Western Dairyland Business Center  Newsletter
July 2008
Jump To The Following Section:
Tuesday Tech Talk
Women's Business Center
I & E Club information
Upcoming Events
WCM News and Tips
Business Center News & Tips
Need to Know Around WI
Quick Links:
Greetings!
 
Don't miss out on the July Women's Business Networking meeting on Tuesday July 8th, "Reading the Minds of Your Customers"!  Please read the Women's Business Center section for more details, especially if you are only able to make it to a portion of the meeting. 
 
Also, keep in mind that if you would like business counseling or guidance at any time throughout the start up and growth of your business, the Western Dairyland Business Center may be able to help you one-on-one at no cost.  We can help you with anything from writing a business plan to helping you set up your store.  If we at Western Dairyland are unable to assist you, we will point you in the right direction. 
 
Please take note of the newly added "Need to Know" section with tidbits on expo's, seminars, online trainings, and happenings throughout the state.  Also, starting July 1st and going through December 31st, the standard mileage reimbursement has gone up to 58.5 cents per mile.  For more information go to www.irs.gov 
 
Just a quick reminder to mark your calendars for our Tuesday Tech Talk each month on the first Tuesday from 7-9pm in Eau Claire.   Also, our Women's Networking Meetings on the second Tuesday of every month from 11-1pm (see below for more details).
 
Please enjoy our newsletter and don't forget to reply to this email with your suggestions, comments, and/or concerns.
 
Sincerely,
Sara Bates,
Western Dairyland Business Center

By Popular Demand:  "TUESDAY TECH TALK" 

"Tuesday Tech Talk" is a hands-on Technology Training held on the first Tuesday of the month in Eau Claire at Western Dairyland (418 Wisconsin Street), and another day during the month in a rural location.   
 
Western Dairyland has access to 20 new laptops to use for these trainings.  Because of this, the trainings will be limited to 20 participants, so register early to get a spot!  Each session will be 2 hours and will cost $20 with scholarships available to income eligible individuals. 
 
"Tuesday Tech Talk" will cover various technology topics including:  Comp. Training
  • Digital Photography for Your Business
  • Internet Marketing without a Website
  • Domain Names and Web Hosting
  • Internet Marketing with a Website
  • Google Analytics
  • PayPal and eCommerce 
Tuesday August 5th will be in Eau Claire on Internet Marketing WITH a Website from 7-9pm
 
Thursday August 14th in Black River Falls on Using Excel in Your Business from 2-4pm 
  
*Click here to view our Training Calendar for more details on these trainings.

Women's Business Networking FREE Monthly Meetings!

These meetings are FREE for women entrepreneurs! Attendees are encouraged to bring their business cards, and a lunch to eat during the meeting.  All our Women's Business Networking meetings will be held at 418 Wisconsin Street in Eau Claire on the SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH from 11-1pm.  The typical structure of our meetings are as follows:
  1. Introductions of everyone in attendence (11-11:15)
  2. Guest speaker presents on topic (11:15-12ish)
  3. Open for questions and networking (12-1)
If you are only able to attend a portion of the meeting, please don't let that stop you from attending.  Simply let us know by phone or email when you are able to attend.  This is a great opportunity and an amazing group of women you don't want to miss out on. 
 
aliceOn Tuesday July 8th "Reading the Minds of Your Customers" with Alice Rothbauer, Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics.
Right place at the right time, perfect communication, knowing just what to say and knowing what not to say...are these skills/powers you've wished for?  Learn how the DISC personality profile can work for yourself and your customers so you can feel like you have the power to read minds. The guest speaker for this month's meeting "Reading the Minds of Your Customers" will be Alice Rothbauer, Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics
 
Alice has been a member of the Mary Kay Sales Force for 11 years and a director of a top unit since 2002.  Currently she is ranked as the director of a top 10 units in the entire state of Wisconsin.  During her presentation, "Reading the Minds of Your Customers" Alice will combine diagnostic tools and real life examples to teach you how to have x-ray personality vision so you will know what your customers really want. 

