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Archive for May, 2011

Ready for the Royal Treatment??

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Do you have or work for a “first class business?” You know, the type of business that’s consistently innovating, serving the community and building a world class workforce?

nashua-silver-knights1If so, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, Public Service of New Hampshire, the Nashua Silver Knights and the “New Hampshire Today with Jack Heath” show on WTPL 107.7 FM have a great contest created especially for you.

By visiting our Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/NoBullBusiness?sk=app_190322544333196) and telling us why you’re a “first class business,” you can win a pair of suite tickets to the Silver Knights Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) game vs. the Seacoast Mavericks (whose president just happens to be Red Sox Hall of Famer Bob “Steamer” Stanley) on June 24th at 7:05 p.m. While enjoying the game, you’ll also dine on some choice ballpark fare and have a chance to meet Boston Bruins winger Shawn Thornton – word has it that #22 might find his way up to our box.

Have you hired new employees? Created a new product that’s changing the way people live their lives? Performed exemplary customer service? Created an employee wellness program that’s causing people to buzz at the water cooler?

All you need to do is visit our Facebook page listed above and let us know and you could be receiving the royal treatment on June 24th. We look forward to hearing from you!

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director

Learn How to Do Business With the Federal Government

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Selling services or products to the federal government can be highly profitable for small businesses, but often business owners don’t know where to start. That’s why the New Hampshire Procurement Technical Assistance Program (NH-PTAP) is holding a free information and enrollment meeting for North Country businesses on Friday, June 3rd from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the White Mountains Community College, 2020 Riverside Drive in Berlin.  

doing-businessDuring presentations by representatives of the NH-PTAP  and by Pamala Tharp, Contracting Officer for the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Berlin, participants will learn how to cut through the red tape and get started applying for federal contracts. 

According to Roy Duddy, Interim Director of the NH Division of Economic Development, “Federal government contracts worth $1.8 billion are awarded each year to New Hampshire businesses—and 76 businesses in Coos County are working with NH-PTAP to get already involved in government contracting. With Fci Berlin ready to open, pending federal funding, now is the time for North Country businesses to start the process so that they’re ready when FCI Berlin releases their contracts—or they risk being left behind, as once an agency has selected a supplier, they’re likely to stay with them.” 

It’s anticipated that FCI Berlin will award $12 million to $14 million per year in contracts, with a big chunk being spent locally. Dave Pease, NH-PTAP Program Manager, points out that there are many more opportunities for federal contracts for North Country businesses. “FCI Berlin is far from the only federal contracting opportunity for lots of North Country companies. Coos County businesses have a competitive advantage when it comes to federal contracts. Since the area is a designated HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone), businesses that are HUBZone certified are eligible for set-asides and contracts. We want to help North Country businesses exploit that competitive advantage.” 

Pease explains that those at the June 3rd event will learn what they need to do to be ready to sell to the federal government and what resources NH-PTAP makes available. “Selling to the federal government isn’t like doing business in the private sector. It’s not as flexible and it can’t be done on the fly. Since we now have dedicated office space at White Mountains Community College, we intend to have a staff person spend one week a month there to assist businesses, and we’ll continue to offer training events like this one, as well as more advanced topics.”

$25,000 to be awarded to New Hampshire Start Up

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

On June 2nd the Manchester Young Professionals Network (MYPN) will award $25,000 in cash and in-kind services to the winner of the MYPN NH Start Up Challenge business plan competition. The event is being held at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College on June 2nd at 5:30pm and is free and open to the public.

The event will feature an exclusive opportunity for the two remaining finalists, TRX Sports and Nearby Registry, to deliver an elevator pitch to the audience. The winner will then be announced for the first time in front of the attendees. Guests are encouraged to pre-register at www.mypn.org.  

mypn2“The NH Start Up Challenge is emerging as New Hampshire’s signature business plan competition,” said E.J. Powers, Chairman of MYPN. “We were extremely impressed by the quality of business plans submitted and are hopeful that the assistance provided to the winner, courtesy of many generous sponsors, will go a long way in making their business a success.”

