GROW News
November 4, 2009
Who Sold Online This Week?
GROW Nebraska is now highlighting the what sold online for the week. If your item sells the most for the week, it will be the featured picture for this section of the weekly update!
If you don't see your products on your list, consider updating your photography or your description to help entice more buyers. For your convenience, we have linked each product to their listing on the eCommerce or eBay sites so you can see what that member has done to help sell their product.
We encourage you to look at the photography and descriptions for each of these items to see how you can make improvements to your listing. Remember, you know more about your business and product than we do, so we really need your help to make your listing the best it can be!
To easily find your products on the eCommerce store please click here.
If you would like to make edits to your listing, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
October 28 - November 4
Get Your Products on the GROW eCommerce Site
GROW Nebraska is calling all members to submit their products to be on the eCommerce site! To qualify, all you need is for your product to be in the Kearney retail store.
Sales on
ShopGrowNebraska.org are up 133% from last year, and we anticipate this trend to continue through the holiday season. Additionally, GROW Nebraska is currently re-designing their eCommerce site to offer better functionality! These changes are anticipated to be done prior to the busy Christmas season.
Did you know that 60% of GROW Nebraska eCommerce orders are from outside of Nebraska to people who have no prior connection to our state? What a great way to expand the market of your product!
To find out which of your products are currently for sale, please visit
growneb.com/store/manufacturers.php and find your business name, then click on the link.
To have your products added to the eCommerce site, please fill out the online form
HERE. Once you have submitted the form, be sure to send pictures of your products to
erin@grownebraska.org. Without pictures we cannot post your product for sale! Pictures must be on a solid white background. If you need pictures taken of your products, please contact Erin at
erin@grownebraska.org.
December 8 Community Support Day at Whole Foods
GROW Nebraska has been chosen to be the recipient of Community Support Day at Whole Foods on December 8. On that day, a percentage of all sales at Whole Foods will be donated to GROW Nebraska. Help the cause by shopping Whole Foods in Omaha that day! If you have products at Whole Foods and would like to join the GROW staff in attending the event, please contact us at
info@grownebraska.org.
MarketPlace 2010
Kearney, NE -The
Center for Rural Affairs' fourth annual
Nebraska Marketplace: Opening Doors to Success, is coming to Kearney, Nebraska on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 and Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at the Ramada Convention Center.
MarketPlace is an event focused on energizing small businesses and rural communities. The conference features strong, hands-on learning opportunities for potential and existing business owners including on and off farm/ranch, store front or home based, women owned businesses; community leaders; and youth interested in entrepreneurship.
The Center for Rural Affairs is collaborating with numerous organizations to host the fourth
Nebraska MarketPlace. Businesses and organizations have an opportunity to apply for an exhibitor booth at the
2010 Nebraska MarketPlace conference. A maximum of 52 booths will be accepted.
Exhibiting at
MarketPlace is an excellent decision to reach a professional audience of up to 600 attendees. The networking area will feature 52 exhibit booths filled with successful small business men and women, service providers, and other conference sponsors.
"For the fourth year in a row, we've had tremendous interest from people wanting an exhibit booth at
Nebraska MarketPlace. This is a great opportunity for service providers and businesses to network with other entrepreneurs and service providers and promote their products," commented Joy Marshall,
MarketPlace Event Planner. Joy added, "There is limited space so now is the time to register for a 2010 exhibit booth and take advantage of the early bird registration fee of $150 before November 1st, 2009."
Exhibitors can choose their location in the exhibit hall on a first-come, first-serve basis, another good reason to act quickly. The benefits of exhibiting include reaching hundreds of key decision makers, building and developing business relationships, creating a positive and lasting impression on the market, meeting new customers and networking with others.
The conference offers training, networking, and professional development opportunities for startup and existing small businesses, service providers, rural communities, and family farmers and ranchers.
Again the early bird deadline to purchase an exhibit booth is November 1, 2009. Those interested in exhibitor information should contact Joy Marshall,
joym@cfra.org or 402-614-5558. For more on
MarketPlace visit:
www.cfra.org/marketplace/home
Upcoming Six Sigma Black and Green Belt Sessions
In this economy many are looking for ways to improving customer service, developing new products and services, reducing inventory and downtime, and improving your bottom line.
If so, Six Sigma or Process Improvement Training may be for your organization. World-class companies have long recognized that Six Sigma initiatives are synonymous with profit and improving your bottom line. Six Sigma puts your entire organization under the microscope, striving for perfection in every aspect.