The next Women's Business Networking meeting on AUGUST 12th on tips and tricks to branding your business and why branding is SO important.  The meeting  will feature Jackie Lee, owner of Market Ability, LLC
 
**Check out our training calendar for more details.

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**Our next planning meeting:  Thursday July 10th at 10am
(the date has been changed for July because of the holiday)

I&E

These two clubs are open to anyone in Western Wisconsin who would like to learn from experienced professionals and discuss their ideas with other local inventors and entrepreneurs.  Each meeting will feature a guest speaker who will share tips and techniques on topics ranging from market research and business planning to patents and trademarks.  The goal of the club is to create a positive learning environment that will enable participants to successfully move forward with their plans.  No registration is required to attend the monthly meetings and there are no fees to join.

Jackson County I&E Club's next meeting is Thursday, June 12th at Jackson Electric, N6868 County Road F, Black River Falls. The meetings will be held at 6:30pm on the second Thursday of the month.  Guest speaker for July will be Justine Rufus of Community Development Financial Institute.  Have a great business or product idea, but need funding?  Your credit rating may not only affect your ability to obtain funding, but may affect your ability to obtain funding at a desirable interest rate.  Justine Rufus, Director of the CDFI, will illustrate how to recieve a free copy of your credit report, how to read a credit report and what you can do to improve your credit rating.

Buffalo/Trempealeau County I & E Club's next meeting is Thursday, June 19th.  The meetings will be held at 6:30 on the Third Thursday of the month at at the Riverland Energy Cooperative (N28988 State Rd 93 in Arcadia).  Guest speaker for July will be Jan Gallagher, Small Business Development Center.  What makes a good business or product idea?  Jan Gallagher, Director of the La Crosse SBDC, will present on assessing feasibility and determining what makes a good business or product idea.
For more information on either I & E Club call Karman Briggs at 800-782-1063 or
715-836-7511, ext. 174, or e-mail
[email protected]
UPCOMING EVENTS AND TRAININGS WITH WESTERN DAIRYLAND
JULY AND AUGUST:
 Women's Business Center
 
"ABC'S OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP" 3 sessions for a total of 9 hours of training  for $45 for individuals and $80 for business partners
July 10th, 24th, and 31st (Thursday's) from 6-9pm in Eau Claire

"TUESDAY TECH TALK" 2 hr session for $20 - laptops provided & space is limited to 20.  

  • July 29th in Black River Falls from 6:00-8:00pm on ""
  • August 5th in Eau Claire from 7-9pm on "Digital Photography"
  • August in Black River Falls from on ""

"WOMEN'S BUSINESS NETWORKING MEETINGS" - FREE from 11-1pm in Eau Claire 2nd Tuesday of the month.

  • July 8th - "Reading the Minds of Your Customers", with Alice Rothbauer, Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics.
  • August 12th - on the importance of Branding in your business with Jackie Lee, owner of Market Ability LLC.

"INVENTORS & ENTREPRENEURS CLUB MEETINGS" - FREE and open to the public!

JACKSON COUNTY - 2nd Thursday of the month at Jackson Electric starting at 6:30pm.

  • July 10th - Justine Rufus, Community Development Financial Institute
  • August 14th - Pam Owen, Nanorite

BUFFALO COUNTY - 3rd Thursday of the month at Riverland Energy Center starting at 6:30pm. 

  • July 17th -  Jan Gallagher, Small Business Development Center
  • August 21st - Brian Norberg, Schmit Prototypes

Wisconsin Common Market News and Tips:   

WisconsinCommonMarket.com hit a new milestone with over
50,000 unique visitors in one month!
 
 
Of course, drawing traffic to your website is only half the e-commerce battle -- converting those visitors into paying customers is the ultimate goal.  So, what can you do to improve your conversion rate?  Aside from implementing traditional, universal marketing strategies like differentiating your product from competitors' products (clearly identifying why someone should choose your product over others), there are some considerations to be made specifically for your Internet presence. 
  1. Target Audience:  Is the text on your website successfully drawing individuals from your target audience?  Or, to put it another way, would your target audience "Google" the same words or phrases that are found on your website?  No matter how many hits you receive, you are never going to meet your sales goals if you are unable to draw visitors from your target audience.
  2. Description:  Are you fully and adequately describing your products?  Size, dimensions, construction, uses, color, flavor, scent, age, length, height, width, weight - anything someone may possibly want to know about your product should not be left to the imagination of a potential customer.
  3. Shipping Fees:  Do you clearly identify your shipping fees up front or do customers need to go through the entire shopping cart process to see how many fees will be mysteriously added to their order?  When shipping fees are hidden, the savvy Internet shopper will assume that they will be gouged at checkout and choose to shop elsewhere with a more forthright vendor.
  4. Refund & Return Policy:  What can your customers expect if the product they purchase does not meet their needs?  Or, if it arrives broken?  Assuring visitors up front with your respectful and fair return policy will go a long way towards generating consumer trust.
For information on becoming a member of the Wisconsin Common Market and taking your business online, visit http://www.WisconsinCommonMarket.com/ or contact [email protected]
 
