“Traffic” was the buzzword at Wednesday’s business expo at Beaufort County Community College.
Vendors were pleasantly surprised by the amount of foot traffic the event drew. It was the first time in several years that the expo had been held at the school.
“The college was a right move,” said Derek Kelly with CenturyLink. “We really appreciate BCCC opening up and allowing us to be here.”
Lentz Stowe, director of the Small Business Center at BCCC, said CenturyLink was not the only vendor pleased with this year’s expo.
“This partnership with the Chamber of Commerce has gone great. It was a big success, lots of traffic,” Stowe said.
Sharon Alligood, an insurance agent with Genworth, said the high attendance was great for her.
“I made some contacts I’ll be talking to,” she said. “When you’re in sales, you always want more people to talk to.”
The expo featured nonprofits, colleges and local businesses. It was held as a resource for entrepreneurs to network and publicize their businesses. Seminars that ran throughout the day covered technology, marketing and small business.
Janet Ladenburger was the keynote speaker, providing insight and advice on establishing a marketing strategy. She recommended business owners identify their unique selling points and target audiences.
Photographer Beth Niser set up a small studio in the corner of the expo where people could have professional headshots taken.
“Nowadays, business professionals need professional headshots,” Niser said.
The booth gave her an opportunity to show her work and introduce herself to a wide variety of people.
Sarah Richards, assistant branch manager at First Bank in Washington, said the reasons for her attendance were simple ones.
“It was just to put our name out there, make the community aware that we’re here, would love to serve them and are the best bank in town,” she said.