The finalists include TRX Sports which has created “FLEYE” a video and GPS products and systems that allow sports enthusiasts to capture their experiences and share them online. 

“Participating in the MYPN NH Start Up Challenge has been a tremendous opportunity to network with other successful entrepreneurs and experienced business professionals who can help us grow from a great idea into a great company,” said Cameron Miner, CEO of TRX Sports. “In addition to the great connections and media exposure that we have gained through the Challenge, winning the $25,000 award would be incredibly valuable for us right now. The prize money would enable us to install a FLEYE System at a NH resort this summer, allowing us to get some early exposure and do more testing in preparation for the full launch this winter.”

The other finalist is Nearby Registry, a provider of online gift registry service for independent retailers and service providers. “MYPN’s NH Start Up Challenge triggered me to transfer my long-time local gift registry idea into a tangible business plan that proves the benefit local registry sales will have for Nearby communities,” said Allison Grappone. “The $25,000 from the Challenge will make Nearby Gift Registry a reality, sooner.”

Over 50 entrepreneurs applied and five semi-finalists received scholarships and attended the Stonyfield Farm Entrepreneurial Institute.  Along with the scholarship, they also received guidance and support regarding important aspects of their business plan from SCORE mentors.  Two finalists, TRX Sports and Nearby Registry were then chosen to present their business plan to the challenge judges consisting of Phil Ryan, Merchants Automotive Group; Kathleen Cook, Bean Foundation; Graham Chynoweth, Dynamic Network Services; Richard (Dick) Kimball, Bigelow & Company; and Steve Webb, TD Bank. The winner will be unveiled the evening of June 2nd.

The 3rd annual MYPN NH Start Up Challenge is a statewide business plan competition designed to encourage entrepreneurship and social innovation. The competition was created in 2008 by MYPN, New Hampshire’s first and largest young professional networking organization with over 3,000 members.

In less than three years, MYPN has awarded over $50,000 to New Hampshire start-ups. The 2010 competition winner was Play @ Work. Their goal is to help busy parents balance family, work and life by providing office space while their young children enjoy a supervised playgroup in a welcoming, child-friendly atmosphere.

The 2009 Start Up Challenge winner was Float Left Labs, a non-profit that assists other non-profits with marketing and web design needs. Float Left Labs has been open for business for over a year and is achieving its goal of providing marketing services to non-profits such as New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility, Families in Transition and the Nashua Senior Center.

Public Service of New Hampshire is the presenting sponsor of the MYPN New Hampshire Start Up Challenge. Additional sponsors include FairPoint Communications, DYN Inc., abi Innovation Hub, Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green, Howe Riley and Howe, Business NH Magazine, Anagnost Companies, Montagne Communications, Wells Fargo Advisors, Northwestern Mutual, Merchants Automotive, McLane Law Firm, The Daymark Group, Wiggin & Nourie, Ogden Media and Z food & drink. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available.

For more information please visit www.mypn.org.

SBA Introduces New Mobile Application for Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Smart phone users interested in starting or growing a small business can now find helpful resources at their fingertips via a new SBA mobile application from the U.S. Small Business Administration.  

mobile-devices“Increasingly, smart phones are the vehicle through which Americans access information.  This is certainly true of many entrepreneurs and small business owners and this new application ensures they will have access to SBA’s resources and programs – literally at their fingertips,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills.  “Greater mobility fits with the new user-focused SBA.gov launched recently, and is another example of the steps we are taking to do a better job of connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the tools to help them start or grow their businesses and create jobs.” 

Developed and donated as a gift by Palo Alto Software, Inc., the SBA mobile app will make the search for extensive resources more efficient, whether users are starting a new business or taking an existing business to a new level.  The app will first be available for the Apple iPhone®, with future versions for other smart phone platforms. 

“Palo Alto Software’s mission is to help small businesses succeed.  We’ve developed this mobile application for the SBA because we understand the importance of having the right tools and resources when starting or growing a business,” said Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software.  “Ideas can strike entrepreneurs at any moment, and having useful resources available through mobile devices could be the impetus that begins the next big company.” 

