GROW News
March 17, 2010
Promote Your Business With a Large GROW Book Ad
As a GROW Nebraska member, you get a FREE listing in the GROW Book. In addition, we are offering a limited number of advertising spots for magazine style ads to allow you to really promote your business. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn the process of advertising at a very affordable price. The prices will be as follows:
1/8 page: $75
1/4 Page: $125
1/2 Page: $250
Full Page: $500
All you need to do now is email Kristi at kristi@grownebraska.org to have your spot reserved. GROW staff will work with you to develop your artwork, or you can have your ad prepared by someone else.
The space is limited, so reserve your spot today!
GROW Nebraska's Pre-conference
The 2010 Pre-Conference will feature GROW Member, Michele Johnson of Art Cottage Web Site Development and Michele M. Johnson Fine Art. Michele will be covering many aspects of successful web sites and will touch on how to incorporate social networking into your web site for a larger web presence.
After the presentation, GROW Staff and UNL Extension will also be available for one-on-one technical assistance in the areas of product description and pictures, social networking, and adding the affiliated program to your web site.
The pre-conference will be held April 21, from 2 pm – 5 pm at the Holiday Inn Express & Hotel Suites, Lincoln Airport.
The pre-conference is for GROW Nebraska members only and has a limited space. Sign up now to register!
Rooms are available for the discounted rate under GROW Nebraska. Call 402-464-0588 to reserve a hotel room.
Product Evaluation
Up your game and get your product off the sidelines and into the limelight with the 2010 GROW Nebraska Product Evaluation. The event will be held April 22 during the 2010 GROW Nebraska Conference that includes social media and Web site marketing sessions.
Seven industry Product Evaluators will be offering their expertise and marketing tips as part of the process. To meet them or sign up, go to click here.
"Entrepreneurs and business owners who want to market and sell products made or designed in Nebraska can gain valuable insight regarding their product’s marketability, pricing and packaging. These products consistently draw the attention of purchasing agents," said GROW Nebraska CEO, Janell Anderson Ehrke.
Even if you only sell retail, said Ehrke, the evaluation is highly beneficial. Recommendations include ways that products or marketing campaigns can be improved or expanded, and the best local retail outlets for sales. All products are rated on design, creativity, craftsmanship, price and overall impact. The Evaluation is a training service for business owners who want to participate in GROW Nebraska markets or retail events with the goal of increasing their triple bottom line. Producers are not present in the room during the evaluation so that industry experts can candidly assess all products.
You do not need to be in attendance or a GROW Nebraska member to participate. Cost for bundle members is free, basic membership is $15 and for non-members, $25.
The registration deadline is April 14. For more information call 1-888-GROWNEB (1-888-476-9632) or e-mail info@grownebraska.org.
Be Featured in the GROW Annual Report
GROW Nebraska is working on their yearly Annual Report. We would like to feature members on the cover as we did last year. If you have a picture of you with your product or service, please send it to info@grownebraska.org. Photos must be print resolution (300 DPI). Product only shots will not be accepted.
Flavors of Nebraska
The Flavors of Nebraska Passport is a project that will bring tourists and visitors into your place of business. "Flavor' refers to the unique mix of people, places and products that make a visit to Nebraska a warm, friendly, experience, and that means YOU! We are printing a brochure that will list unique businesses around the state, show a map of the state so visitors can see how easily your business fits into their route, and include a section with squares where you can place a code indicating the brochure holder visited your business and made a purchase. After visiting a designated number of participating stores, they can mail the brochure back to GROW and they will receive a thank you gift of GROW Bucks from GROW Nebraska. These are redeemable at GROW retail outlets, and we ask you to redeem them as well. All you have to do is send the GROW Bucks back to us and we'll send you a check.
