It’s all about GROWth at Meeting
Representatives from more than 50 Nebraska businesses gathered to network and learn the latest marketing strategies at the annual GROW Nebraska spring membership meeting and training Friday at Lochland Country Club. Held at different sites each year, the annual meeting gives GROW business members and others interested in joining the opportunity to explore networking opportunities and hear from marketing experts on how to improve their marketing strategies, said Heidi High, GROW Nebraska development coordinator.
“We’re talking a lot about technology this year,” High said. “That’s kind of what we’re hitting on here. Plus, there’s a lot of networking going on. The whole thing with GROW is promotion and awareness.”
Guest speakers included Sally Cohen of eGrowth Marketing and several University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension specialist. The BITMobile-a mobile 14-computer lab operated by the extension-gave visitors hands-on opportunities to implement newly-learned search engine optimization techniques.
A panel comprised of seven GROW members examined and graded dozens of products marketed by Nebraska businesses. Their finds will be mailed to each participating business with tips on how to improve or enhance the specific product critiqued.
Linda Dannehl, a UNL Extension assistant from Holdrege, served on the product analysis panel. On the whole, she said she was impressed by the quality of offerings submitted for review.
“There were some wonderful things to look at,” she said. “We saw some really interesting things: salsas, chocolates, mustards, a cross between a biscotti and a cookie, and things like note cards, wall hangings, wheat weaving, recyclable items, candles, ceramics, art, paintings, and tables.
“Some vendors are just starting out and some of them have a little more complete marketing plays, so that was kind of fun to see the different stages of development. It’s great to see the creativity that’s in there and the hard work that these folks have put in. Hopefully, it will be rewarded.”
Her criteria for evaluating products incorporated her own perspective as a consumer, she said.
“I looked at them as if I was a shopper,” she said. “What would I grab off the shelf?”
Including information specifying product origin was encouraged, especially when products are marketed locally, she said.
“One of the comments one of the jurors made was that we need to make sure folks know they’re Nebraska products,” she said. “That’s a selling point. We have some incredible Nebraska entrepreneurs.”
Kris Vrtiska runs Heritage Falls Candles and Gift store in Falls City. A fifth-year GROW Nebraska member, she said she hoped to find ways to network in an environment that promotes and encourages business growth. She also brought three candle products made from soy for the panel review.
“It’s nice to get together in that pool of people from GROW Nebraska who motivate you, encourage you and excite you,” Vrtiska said. “We’re meeting with people who are dealing with the same problems and the same opportunities, so it’s just kind of nice to meet with people in the same boat. I’m meeting with people in my own area that I didn’t even know existed.”
Connie Harvey, wife of Hastings First Baptist minister Larry Harvey, operated her own data tracking business, Efficiency Counts. She attended the meeting to receive a $3,000 grant from Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) and enroll as a GROW Nebraska member.
“Along with that $3,000 grant was also the opportunity to get more education on marketing, which is my weak spot,” she said. “I love what I do, but don’t know how to market it and get more business. So this was very good for me learning about all the different ways out on the Internet to do marketing and networking.”
Story by: John Huthmacher of the Hastings Tribune