The mobile app will help users connect with SBA district office staff and SBA-affiliated counselors and mentors who can provide free, personalized small business assistance.  The user-friendly format of the app will help answer questions such as: How do I start a business? Where can I go in my area to get free help with writing a business plan? And where do I begin finding funding for my business? 

The SBA mobile app also features a built-in startup cost calculator to help estimate the costs associated with getting a business off the ground, plus an SBA partner locator to help users find SBA offices, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and SCORE.  

Users will also have mobile access to SBA video content and social media alerts to provide them with tips on the go.  This will include live updates from the SBA’s YouTube channel and from SBA’s Twitter feeds.  The free mobile app can be downloaded from the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/content/sba-mobile-app.

NHBSR Spring Conference Planned

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility’s (NHBSR) Spring Conference, “Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into Your Core Business Strategy,” will take place on Monday, June 13, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center at the Courtyard Marriott in Concord, NH.

nhbsr“Corporate social responsibility isn’t just a good business practice, it also adds to your company’s bottom line,” said NHBSR Interim Executive Director Kate Luczko. “This conference will not only help your business to better meet the needs of your clients and employees, it will also provide you with information you need to grow your business in a sustainable way.”

The conference features a lively morning networking session, the presentation of the NHBSR Cornerstone Award, four educational breakout sessions, and an afternoon CEO panel.
These educational sessions, which will offer real world suggestions that are appropriate and applicable to any size company, include “New Hampshire’s Changing Workforce: The Growing Need for Flexibility,” “Successfully Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into Your Core Strategy and Culture,” “Current Trends in Managing Corporate Citizenship,” and “Managing Sustainability Performance with the Balanced Scorecard.”

At noon, Lisa Hardin Berghaus, Marketing Specialist, Monadnock Paper Mills, NHBSR Board Member and Spring Conference Co-Chair, will introduce Governor John Lynch who will present NHBSR’s annual Cornerstone Award to a company that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire. The finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award are: Antioch University, Sequoya Technologies Group, and Northeast Delta Dental.

“NHBSR is delighted to recognize one of our members with this award. It’s a fantastic way to highlight outstanding work in the field of social responsibility and sustainability and provides a important example to our New Hampshire community,” Luczko said.

C&S Wholesale Grocers was the proud recipient of the 2010 NHBSR Cornerstone Award for their efforts in feeding the hungry, promoting environmental awareness and encouraging employee volunteerism.

Here’s a brief overview of this year’s nominees:

Northeast Delta Dental
Northeast Delta Dental specializes in the administration of dental programs. It is their mission to be the leading force in the dental prepayment marketplace by offering quality, versatile and affordable dental programs to benefit their purchasers, subscribers, and participating member dentists. They have created a corporate environment built upon high trust and mutual respect. They are a values-driven company that successfully balances profitability and socially-responsible initiatives. Their leadership team follows the principles of servant leadership, enabling all employees, customers, and stockholders to be free from bureaucratic red tape, to self-actualize, and to have a delightful experience with Northeast Delta Dental.

Antioch University New England
Since its founding in 1964, Antioch University New England (ANE) has supported the tenets of Corporate Social Responsibility, and as its mission, provides transformative graduate study education through scholarship, innovation, and community action for a just and sustainable society. Antioch University New England supports CSR in three ways. Antioch operate the business of running a university using CSR principles, they educate their students in CSR principles, and through many of their student practices and internships, they help businesses and organizations locally and throughout New England recognize and begin to adopt CSR principles.

Sequoya Technologies Group
Sequoya is a managed IT services and software design firm specializing in meeting the needs of small businesses in southern New Hampshire. They’re located in Peterborough and provide IT support throughout the greater Monadnock region, including Keene, Concord, Manchester, and Nashua. They’ve also performedsoftware development projects for clients in New York, Denver, and beyond. They have a dedicated team of technicians, network engineers, and software developers. Sequoya truly believes in the values of a supportive and enjoyable work environment, with many benefits that are unusual for a company of only seven people, including flexible work schedules, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance for both full-time and part-time staff, and more.

