GROW News
February 24, 2010
GROW Nebraska's MarkeTech Conference
The GROW Nebraska Annual Meeting is now called the GROW Nebraska MarkeTech Conference. This year's conference will be held in Lincoln on April 22 from 8 am-4 pm. We will once again also be offering the pre-conference for members only on April 21 at the Holiday Inn Express. Rooms are available for the discounted rate under GROW Nebraska. Call 402-464-0588 to reserve a hotel room.
The conference will also feature the annual product evaluation, a service business trade show, a wonderful meal and many great speakers.
Would you like to promote your food product by providing the snack during breaks at the conference? (You must be in attendance.)
E-mail us if you're interested.
Details will be coming soon regarding specifics. If you have any questions, please contact us at 888.476.9632 or e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Marketing Workshops
Twitter Tense? Facebook Frets? Utterli Uneasy? Social Media Stressing You Out? We Can Help!
GROW Nebraska has teamed up with the University of Nebraska Extension Specialists to help you reduce your anxiety in keeping up with the social media marketing craze.
Social media marketing is essential to increasing brand awareness and expanding your online business presence. However, if you don’t understand how it works, thinking about posting tweets, updating your Facebook page and incorporating your blog into the media mix seems overwhelming.
Not only will we teach you how to save time by being more efficient when using social media, but we are bringing the "Get Social Sessions" to you. Spots are filling quickly! Price is $10/person. If you have questions, call us at 888.GROW.NEB or e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org. If you are interested in attending one of these workshops, please sign up
HERE.
- March 16 - Lincoln- 9-12 and 2-5 at UNL East Campus - Filley Hall
- March 18 - Kearney - 9-12 at IntelliCom
Product Evaluation
GROW Nebraska is excited for their 2010 Product Evaluation. The product evaluation is one of GROW Nebraska’s™ most valuable services. The goal of the product evaluation is to provide you with suggestions on how you may improve your product or where you should be selling your product. The result of the product evaluation is to add to your business’s bottom line and increase your income.
This year GROW Nebraska™ has assembled a panel that consists of industry experts. Here is Deb McWilliams, one of this year’s 2010 Product Evaluation Panel. McWilliams serves as the administrative manager of the Nebraska State Historical Society Landmark Stores. She also serves as the manager for both the volunteer and membership programs.
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.
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
¼ Page: $125
½ 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!
Check Out GROW's Social Media
Have you checked out GROW social media lately? GROW Nebraska would like to have 5,000 fans by June 1, and we need your help. If you would like to recommend your friends become fans of GROW, simply visit
facebook.com/growneb and click the "suggest to friends" link on the left side under the picture. Once you do this a box will pop up where you can choose the friends you would like to suggest the page to.
You can also visit our
YouTube page and view all the videos about our members. Want to know when a new video is uploaded? Just create a YouTube account and follow GROW.
GROW Shop the Cause
Have you checked out the Shop the Cause on the GROW Facebook page? GROW has been featuring members involved with the project. See more at
facebook.com/growneb.
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. Sandra Hilsabeck of Sandra Hilsabeck Books already took advantage of this great opportunity. Read her blog by
clicking here. Become a blogger today with the easy NEW service from GROW Nebraska.
Is your Business using the GROW Calendar of Events and Facebook Fan Page?
One of the best benefits of your membership to GROW Nebraska is the calendar of events. If your business has an event or is attending an event, please contact
info@grownebraska.org within two weeks of the events so we can promote it on the GROW Facebook Fan Page and Twitter. Please upload photos of new products and other important details about your business on the GROW Nebraska Facebook Fan Page. If you have any questions, please email
info@grownebraska.org. 2,800 fans would love to know about your business.
Grand Island Store Address
The Grand Island store has moved. Thank you to Cheryl, Gary, Don, Jeanne, Molly, Michael, Cheryl, and Mary Ann who helped with the move. The new address is:
Conestoga Mall #144
3404 W 13th St
Grand Island, NE 68803
GROW Food Business Member – Would like to export your product?
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture will be hosting meetings March 15 and 16, 2010 with Dennis Lynch from the Food Export Helpline. During his visit they will be traveling to meet one-on-one with Nebraska food companies. If your company is interested in learning more about exporting, please contact Laura Linden, Agricultural Trade Representative Inter at 402-471-6804 or email
laura.linden@nebraska.gov.
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.
Did You Pay Bundle?
GROW Nebraska would like to encourage members that paid bundle to fill out this
form to get your items on eBay. Check out the eBay store
here.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 888.476.9632 or e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
New Members
Platte River Specialties - North Platte, NE
Christopher Donovan provides specialty food items including tea, coffee, olive oil, spices, honey, and cheese.
Blue Sky Ink- Lincoln, NE
Blue Sky Ink is a small company with big results. Dick, Janna, and Jodi Pierce can help with your grant writing needs. Collectively over $11.5 million in grants has been received by their clients.
Member News
Baby Malzer has arrived so Erin will be out of the office for the next month. If you are needing assistance, please e-mail
info@grownebraska.org.
Winning Government Contracts for Your Business
The NBDC Procurement Technical Assistance Program is sponsoring a series of workshops at the University of Nebraska at Kearney each month. Below are the dates for upcoming workshops.
March 11 - Registering Your Business
April 8 - The Successful Proposal
Time: 8:30am to 10:30am
Location: University of Nebraska at Kearney, West Center Building, Room 120E, 1917 West 24th Street, Kearney NE,
OR Live Webinar
All of the workshops are FREE, but you must register in advance.
To register please visit
here.
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.
Women in Business Showcase
Women Business Owners Network (WBON) is a showcase of southeast Nebraska women in business. Vendors have the opportunity to network with other local women in business, showcase their business, and gather leads. Attendees will learn more about local women-owned businesses and can shop their booths.
The event is free to the public and open from 4:00-9:00pm at Courtside Banquet Hall, 710 Hill Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Door prizes will be drawn throughout the evening. Catered hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. Contact Sellenee Sich, CWIB Co-Chair, at
sel@thesupportexperts.com or 402-314-3787 for more information.
