GROW News
May 26, 2010
Nebraska State Fair Opportunities!
Employees Needed
Are you interested in working in the GROW Nebraska General Store at the State Fair? It is a paid position and we are looking for all shifts. We prefer to hire members that can work three or more shifts. If you are interested in working please e-mail
info@grownebraska.org.
It’s A Grand Affair On The Presentation Stage!
The Nebraska State Fair will be upon us very soon. Plans are underway to again have demonstrations on the presentation stage. This is a great way to showcase your business. Show off your skill, whether it is cooking, wheat weaving, metal work or more. Be creative - the possibilities are endless. Times are available from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm beginning Saturday, August 28 through Monday, September 7. They are filled on a first come first served basis. If you are interested in participating please let us know at
info@grownebraska.org.
Have Your Product In the State Fair Store
Before we know it the State Fair will be upon us. Do you want your product in the store? If so, please sign up today! Prices are no charge for 2010 bundle members, $30 for members who work at least one 6 our shift, $50 for members who do not work, and $150 if GROW has to take down, haul and pack your product. This year's State Fair store is in Grand Island from August 27 through September 6. The store hours are 9am-9pm.
GROW will also be offering some training. Please let us know on the sign up form which topic(s) you like best.
If you have any questions about the 2010 State Fair store opportunity, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Sign Up Now >>
eValueWeb
The goal of the GROW Nebraska web site critique is to provide members and non-members valuable feedback regarding their web site. Since $134.9 billion dollars was created in online sales in 2009*, an effective web site will increase sales of your product(s), as well as promote your business. The jury panel will consist of several web industry experts who have backgrounds in e-business strategy, graphic design, and usability testing. The jury will rate and comment on your web site in six areas: audience/purpose, graphics, navigation, content, functionality and search engine optimization.
2010 Jurors include: Jason Berry of
Wildberry Production Group,
Kurt Guntner of
Blue Collar Design Studio,
Ryan Cole of
Three Pillars Media, John Stappert of
Power Computing, Inc., Angela Stueckrath of
Angela Stueckrath Consulting,
Lance Hedquist of
South Sioux City Economic Development,
Kelly Diekmann of
Perfect 11 Solutions,
David Hefley of
Meridian Consulting, Doris Lux of
Central Community College - Columbus,
Derek Bierman of
Shockra Multimedia and Design, Sara Brownwood of
Impact! Media & Marketing, Erik Miller of
CleanSheep Design and Melody Hansen of
Sublime Artistry.
*US Department of Commerce
Sign Up Now >>
Photography Standard
Thank you to everyone who has updated their online descriptions and photography for the GROW eCommerce site. We wanted to let everyone know about the new photography standard (for eCommerce only). As you may know, GROW will be launching a new eCommerce site this summer. With this, we will be accepting new photos of your products on a
solid background. This color can be whatever you wish. If you are taking your own photography, the best solid background to use is a piece of poster board. Walls, blankets, towels, table clothes, lace and similar typically will not work well.
Additionally, you may have props in your photos, but we still require that only one of your products be shows per photo so buyers know exactly what they are purchasing. If possible, please use a professional photographer. Items that sell best on the site currently have professional photos.
The new system will also allow for multiple photos per product. We ask that at least one photo is taken "head on" but you may also include artistic photos as well.
If you would like to update your photos or have questions please send them to
info@grownebraska.org.
Do You Not Have A Web Site?
If you don't have a web site, consider using GROW Nebraska as your web address. Please feel free to add www.grownebraska.org or www.shopgrownebraska.org (if your products are on our eCommerce site) for your labels or business cards. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Prestigious Pages
Is your Facebook page prestigious? Do you need help promoting it? GROW Nebraska is looking for member pages that are dynamic and updated regularly to promote on their page every Wednesday for the Prestigious Pages post. We are seeking pages that set prime examples for other members on how to incorporate notes/blogs, photos, etc. If your page qualifies, we would love to have your Facebook Business page as our featured Prestigious Page for the week. Please email your page URL to
info@grownebraska.org to get your chance of becoming our featured page.