Following the Cornerstone Award Presentation there will be a CEO Panel Discussion, a new feature for the conference. The moderator is Jon Greenberg, Executive Editor at NH Public Radio, and panelists include Gerardine Ferlins, President/CEO of Cirtronics Corporation, Nannu Nobis, founder and CEO of Nobis Engineering, Inc., Doug Vincent, President and CEO of Design Mentor, Inc, Walter Chapin, Co-founder and CEO of Company C, Inc., and John Hamilton, Vice President of Economic Opportunity at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. Following the CEO Panel Discussion there will be a short break and the Educational Breakout Sessions from the morning will repeat.

Over twenty-five socially responsible exhibitors will be showcasing their products and services throughout the conference, as well as the Silent Auction and Sustainability Book Store.

This event is made possible by the generosity of many sponsors.  Conference Leaders: FairPoint Communications, Normandeau Associates, the New Hampshire Community and Development Finance Authority, Monadnock Paper Mill and Hannaford. Conference Partners; Public Service of New Hampshire, and PAX World. AM Networking sponsor is Nixon Peabody LLP. CEO Panel sponsor is NH Community Loan Fund. Carbon Offset for this event was sponsored by C&S Wholesale Grocers. The Tote-bag sponsors are Northeast Delta Dental and Hypertherm. Design, paper and printing were provided by Baker Salmon Design, Monadnock Paper Mill and RAM Printing. NHBSR web marketing is sponsored by SilverTech.

The cost is $125 for any NHBSR member, $150 for non-members, $50 for non-profits and $30 for students.

For more detailed information about the Spring Conference, please visit http://www.nhbsrconference.org/ or contact Interim Executive Director, Kate Luczko at kate@nhbsr.org, (603) 391-7437. For more information about NHBSR, visit our website at www.nhbsr.org

Print Savvy Recognized for Community Service

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Great to see one of our “First Class Business” honorees being recognized in other venues. Congrats to Lisa Landry and the rest of her team at Print Savvy!!

Print Savvy’s Savvy Workshop is proud to announce that Print Savvy, Inc. was selected as the Mayor’s 2011 Small Business Award winner for Community Service.  

Since launching in 1998, Print Savvy has sustained an impressive community service track record with leadership roles in many organizations, including the American Heart Association, Manchester Rotary Club, and the New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility. “We feel that we have many talents, skills and offerings that can benefit non-profit organizations. We share our talents freely”, stated Lisa Landry, President and Founder of Print Savvy. In fact, the Print Savvy employees have provided their expertise in over forty official capacities for non-profit organizations since 1998, not including countless other organizations that received services and savvy know-how informally! 

Print Savvy President and Founder Lisa Landry

Print Savvy President and Founder Lisa Landry

The Mayor’s Small Business Awards were created to honor and recognize small businesses within Manchester in three separate categories: Growth, Innovation and Community Service. The winners of all three categories were announced today at the Mayor’s Award Recognition Breakfast held at the Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. This breakfast was the culmination of the Small Business Week, May 16th-20th, which was designed by the City of Manchester to recognize the small business community and emphasize the Queen City as New Hampshire’s small business capital. 

You can read more about Print Savvy and the Small Business Award recipients for Growth and Innovation in the next edition of the NH Business Review. 

About Print Savvy and Savvy Workshop

Savvy Workshop is a multi-channel printing and marketing firm servicing a diverse clientele throughout New England and beyond. From concept to creation, as a virtual marketing partner Savvy works closely with clients to offer the most appropriate marketing tools for supporting business growth and development within their individual industries. For more information, visit www.savvyworkshop.com and www.printsavvy.com.

goQ Named May “Innovation Rocks!” Winner

Friday, May 20th, 2011

In a world where written communication is a key skill in education and business, those who struggle with writing are at a huge disadvantage, whether their struggle is due to disability, attention disorder, or learning or language challenges. Now, thanks to a revolutionary new software from a Dover-based company, virtually anyone can write, edit and proofread with ease.

goqTo recognize this achievement, the New Hampshire Business Resource Center announced today that goQ Software has been named the May “Innovation Rocks!” award winner for their WordQ and SpeakQ software.

