Updated Retail
Umbrella LogoHannah Grimes
Retail Focus Newsletter
March/April 2011

INNOVATE:
Events to Help Your Business Innovate
MarketLab
Hannah Grimes Center
Monday, April 4, Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Hannah Grimes Center, Keene

We'll roll up our sleeves to assess your specific marketing challenges and identify working solutions to drive sales. Audience: Businesses operating for at least one year, and that sell products or services to consumers.

David Deziel will meet with a small group of participants and together they will identify some real-world marketing solutions for each business. This is not for the faint of heart!

 

This session is specifically for:
-Businesses selling products or services to consumers (not business-to-business)
-Businesses that have been in operation at least one year (no start-ups)
-Participation is limited to four.

 

Participants must be willing to do some prep work, share information, and be ready to follow-up with marketing efforts that will drive sales. Fee: Free.  For more information and to register visit http://hannahgrimes.com.

 

Intro to QuickBooks 2011 

Keene State College Continuing Education

Tuesday, April 5 & 26, 6 - 9 p.m.

Keene State College, Keene


If you don't have time to take a full slate of QuickBooks courses, this six-hour detailed hands-on introduction to QuickBooks may be just the right starting place for you. Putting financial management to work for your business will teach you how to manage money coming in and going out (sales, invoicing, paying bills, and tracking expenses), reconcile accounts, and use reports to understand your business including profitability and sales trends.  Fee: $180.
Register at http://www.keene.edu/conted/RegisterNow.cfm, continuing-ed@keene.edu, 603-358-2290.

 

The Key to Workplace Productivity 

River Valley Community College

Friday, April 29, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

River Valley Community College, Keene


In order to remain competitive, even highly successful companies constantly look for ways to get more done, in less time, with fewer people. With the GO System, you will be able to: Ensure
that time spent at work is quality, productive time; Decrease productivity-killing stress and anxiety; Improve on your ability to follow up and follow through on assignments; Improve your ability to quickly recover from unexpected interruptions; Increase your contribution to the bottom line results of your organization; Don't allow yourself or your employees, customers, and profits to get lost in the shuffle and confusion of a disorganized, unproductive work environment. No text required.  Fee: $189.  Register at http://www.rivervalley.edu/registrar.html or call 603-357-2142.


5 Ways to Put the WOW in Your Content Workshop

Hannah Grimes Center

Friday, May 9, Noon - 1:30p.m.

Hannah Grimes Center, Keene


Differentiate yourself from competitors, draw in customers and start converting interest to sales with your marketing materials.  Sharon Bailly, owner and founder of TWP Marketing and Technical Communications has over 25 years of experience in technical writing and marketing and can help make sure your communications reach more of your customers. Fee: Free.  Register at http://www.hannahgrimes.com or call 603-352-5063.
CONNECT:
Events to Help You Connect with Retailers & Other Experts

mbl header 

Information Sessions 

Monadnock Buy Local 

 Thursday, April 7, 5-6 p.m., Toadstool Bookshop, Peterborough 

Tuesday, April 12, 5-6 p.m., Toadstool Bookshop, Keene

 

Business owners are invited to Monadnock Buy Local Information Session hosted by Willard Williams of The Toadstool Bookshops.  Find out more about Monadnock Buy Local (MBL), how this initiative promotes locally-owned and independent businesses and why there is strength in numbers.

This year's membership drive has begun and all locally-owned businesses that join before May 1, 2011 will be listed in the regional Monadnock Buy Local Directory.  In addition to the printed directory, MBL will promote the benefits of shopping locally through community events and promotions, and will market locally-owned businesses on MBL's website, Facebook page and Twitter.  Visit http://monadnocklocal.com for more information.

THRIVE:
News & Resources to Inform & Inspire
Survey Finds "Buy Local" Message Benefitting Independent Businesses
By Stacy Mitchell, Originally Posted on
New Rules Project

For the fourth year in a row, a national survey of independent businesses has found that those in communities with an active "buy local" campaign have experienced markedly stronger revenue growth compared to those located in areas without such a campaign. (Download the report.)

The survey, which was conducted over an 8-day period in January, gathered data from 2,768 independent businesses, including retailers, service providers, restaurants and others.  It found that those in places with a "buy local" initiative reported revenue growth of 5.6% on average in 2010, compared to 2.1% for those elsewhere.



New RMANH Energy Efficiency Program Website Launched

Originally Posted in RMANH's March E-Newsletter 


The RMANH's Energy Efficiency Program is pleased to announce the launch of our new website. Please visit us here for more information on the Program and to learn how your business can start saving money and energy!  Or contact Julie Karaba, Energy Efficiency Project Manager at energy@rmanh.com.