To get ahead of the rest, you need to
Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control any possible defects in your processes in order to drive significant cost reductions. A satisfied customer is the true foundation for profitability, bottom line results, and global competitiveness.
Central Community College (CCC) has scheduled its next Six Sigma Black and Green Belt sessions to begin
February 1st, 2010, at the Columbus Campus. Datazinc, CCC’s partner and training provider, is available upon request to explain the Black and Green Belt programs and how they have helped other leading companies. If you would like to know more about Datazinc, feel free to check them out at
www.datazinc.com or give us a call.
Utilities, hospitals, manufacturers, and colleges have found Datazinc’s training program to be educational and cost effective. Enclosed is a brochure that describes the upcoming Six Sigma training programs in more detail.
If you or someone within your organization is interested in this program, please respond by
January 18th, 2010, to Sue Baer at (402) 562-1425, toll-free at 1-877-222-0780, Ext. 1425, or
sbaer@cccneb.edu.
Young Entrepreneur Scholarship
Inventors Digest
has the scoop on a scholarship opportunity for young entrepreneurs:
The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation is currently accepting applications for the
2010 Young Entrepreneur Awards. High-school seniors with a flare for entrepreneurship are encouraged to
apply online for a chance to win a scholarship valued from $1,000-$10,000.
The deadline for applying for an award is December 31. If you know an impressive young entrepreneur, encourage them to apply today.
Students can visit
www.NFIB.com/YEA to apply for a scholarship online.
Check it out. More great opportunities for Nebraska youth. Don’t forget about the East 2 West Competition as well. Details can be found here:
http://www.nebusinessplancompetition.com/
Money Smart Webinar for Potential and Existing Business Owners
The Nebraska Enterprise Fund will host a lunch hour webinar on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. for participants interested in financial resources for business ownership. The webinar is a Nebraska Money Smart Week activity including information about saving and building credit for business financing, including statewide microenterprise resources. Programs experienced with business coaching and micro business financing will be guest panelists, including staff from Northeast Economic Development Inc., and the Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP).
Participants will be able to access the webinar online free of charge, however registrations are limited. Contact Nebraska Enterprise Fund at 402.685.5500 or
janeo@nebbiz.org to register and to receive webinar access information by Friday, November 6.
Would you like your product featured on TV?
GROW Nebraska has a great opportunity with NTV News at noon to have your business featured on TV during the holiday season. Please note NTV would like to feature all types of businesses - art, jewelry, home decor, candles and gourmet food. GROW members will have the chance to show off their products during a special TV segment. We are promoting your handcrafted unique products as ideal holiday gift giving ideas. If your business has product you would like featured please let us know. Be creative! We will choose several products. This is a wonderful time to get your business in the spot light! If you have any questions please contact us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Sign up by November 12 here to be a part of this wonderful opportunity.
Member News
Congratulations to Kyle Rosfeld of Sandhills Book Company for being featured in Nebraska Life Magazine. See part of the story
here.
Judith Holl of Hollman Foods is in the hospital if you would to send her a get well card send card and letters to:
Judith Holl
c/o Good Samaritan Hospital
PO Box 1990
Room 3428
Kearney, NE 68846
Were you in the news? If so, let us know at
info@grownebraska.org!
New Members
Suzi's Lavender Company, Bennet, NE - Suzi Kelley, Owner
Handmade lavender lotions, sprays, salve, hand therapy kits, soaps, neck pillows, animal shapes stuffed with lavender, pond algae treatment bags and more.
Opa-O's, Lincoln, NE - Stewart Olson, Owner
No sodium sloppy joe spice packets. Learn more at
opaos.com.
Heirloom Woodworking, Lincoln, NE - Stewart Olson, Owner
Wooden ornaments.
Need some extra cash for the holidays? Why not work at a GROW Nebraska Store!
GROW Nebraska is currently interested in hiring GROW members to work at the Kearney and Grand Island retail locations and the Lincoln Holiday store.
If you or someone you know may be interested, please send resumes to
info@grownebraska.org. Please specify which store you are interested in working in.
SIGN UP TO WORK NOW >>
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.
- November 17 - Valentine - 9-12 at Niobrara Lodge
- November 17 - Bassett - 3-6 at North Central Nebraska RC&D
- November 18 - Norfolk - 9-12 at Northeast Community College - FULL
- January 26 - North Platte - 3-6 at West Central Research and Extension Center
- January 27 - Chadron – 3-6 at Chadron State College Student Center
- January 28 - Scottsbluff - 8:30-11:30 at UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center
- January 29 - Sidney- 9-12 at Western Nebraska Community College - Room 112