Together WordQ and SpeakQ are the first and only computer-based writing tools that integrate word prediction, speech recognition and spoken feedback. Word prediction helps the user find the correct word and its spelling. Speech recognition allows the user to dictate, while spoken feedback provides enables the user to hear and correct what they have written. In fact, WordQ will read virtually any passage of text the user selects, including text from a web page.

The user new to WordQ chooses a vocabulary from a selection intended for different writing and age levels. Then, over time, as he or she uses new words, the program adds them the vocabulary. Users can also create lists of specialized jargon or technical words and add them to the vocabulary.

The two programs are so intuitive that they are being used by a wide spectrum of people, from primary school and college students to CEOs of major corporations; these individuals may have learning disabilities, ADD or ADHD, autism, limited mobility, aphasia or trauma, or English may be their second language. WordQ is available for Windows XP/Vista/7 and Mac OS X, while the SpeakQ plug-in is available exclusively for Windows XP/Vista/7.

“For many people, having difficulty writing creates anxiety, reduces their ability to perform in school or business, and has a profound effect on their lives,” said New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Roy Duddy. “This software opens up a whole world of possibilities. As exciting as it is for the parents of a child who can now write, thanks to this assistive technology, it is every bit as important for adults whose difficulties in writing mean they have few employment opportunities. It’s wonderful to see a product that has both a personal and economic impact.”

For more information about goQ Software, visit www.goqsoftware.com.

NH Community Loan Fund Top-Rated for Social Impact

Friday, May 20th, 2011

The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund has received the highest possible rating for its social impact performance from CARS™, the CDFI Assessment and Ratings System. CARS helps investors and donors assess the creditworthiness and impact performance of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).

NH Community Loan Fund President Juliana Eades and her dedicated staff are a force for positive change in the state of New Hampshire.

NH Community Loan Fund President Juliana Eades and her dedicated staff are a force for positive change in the state of New Hampshire.

CARS awarded the Community Loan Fund, a statewide nonprofit, the top grade – AAA – for its impact performance. The Community Loan Fund also earned the second-highest rating for its financial strength and performance and a “Policy Plus” designation for its work to improve government laws and policies on behalf of people and communities with low incomes.

The Concord-based Community Loan Fund turns investments into loans and education to create opportunity for people with low incomes. It collaborates with a wide range of donors and lenders, and with business, nonprofit and government partners, to provide the financing and support people need to have affordable homes, have quality jobs and child care, and become financially independent.

“This CARS rating is a real testament to the strength of the Community Loan Fund’s strategies and financial practices. It says that even through a recession that rocked financial institutions worldwide, the Community Loan Fund successfully helped people and communities with low incomes seize opportunities to transform their lives,” said Community Loan Fund Board Chair Ed Tomey, of Keene.

CARS was developed by the Opportunity Finance Network, the national association of CDFIs, and launched in 2004. “Socially responsible investors are attracted to CDFIs because they offer a unique blend of financial discipline plus positive social or economic impact in their marketplace,” said CARS director Paige Chapel.

National financial institutions such as Bank of America and Citi, and major philanthropic organizations including the Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation, use CARS to identify investment opportunities.

The Community Loan Fund was the first CDFI evaluated in 2005, when the CARS system was still evolving, and has twice (in 2008 and 2011) duplicated its AAA rating with more-stringent evaluations.

“Three times now, outside evaluators have taken a rigorous look at what we do, how we do it, and our impact on New Hampshire families and communities. Three times they’ve given us a triple ‘thumbs up,’ ” said Community Loan Fund President Juliana Eades. “Their judgment reaffirms our financial strength and resilience as we’ve weathered this extreme recession with high-performing loans and effective technical assistance.”

The CARS rating signals to the Community Loan Fund’s supporters that “they can be assured that their donations and loans, which make our work possible, are creating the maximum social impact,” Eades said.

The 65 CARS-rated CDFIs represent about 11% of all CDFI Fund-certified loan funds. However, these rated institutions currently manage 30% of all on-balance sheet assets among certified groups.

