GROW News
January 18, 2012
Below is this week's news from GROW Nebraska. If you have questions, ideas or comments please e-mail
info@grownebraska.org. We LOVE hearing from our members.
This is Your Final Week to Renew Your Membership
Thank you to those of you who have already renewed your membership. We are proud to announce that we marketed over half a million dollars in member products, and we hit a record of 82% of online sales going to out-of-state purchasers. Our online sales were up 100% over 2012. Our service members are also doing better than ever, with a lot of networking and member-to-member discounts.
Have you renewed? This year, the GROW Nebraska GROW Book deadline is January 20, so we need to know if you would like to renew your membership as soon as possible.
Remember, you are only up for renewal if you joined before April 1, 2011. If you’re not sure if you need to renew, please e-mail
info@grownebraska.org or call 888-476-9632.
If you'd like to go ahead and renew now, select one of these options:
Renew and Pay Now >>
Renew and Be Invoiced >>
If you don't plan to renew, please fill out this form:
Take Exit Survey >>
Build Your Brand with First Saturday Promotions
GROW Nebraska would like to feature samplers in all of our stores the first Saturday of each month. Are you interested in coming into one of the stores on Saturday, February 4? If so, please sign up below. This is a great way for people to learn about your product!
Sign Up for First Saturday Sampling >>
Social Media Tip: Tag us on Facebook
When you post on your company’s Facebook page, be sure to tag GROW Nebraska so the 5,261 fans on the GROW page learn about your company. It's easy to do - just add @grownebraska in your copy and select GROW Nebraska from the drop down. Need help or have questions, e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org for additional assistance.
Welcome Back Angie!
Angie Stueckrath is back with GROW Nebraska. Angie worked with the program from 1998 to 2005, and is back in a part-time capacity with the GROW Nebraska team. Angie will be helping with various projects, including membership, eCommerce and more. Angie also works part-time as a realtor with Woos Bros. Realty in Lincoln and has the member business Soy Accents Candle Co. which she runs with her sister. She will be officing in the office in Lincoln with Erin and Liz. Welcome!
GROW Now Has a Mobile App!
GROW Nebraska now has a mobile app so you can keep up-to-date on everything GROW Nebraska, including upcoming events, contact information for our stores, social media, and more. Just visit grownebraska.moblicate.com and download it today! This app will work on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone.
Download Now >>
2012 MarketPlace Store
It's that time of year again - time for the MarketPlace Conference. This year's conference will be in Kearney on February 22, and GROW Nebraska will once again have a retail store. There is no participation fee, and the commission is 25%. This opportunity is open to both members and non-members. We also encourage you to register for the MarketPlace conference that day. MarketPlace is for more than entrepreneurs but small business owners, potential small business owners, farmers, ranchers, students, teachers, community and economic developers plus many more!
Sign Up Now >>
2012 Cattlemen's Classic
The Nebraska Cattlemen's Classic has contacted GROW Nebraska wanting us to do various booths between February 22 and 26. If you are a member interested in manning a booth for GROW Nebraska please contact us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Did You Know You Get Discounts at OfficeMax and National Everything Wholesale?
GROW Nebraska members can save on their office supplies, shipping supplies and retail needs.
Every GROW Nebraska member can use the GROW Nebraska Retail Connect Card. If you don't have one, just download it
here. With this card you can save on printer ink, office supplies and up to 50% off your color and black and white copies. Any order over $50 through the web site can also be shipped for free.
Another opportunity is 10% off with National Everything Wholesale. This includes packing materials for your eCommerce site, as well as tissue and bags for your retail store. Just use the code 10GROWNE when checking out at
www.NPAPER.com.
SBAM Upcoming Events and Webinars
The Small Business Association of the Midlands (SBAM) has several great workshops coming up that may benefit your business, some of which GROW Nebraska is collaborating with them on. Click on each event below to learn more.
- A Decade of Change and Insights for the Future
Friday, January 20, 2012 from 7:30 AM to 8:30am
Omaha, NE – Gallup
- Gallup Nebraska Entrepreneur Acceleration System
Friday, Jan 20, 2012 at 1:00 PM
FREE WEBINAR
- Biz Breakfast: Marketing Basics
Friday January 27, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM CST
Lincoln, NE -SCC Continuing Education Center (CEC)
- Biz Breakfast: Marketing Basics
Wednesday February 1, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM CST
Omaha, NE - Joslyn Castle
- Rule of Thumb Small Business Marketing Self for Success
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
FREE WEBINAR
- Rev Up Relationships, Referrals, & Revenues with Digital Marketing
Tuesday February 14, 2012 from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM CST
Grand Island - Bosselman Conference Center
- Rev Up Relationships, Referrals, & Revenues with Digital Marketing
Wednesday February 15, 2012 from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM CST
Omaha NE - SBAM Office
February Membership Call
GROW Nebraska has scheduled monthly membership calls for 2012. These calls are a great way for you to get questions answered about your membership or anything GROW related.