The brochures will be distributed via your business and the I-80 rest area visitor's kiosks, and the information will be available on the GROW Flavors of Nebraska web site. Currently there are not any fees for you to participate in this project. If you are interested in participating in this exciting service, we need you to sign up here. You will be asked to complete a survey that will tell us if you qualify for the project, and we'll take it from there. If you have questions, please email info@grownebraska.org.
Be Featured on our Blog
Want to get your business noticed on Google? Would you like your company to have the opportunity to get higher on the search engine ranking? Well if you answered yes to any those questions, you need to take advantage of the NEW service from GROW. It’s the GROW Blog Services. Click here, provide the information requested and GROW will develop a blog for your business. Click here to see the members who have taken advantage of this and look for more to post soon. Become a blogger today with the easy NEW service from GROW Nebraska.
Don't Use a Credit Card to Finance Your Business!
Did you know that GROW Nebraska has the Quick GROW Express Loan available to GROW Members? The interest rate is 5.25% with flexible payment options. The GROW Micro loans products are administered by REAP (Rural Enterprise Assistance Program).
Contact info@grownebraska.org for more information or Jeff Reynolds, REAP Director at 402-656-3091 e-mail jeff@cfra.org
IMPORTANT for Non-food, Product Members
Please visit this link to download your GROW Nebraska Form 13. Form 13 is the Nebraska Resale or Exempt Sale Certificate for Sales Tax Exemption. You may include it with your taxes to show that GROW Nebraska paid sales tax on all items sold in our retail locations. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@grownebraska.org.
CHANGE THE WORLD with GROW: Glass Reuse for Our World
We are inviting you to help us GO GREEN and make a small step in changing the world. We are piloting a glass reuse program at the Kearney store. A GROW member suggested this project.
What is the project?
Consumers will be encouraged to bring their empty glass jars of GROW Nebraska products to the Kearney store where participating members will re-sanitize and reuse the glass containers.
Why be involved?
- FREE glass container because you will be able to reuse the returned empty jars
- Environmentally conscientious consumers will want to buy your product because it is recyclable
- You will get additional product promotion
- It’s simple.
How to be involved in this project:
- Sign up here
- Agree to put a small label on your participating products that says it is returnable for recycling
- Pick up empty glass containers at the Kearney Store
- Re-sterilize the glass containers
- Reuse them!
If you have any questions about this project, don't hesitate to contact us at
info@grownebraska.org.
New Members
The Smile Guy - Lincoln, NE
David Staenberg will make you smile. He has handed out over 50,000 smile cards. Just finishing his first book, Staenberg is excited to get the book out on shelves. GROW stores will soon have his smile cards, t-shirts, and book.
Northeast Community College- Norfolk , NE
Northeast Community College is a comprehensive community college, with a mission of rural revitalization and regional; community and economic development, entrepreneurship training and business coaching.
Nebraska Historical Society- Lincoln , NE
Nebraska Historical Society provides customers information about Nebraska's rich history. In addition, they run four landmark stores.
Up In Stitches - Waverly, NE
Sherry Vidlak can do it all from making new garments to alterations on current ones. She also does bridal alterations. She can even make your wedding dress.
Member News
Congratulations to Preferred Popcorn on their recent expansion. Learn more about it
here.
Congratulations to Garvin Meats for having their GROW Nebraska podcast picked up by World News. Watch it
here.
Congratulations to Mike Mennard and Elyria Canning Company for being featured in Nebraska Life this month.
Connie Brott is in the process of setting up a store in Hayes Center, NE featuring GROW Nebraska products. If you are interested in having your product line there or getting more information, please contact her at 308-350-5001 or e-mail
lcbrott@gpcom.net
Food Entrepreneur Assistance Program Seminar
The Food Processing Center is offering a one-day seminar for all individuals interested in exploring the idea of starting a food manufacturing business. The “From Recipe to Reality” seminar will be offered on April 10, 2010. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Registration deadline is April 1, 2010. Contact Jill Gifford at 402-472-2819 or
jgifford1@unl.edu for an information packet.