Since 1983, the Community Loan Fund has loaned more than $144 million, leveraging more than $444 million for its projects.

Free Workshop Series Developed to Help NH Businesses Survive Disaster

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

It’s 9 a.m. and the streets are flooded. Roads are not easily navigated by delivery trucks and businesses are forced to close their doors indefinitely. Unfortunately, this is a scene that has been repeated more than a few times in the Granite State recently with floods, ice storms and even tornados disrupting business activities.

when-disaster-strikesBearing in mind that maintaining operations is key to long-term business survival, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and USDA Rural Development are working together to promote the importance of preparedness and communications even before a disaster strikes. The Division of Economic Development and the USDA will host “When Disaster Strikes! How Will Your Business Survive?,” a series of workshops in all ten New Hampshire counties to educate business owners and senior level managers on business continuity, social media efforts and media relations – all in an effort for these companies to be better prepared if a natural or manmade disaster were to effect their daily operations.  The workshop series is just the first step in helping NH businesses. Concurrent plans also include developing three online web portals focused on supporting the public safety infrastructure. 

“We believe education and preparation, especially in times of crisis, are essential to running any business,” said NH Division of Economic Development Interim Director Roy Duddy. “The workshops are designed to be a hands-on learning situation with best practices on business continuity, social media and media & public relations.  Businesses who participate in the workshops will be engaged and given opportunities to learn how to be prepared before a crisis situation happens.”   

On December 11, 2008 New Hampshire was hit with a devastating ice storm that left much of the state paralyzed. Entire sections of the state’s electric systems crashed, leaving more than 400,000 homes and businesses without power. Many roads were closed due to fallen trees and branches making efforts to restore power that much more difficult. President Bush issued an emergency declaration for New Hampshire. Hardest hit communities included: Belknap, Carroll, Merrimack, Rockingham, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough and Merrimack. The workshop series and development of the web portals were made possible through a grant provided by the USDA and are designed to help small to medium sized businesses located in counties designated by the Presidential Disaster in the federal fiscal year 2008. With additional support from the Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA), funding was secured to include Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, the two counties that were not affected by the ice storm. Businesses in all ten NH counties will receive the opportunity to attend a seminar happening in the county in which their business is located.  

Molly Lambert, State Director for USDA Rural Development stated that, “This is an extraordinary opportunity for USDA Rural Development to partner with federal, state and local leaders to create the platform and Internet based tools necessary for businesses to minimize economic loss and more efficiently recover from natural disasters.  The ability of this program to assist business owners, their employees, and families to prepare for future disasters is critical to stable, healthy communities across the Granite State.” 

“The Community Development Finance Authority wants to nurture an environment in which entrepreneurs have all the tools to succeed.  Challenges to operating a business can range from economic to natural disaster. We are pleased to support this workshop series with the main goal of educating business owners on how they can be better prepared,” added CDFA Communications Director Kevin Flynn.

The workshop series will run once in each of NH’s 10 counties. The workshops will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end promptly at Noon.  

The break-out sessions will focus on:

Business Continuity: How businesses, non-profits and the public sector can use business continuity planning to prepare and to respond to emergency situations. Presented by: Jeannette McDonald, Principal, Cogent Solutions LLC

Social Media: Web 2.0 Disaster Management: How to use social networks to plan for and respond to emergency situations. Presented by: Allen Voivod, Principal, Epiphanies Inc.

Public and Media Relations: Communicating in a time of crisis, getting to know your local media before disaster strikes. Presented by: Monica Bardier, Principal, PingPR and Scott Tranchemontagne, Principal, Montagne Communications.

 ———————————————————————————————————————-

Workshop Series Dates & Locations

June 2  Tech  Village,  Conway                                                                                           

June 7  Cheshire County, TBA

June 9  Pease Public Library, Plymouth         

June 14 White Mountains Community College, Berlin

June 16 Division of Fire Standards Training and EMS Fire                                                                    Academy, Concord    

June 21 Hampton Police Department, Hampton

June 23 Gilford Public Library, Gilford

June 28 Claremont Savings Bank, Claremont

June 29 NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, Manchester

June 30 Strafford County, TBA                 

For more information on the workshop locations and to register visit: http://bit.ly/NHDisaster2011

Registration is required and space is limited.