Testimonials
If you have a sincere testimonial about any event or service that GROW provides, we would love to hear about your experience ... the good and the not so good. We also use many member testimonials in our publications and on our web site. That gives the potential for you and your business to receive additional free press. If you have a testimonial that you would like to share, please e-mail it to us at
info@grownebraska.org.
Who Sold Online This Week?
These GROW Nebraska members sold items on the GROW Nebraska eBay and eCommerce stores this week.
New Members
The Shops at BryanLGH - Lincoln, NE
BryanLGH has 3 shops within a very large medical facility, including the Gift & Floral Shop West, Gift & Floral Shop East and The Mom & Baby Shop. All are located within BryanLGH Medical Center. Learn more
here.
Impact! Media & Marketing - Inavale, NE
Sara offers e-mail campaigns, online surveys, graphic design, web design, marketing, corporate events, printing, media planning, and media buying.
Member News
Starke Round Barn was recently named one of the Architectural Wonders of the United States by AOL Travel. Built in 1902-03 by the Starke Family, this structure is the world's largest true round barn. It is 400 feet in circumference, 130 in diameter and the center brick silo is 28 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. The barn has three levels, the basement for the dairy and draft animals, the second for machinery and grain storage, and the third for hay. Many original fixtures are still in place.
Join Creative hand at the Red Shed for "A Country Tour". Enjoy a fun day out with friends Saturday June 5th and start at the Red Shed, 7 miles north of Holdrege on Hwy 183. Start anytime between 9am-3pm in their unique country location with over 40 artisans’ products and vintage collectibles. Pick up your map for the tour which starts every half hour, ending at 3pm. View their unique gift ideas for upcoming birthdays, baby and weddings. Benjamin’s Landscaping will be showcasing Traeger grills and serving pork sandwiches. A master gardener will be giving planting demonstrations and there will be a bake sale and music by Chelsea Feusner. You can also
tour a new country home and see how they incorporated the old and new. Also enjoy a beautiful yard and pond by Oasis Garden Greenhouse & Reddish Barn Antiques. Tickets available at Bruning State Bank in Holdrege; please purchase tickets prior to tour. Call 308-991-3783 or e-mail
info@creativehandredshed.com for more information.
Fundraiser for Oncology Unit of Children’s Hospital
The Oncology Unit of Children's Hospital is having a fundraiser and would like to know if any GROW members are interested in donating products for their raffle or volunteering for the event. You can learn more
here. The event is July 24. If you would like to help out please contact Christin Kamm at
christin.kamm@nebraska.gov.
Entrepreneur Network Friday Highlights Services to Small Businesses
The May meeting of Entrepreneur Network will be held Friday, May 28 at noon. First Central Bank in McCook will again be the host site, with Jason Tuller, Center Director for the North Platte office of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) presenting information on Small Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantee programs. Highlighted programs will include SBA 7a Standard Guarantee Loans, 504 Loans, SBA Express Loans, Community Express Loans, Patriot Express Loans, Rural/Small Lender Advantage Loans, and ARC Loans. He will also discuss how NBDC can assist in applying for those loans and how NBDC can assist with many business financing and consulting needs.
Sue Shaner, Incubator Manager for McCook Economic Development Corporation at the upcoming Keystone Business Center, will provide an update on KBC progress. An array of services for small businesses will be available in a one-stop center, to provide quick access to business owners. NBDC financing and consulting services is just one example of the many opportunities small business owners will have to access resources and cutting edge information.
SCORE® Seminar
Monday, June 14th & Monday, June 21st @ 6:00 – 9:30 pm
Central Community College—Kearney
3519 2nd Ave, Kearney, NE—Room 143
TOPICS COVERED:
- Business Planning
- How to Plan for Success
- Financing Your Business
- Where to Find Funding
- Bookkeeping and Legal Structure
- What Accounting Skills are Needed for Your Business Form
- Business Insurance
- What Type should You Have
- E-Commerce/Social Marketing
- How can I Use the Internet in my Business?
- Sales & Use Taxes
- Do You Understand the Impact of Taxes?
- GROW Nebraska
- How can GROW Help?
- How I Started My Own Business
- A Personal Testimonial from a Local Business Owner
The cost of the workshop is only $45.00.
You can pre-register by calling (308) 338-4008 or (877) 222-0780, ext. 4008
