, this program is currently free!

Learn more >>>

The post Step-by-Step Market Research: On-Demand Course appeared first on WeBC.

In just six strategic steps, you’ll learn to create press releases that not only get noticed but also translate into real growth and recognition. Let’s make your story sing!

The post Six Steps to a Winning Press Release appeared first on WeBC.

Gain a clearer picture of what drives competition in your industry – and how to position your business for success.

When you’re running a business, it’s not enough to have a great product or service. You also need to understand the market forces at play – and how they affect your ability to grow and stay profitable. That’s where Porter’s Five Forces can help.

Developed by Harvard professor Michael E. Porter, this powerful tool helps you analyze five key forces that shape every industry. Whether you’re planning a new venture, entering a new market, or refining your strategy, using this model can help you make informed decisions and stay competitive.

What Are the Five Forces?

Porter’s model identifies five forces that influence your competitive environment:

1. Competitive Rivalry – Who are your direct competitors, and how intense is the competition in your industry?
2. Threat of New Entrants – How easy is it for new businesses to enter your market and challenge your position?
3. Bargaining Power of Suppliers – How much influence do your suppliers have over prices, quality, or availability?
4. Bargaining Power of Customers – Can your customers demand lower prices, better service, or switch easily to a competitor?
5. Threat of Substitute Products or Services – Are there alternatives that customers might choose over your offering?

By analyzing these forces, you can spot risks, uncover opportunities, and develop strategies to strengthen your market position.

Why It Matters

• Make smarter decisions about pricing, partnerships, and market entry.
• Identify industry trends that could affect your business over time.
• Build a sustainable competitive edge by understanding what drives profitability in your sector.

Ready to Dive In?

Explore the full MindTools article to see real-world examples, access templates, and learn how to apply each force to your business.

The post Porter’s 5 Forces: Understanding Competitive Forces to Maximize Profitability appeared first on WeBC.

Opening a retail store? Relocating your current space? Choosing the right location is one of the most critical and costly decisions you’ll make. This guide was designed to help you approach that decision with clarity and confidence.

Using a combination of traffic studies, customer profiling, and cost planning, this step-by-step resource will help you evaluate potential storefronts strategically, not just based on gut feeling.

What You’ll Learn

This comprehensive guide helps you:

• Understand how to use traffic data to estimate foot traffic and project sales
• Align your location with your ideal customer profile and shopping behaviour
• Evaluate lease terms, operating costs, and affordability
• Score and compare multiple locations based on your goals
• Build a realistic cash flow projection before committing to a space

Why This Guide?

There’s more to a successful retail location than foot traffic alone. This guide brings together the tools, insights, and structure you need to choose a space that fits your brand, serves your customers, and supports long-term growth.

Download the guide now.

The post Choosing a Retail Location: Plan with Purpose. Choose with Confidence. appeared first on WeBC.

Setting the right price is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your business — and one of the most challenging. Price too low, and you risk undervaluing your work. Price too high, and you may lose customers. So how do you strike the right balance?

This practical guide is designed to help you price with confidence.

You’ll learn how to:

• Define clear pricing goals based on your business strategy
• Research your market and understand your competitive position
• Calculate your costs and determine your break-even point
• Choose the right pricing model (hourly, project-based, tiered, etc.)
• Communicate your value and justify your prices
• Adjust prices strategically – with or without changing your price tags

Whether you sell products, offer services, or a bit of both, this resource walks you through the process step by step, helping you set prices that are profitable, competitive, and aligned with your goals.

What’s Included

• Clear explanations of popular pricing strategies
• Cost calculation breakdowns for both products and services
• Tips for managing discounts, bundles, and add-ons
• Real-world examples and practical worksheets
• A workbook-friendly format you can return to again and again

Start building a pricing strategy that works for you. Get the resource and take the guesswork out of what to charge.

The post Pricing Your Products and Services appeared first on WeBC.

Looking to share exciting news about your business? Whether you’re launching a product, announcing a milestone, or hosting an event, a well-written press release can help you generate media attention, build credibility, and connect with your audience.

This step-by-step guide is designed for entrepreneurs who want to write press releases that are clear, professional, and media-ready, without needing a PR agency.

What You’ll Learn

This easy-to-follow guide walks you through:

• When and why to issue a press release
• How to structure your press release for maximum impact
• Best practices for headlines, subheadings, and quotes
• Writing style tips journalists look for
• Formatting standards that make your release media-friendly
• A checklist to make sure you’ve included all the essentials

Bonus: The guide includes a checklist to help you review and refine your press release before you hit send.