In addition to the workshop series, three online tools are under development and are focused on the public safety infrastructure. Those three internal websites, which will operate as part of nheconomy.com, the State’s economic development web portal, include a business emergency preparedness site, a financing site and a manufacturing site. All will work to ensure that the New Hampshire business community is well positioned to be prepared when the next disaster or disruption in operations takes place.

Ask CJ: Focus Your Marketing Plan on Your Customers

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Q: I am looking at increasing our marketing efforts and need some guidance on where I should invest our marketing dollars. Should I focus on social media?”

A: Marketing is such an important part of the success of a businesses, and it is a topic that is quite expansive. I will try to be brief, but at least touch upon the key elements of a marketing plan that you should be thinking about.

For in-depth free assistance, I would recommend that you spend some time visiting the NH Small Business Development Center at www.nhsbdc.org. It has some great online classes that cover this topic. Your local SCORE counselor, www.scorehelp.org, can also be of assistance.

NH Business Resource Center Seacoast Business Services Specialist Christine Davis

NH Business Resource Center Seacoast Business Services Specialist Christine Davis

There are many ways a business can market itself from traditional print media, to radio, to television, to the increasingly popular social media. There is no one formula that will work for everyone. Just as your business is unique, so should be your marketing plan.

There are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself to help guide your decisions: First, what is my budget? As much as it would be great to have a commercial during the Super Bowl or “American Idol,” you may not have the funds for it. Second, who is your target market? If you can pinpoint your customers and understand what they want, you can begin to create advertising that will resonate with them.

I recently attended an event with the Center for Family Business at the University of New Hampshire. The guest speaker runs a successful gardening center and spent some time talking about his marketing strategy. First he talked about knowing who they were, in other words, branding. What type of product does the company sell? High-quality garden products. Who is the target customer? Women. His next task was to figure out what women want. (Yes, I did laugh out loud when he said that. Good luck, my friend. We don’t even know what we want).

Once these questions were answered, there was another aspect of the company’s marketing plan that I want to share. Are you looking for new customers or are you trying to recapture customers that have drifted for one reason or another? That can affect where you place those well-crafted messages. They didn’t need to persuade gardeners to garden, so instead of placing ads in a gardening magazine, the company’s advertising materials are being placed in other print media that is predominantly read by women, the target market. Again, the answer for you will vary depending on your business, but the questions are pretty universal.

When it comes to content, invest the time to create something memorable. We are inundated with all sorts of media, so an advertisement with impact is critically important. I am amazed when I watch yet another TV commercial that lacks creativity or content. Who is getting paid to write this stuff? I have to admit that there is a TV commercial for toilet paper that I can’t forget as much as I try. One of the lines in the commercial is, “It’s time to get serious about what happens in the bathroom.” As much as that tactic initially horrified me, I must admit that I haven’t forgotten the ad, and I certainly can’t say that about the vast majority of commercials I see on television. You have a very short window of opportunity to make an impression, so don’t waste it.

Like every aspect of your business the marketing plan requires just that, a plan. Throwing out generic ads in every direction at every individual isn’t a good plan. Focusing all of your energy on social media just because the guy next to you is doing it isn’t a good plan, either. A good marketing plan revolves around your customers. Who are they, where are they and what do they want? Answer those questions first and craft a message that speaks to them. Deliver that message frequently via the media that they use. Everyone needs to market their business, and today we have so many options and price points that I just don’t believe someone can say that they can’t afford it. If you lack the big corporate budget, you just need to tap into your creativity. At the very least, get out in your community and get involved. Grassroots networking is still a great way to get your name out there.

Christine J. Davis works for the N.H. Division of Economic Development as a resource specialist serving businesses in Rockingham and Strafford counties. Her role is to provide the support needed for businesses so that they may remain viable and growing entities in the community. She lives in Exeter with her two daughters. She likes to spend time outdoors to discover new places and activities in the community with her girls. She can be reached at Christine.davis@dred.state.nh.us.