The next call is set for Tuesday, February 7 at 1pm CT. GROW Nebraska staff will be available on each call to answer your questions and concerns. The calls will be held the first Tuesday of every month at 1pm CT. Please be sure to sign up for the call so that you receive the call in phone number.
Sign Up Now >>
$50 Storage Fee for Product Not Picked Up
GROW Nebraska is lucky to have over 300 members' products in our retail stores in Kearney and Grand Island. Because of limited storage space, this year we are asking all members who are not renewing to remove their product by
January 20. Any member who still has product in stock will be charged a $50 storage fee. If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org of call (888)476-9632.
Join GROW Nebraska on Google+
GROW Nebraska recently added a Google+ page to our social media endeavors. Be sure to join our circle by visiting our page.
Join GROW Nebraska's Google+ Circle >>
Are You Interested in Helping with MarkeTECH?
The GROW Nebraska MarkeTECH conference is just around the corner. This year, the event will take place on Thursday, April 19 in North Platte. We are currently working on setting up a steering committee to help pull the conference together, find speakers, and talk about ideas for how to make it our best conference yet. If you are interested in assisting us, please fill out the form below.
Join the Steering Committee >>
Are You Utilizing the GROW Facebook Page?
GROW Nebraska has over 5,200 followers on our Facebook page. Are you utilizing it? Please post information about your business, upcoming events, sales, or services to let over 5,000 people know about you! If you have questions about how to do this, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org for assistance.
Packing Materials Needed
GROW is in need for bubble wrap, especially that with larger bubbles. We will also take gently used or new boxes and other packing materials you don't want to throw away. If you have any that you are not using please let us know at
info@grownebraska.org. Our online sales have been great creating a need for more!
Promote Your Events
Remember to let GROW Nebraska know if you have upcoming events. We'll be more than happy to add them to our online calendar and help you to promote them. If you have any upcoming events you would like featured, please fill out the form below.
Submit Your Event >>
Be Our Next GROW Getter
Each Wednesday at 11 a.m., an e-mail is sent to all members, those who have signed up for our promotions list, and all of those who have purchased off of our eCommerce site. The GROW Getter will promote an item at 40% off retail price. 20% of this is covered by GROW Nebraska's cut, and 20% is covered by the participating business. If you have any questions, please contact
info@grownebraska.org.
This week's GROW Getter features Uncle Larry's Crack Cream! We sold six in less than an hour and a half from this promotion. Check it out
here.
If you are interested in having your item added please fill out the form
here.
Also, do you want your service business promoted with GROW Nebraska, including Facebook and Twitter promotion, e-mail promotion, and more? Contact us at
info@grownebraska.org for more information on this new service.
Do you want to try Google AdWords?
GROW Nebraska recently received a Google Grant which allows us to use up to $330 per day in Google AdWord advertising. As of now, we are not using up our total daily budget, so we need your help. If you have products available on
ShopGrowNebraska.org and would like FREE AdWords for them, please fill out the form
here. This is a great opportunity to try Google AdWords for free before investing in them yourself.
New Members
No new members this week.
Member News
Do you have news about your business? Please let us know at
info@grownebraska.org.
Present Your Food to 200+ People
The seventh annual Nebraska’s Agri/Eco-Tourism Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 31- Feb.1, 2012, in North Platte at the Sandhills Convention Center. The “Taste of Nebraska Agritourism” networking event will be back by popular demand from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31. This event offers the perfect opportunity for GROW Nebraska members to showcase their quality homemade and homegrown products. The event also is an excellent venue for networking and visiting with possible partners to cross-market your products.
The event is organized similar to a farmers’ market. While there is no charge for booth space, we ask that vendors provide product samples for approximately 150-200 attendees. Businesses are welcome to sell packaged, non-alcoholic products during the event. Proper licensing and certification procedures for food and beverage sales need to be followed.
We are also encouraging members participating to attend the workshop as well. Information is available on the form. You may pay when signing up for the tasting for the workshop. Those participating receive a $25 discount on the workshop (normally $75).
Katrina with Heavenly Creations has signed up - who will join her?
Sign Up Now >>
MarketPlace Early Bird Registration
Sign up for the 6th Annual 2012 Nebraska MarketPlace conference at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in Kearney, NE, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012.
Look for the Agenda, Featured Speakers, Exhibitor Packet, Mail-in registration hotel accommodations and more information on their web site at
http://www.cfra.org/marketplace/ne-12. Registration is just $45 per person until January 25, then the price increases to $55 through February 6th.
Learn More and Sign Up Now >>
REAP Collaboration Opportunity for GROW Nebraska Members
REAP (Rural Enterprise Assistance Project), a project of the Center of Rural Affairs, would like to help GROW Nebraska members that do not have a business plan to develop one. They also help members that have a business plan but would like it reviewed.
Learn More and Sign Up Now >>
Promote your Product or Art on NTV
If you have not been featured on the NTV's The Good Life and are interested in doing so, please let us know so we can submit your information to the producers of NTV.
Learn More and Sign Up Now >>