Ready to make headlines? Download the guide and start writing press releases that get noticed, shared, and published.

The post Writing a Press Release That Gets Media Attention appeared first on WeBC.

What You’ll Learn

Whether you’re launching a new product or refining your messaging, this guide will help you:

• Identify and segment your target market
• Understand your ideal customer’s needs, behaviours, and buying habits
• Use research and real data to shape your strategy
• Build a complete customer profile using our easy-to-follow worksheet

Why It Matters

When you know who your ideal customer is, you can:

• Focus your time and marketing dollars more effectively
• Create messaging that resonates
• Build loyalty and drive growth

This guide will walk you through the process step by step. Download it now and start building a customer profile that works.

Would you like to make better marketing decisions that maximize your time and budget?

Check out our free On-Demand SMART course, “Strategic Marketing: Build a Marketing Plan for Your Business.” It includes interactive exercises to help you identify and understand the target market for your business! Learn more >>>

The post Define Your Target Market and Create Your Ideal Customer Profile appeared first on WeBC.

You’ve worked hard, made an impact, and built something meaningful. So why does applying for an award feel uncomfortable? If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re “ready” or “worthy” of recognition, this guide is for you.

Awards aren’t about being perfect. They’re about showing up, owning your story, and allowing others to see the value you bring.

This practical, confidence-boosting resource offers 10 tips to help you:

• Move past self-doubt and imposter syndrome
• Recognize your achievements (even if they don’t feel “big enough”)
• Learn how to approach nominations with clarity and courage
• Make the application process feel manageable and even exciting
• Take your place in the spotlight with authenticity and pride

You don’t have to wait for permission to be recognized.

Download the guide and take one small step forward – because you’ve earned it.

The post Ten Tips for Embracing Award Opportunities appeared first on WeBC.

Planning to exhibit at a trade show? Whether you’re preparing for your first event or looking to improve your results, this practical guide is designed with Canadian women entrepreneurs in mind. Trade shows are powerful tools for building your brand, making valuable connections, and growing your business — and with modern tools, it’s easier than ever to stand out and succeed.

What You’ll Learn

This updated guide walks you through everything you need to succeed at your next trade show, including:

• How to set clear, measurable goals
• Smart pre-show marketing strategies (including social media and digital ads)
• Modern tools to simplify lead collection and boost visibility
• Packing tips to keep your booth running smoothly
• Post-show follow-up strategies that comply with CASL
• Real stories from Canadian women entrepreneurs who’ve made trade shows work for them

Bonus:
Download the complimentary Trade Show Checklist sample to stay organized and stress-free before, during, and after the show.

The post Getting the Most From a Trade Show appeared first on WeBC.

On social media, Robyn and Monika are known for their trusted cleaning tutorials, aligned collaborations and hilarious content. They currently have over 55k followers on Instagram and won the 2023 E-Commerce Experience Award from Small Business BC.

Join us for our virtual WeCafé for a chat with Robyn and Monika. They’ll answer your questions and share:

• How they make social media trends work for their brand
• Tips for finding the right collaborations
• What they do offline to make the most of their social media efforts

Facilitator: Cathy Burrell, Client Services Coordinator

Panelists:

• Robyn Mair and Monika Scott, Co-Founders, Mint Cleaning

The post Growing on Social Media: Myths and Tips from Mint Cleaning appeared first on WeBC.

Join us to hear from digital marketing expert and WeBC Mentor, Glynis Tao, who will share best practices to help you build, manage, and optimize your email marketing campaigns.

In this free WeCafé, Glynis will share how to:

• Attract, retain and segment subscribers
• Craft engaging emails that resonate with your audience, from attention-grabbing subject lines to persuasive calls to action
• Use data to refine your email campaigns for better results
• Ensure your email marketing practices are compliant with regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act

Join us to have your questions answered and gain provide practical tips to manage your list and create content that converts!

Facilitator: Andrea Jacob, WeBC Business Advisor

Panelist: Glynis Tao, Apparel Business Consultant & SEO Specialist, Chase Your Dreams Consulting

Learn how to identify and understand the needs of your target market in our free On-Demand SMART course, “Strategic Marketing: Build a Marketing Plan for Your Business.”

The post Getting Started with Email Marketing appeared first on WeBC.