Karman Briggs, e-Commerce Site Manager

Business Center News and Tips:  Women's Business Center

TOP TEN REASONS WHY
MICROENTERPRISE MATTERS MORE THAN EVER TO AMERICA 
 
The association for  The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) defines a microenterprise as a business with five or fewer employees, requiring $35,000 or less in initial capital. These businesses may be relatively small, but they are making a very large difference when it comes to job creation and help for our nation's struggling economy. Here are ten facts about microenterprises that you may not be aware of:

  1. There are an estimated 24 million microenterprises in the US today, representing 18% of all private employment in the country;
  2. More than 87% of all businesses in the US today are microenterprises;
  3. One out of every six US private sector employees works for a microenterprise;
  4. More than 4.5 million new jobs were created in the United States by microenterprises between 2000 and 2005;
  5. On average, microenterprises are responsible for 900,000 new jobs created per year;
  6. In 2002 when the nation saw the unemployment rate hit a record high of 5.8% - microenterprises created close to 1 million new jobs;
  7. AEO members (mostly microenterprise practitioners) report a dramatic increase in microloan applications over the past year and have indicated this is a direct result of the banking industry tightening business lending restrictions;
  8. Prior to the credit crisis and economic slowdown, AEO estimated that more than 10 million business owners faced difficulty obtaining business capital - AEO members estimate that number has grown dramatically over the past year;
  9. AEO estimates the microloan approval rate among its members is nearly 60% and reports that the average microloan is $7000; and
  10. About $300 million in loans have been made by AEO members to entrepreneurs. 

Microenterprise development is a proven pathway to business ownership for underserved entrepreneurs that generates income, builds assets and supports local economies. AEO members and its members assist more than 200,000 entrepreneurs annually through business training, technical assistance and access to capital.  Western Dairyland is a proud member of AEO.  
 
Article published by the Association of Enterprise Opportunity www.microenterpriseworks.org

NEED TO KNOW, News and Events around Western Wisconsin: 
SEMINAR:  Contracting with Governments and Prine Contractors
Thursday August 7th 2008 from 8am to 4:30pm at Camp Douglas.  Registration is $30 and includes morning refreshments and lunch.  Registrations and Questions call 608-427-2070 or email [email protected]
Any business that would like to grow their business by selling to federal or state government agencies or selling to prime contractors should attend.  Small, Minority, Native American, Woman, Service Disabled Veteran and Veteral Owned businesses are highly encouraged to attend.  Click here for more details and to register.
 
EXHIBITOR SPACE:  Wisconsin Restaurant Expo March 9-11 2009 in Milwaukee, WI
The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo dominates the market as the only event in the state that brings together all of the hospitality industry, with a reach that extends through the entire spectrum of foodservice.  Click here for more details.

ONLINE RESOURCE:  Entrepreneurs' Toolkit To help you achieve your goals in Wisconsin, this "Entrepreneur's Toolkit" identifies resources for:  Planning and Starting a Business, Navigating Govenment regulations, Financing Business Growth, Business-to-Business Networking, and much more...  Click here to get started.

ARTICLE: Follow Up, Consistent Communication Both Critical to Building Relationships
By Jason Jacobsohn, MidwestBusiness.com, June 26, 2008
CHICAGO - It's amazing to me how many people never follow up with me after I meet them at an event. Nine out of 10 people are never heard from again. To increase these odds, I don't wait for people and I follow up instead. Proactive follow up is critical to building meaningful relationships.  
Click here to read the full article.
 
 
 

SBA

 
Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Agreements for persons with disabilities will be made at all times in accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and associated amendments.  Arrangements for persons with special needs will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.