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April 2013
Dear ,
We are looking forward to our 7th Annual Veteran's Conference, which will be held in Colorado Springs on May 2nd. The conference is designed to help veterans leverage their veteran-owned business status with seminars ranging from contracting and procurement to marketing and cash flow management. This is a great opportunity for Colorado veterans to gain valuable procurement knowledge, as well as network with potential buyers and veteran business owners.
This year we are combining the Veteran's Conference with a small business resource day. Many businesses are excited about being able to showcase their products and services during the day, as well as attend the conference. Please also be sure to check out San Luis Valley SBDC's Small Business Vendor Expo taking place this coming Saturday.
There are more exciting opportunities in this newsletter. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming events!
Sincerely,
Kelly Manning
State Director
Colorado Small Business Development Center Network |
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Southwest CO SBDC Success Story: Desert Sun Coffee Roasters
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 In the eight years since Glenn Lathrop started Desert Sun Coffee Roasters (a wholesale coffee roaster), he has reached out for help to Joe Keck and the SW Colorado SBDC numerous times. "I've worked with them since the beginning," he explains.
Lathrop, President and Owner of Desert Sun, asked Keck to generate lists of potential customers for his coffee. Lathrop buys imported green coffee beans, then roasts them and creates custom blends. They then sell the coffee to grocery stores, café's, natural grocery stores and restaurants. Although their focus is in the Southwest, they currently ship over 100,000 pounds of coffee a year to over a dozen states.
Over the course of the business, Lathrop has taken courses through SBDC including Marketing for Smarties and the Lean Manufacturing Workshop. "As a small business owner, I have strengths and weaknesses. The SBDC is a great resource and helps with places where I don't have expertise," said Lathrop.
 Lathrop has received assistance with financial planning, and creating spread sheets and ratio analyses. This includes how his business compares to similar businesses and how his own numbers compare year-to-year. He meets quarterly with SBDC advisor Terryl Peterson to do a financial analysis, including cash flow projection and planning.
As the business changes and evolves, Joe Kreck is becoming more familiar with Lathrop and his business and the communication about ways to make improvements and implement new ideas is becoming easy. Lathrop enjoys the relationship, saying "The SBDC is a great resource. They are always there thinking 'how can we help make this business more successful'?"
Desiring to expand in 2013, Lathrop plans to ask Keck about places to apply for funding. "I know he can point me in the right direction and save me lots of time with his knowledge of resources and types of funding available. When I come up with questions during the year, I always call Joe."
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| Governor's Award for Excellence in Exporting | |
 Applications are currently being accepted for the 2013 Governor's Award for Excellence in Exporting. This award has been given to Colorado exporters every year since 1970 and recognizes companies that demonstrate a commitment to growing through international trade. Winners will be formally recognized at World Trade Day on May 16th, 2013. Both product and service exporters of any size or industry are encouraged to apply. In the past, the award has been given to companies in various categories such as small manufacturing company (as measured by annual revenue), large manufacturing company, services company, and agricultural-sector exporter.
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| Small Business Resource Day and 7th Annual Veteran's Conference | | |
If you are an existing business wanting to enhance your business opportunities and advance your company's growth in 2013, don't miss out on this opportunity!
Join the Colorado SBDC for a full day of training, one-on-one consulting and networking with other small business owners, government agencies and privately-owned companies at the Antlers Hilton in Colorado Springs!
Training topics for emerging, intermediate, advanced and veteran-owned businesses include:
- Accounting Basics
- Google Plus & Google Apps
- Transition Management Coaching
- Funding Options Panel
- Leveraging Social Media for Business Success
- Sales Basics
- Government Contracting Compliance Requirements
- 2013 Government Contracting Opportunities
- And much more!
Date: Thursday, May 2, 2013
Location: Antlers Hilton 4 S. Cascade Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (free parking for attendees)
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| World Trade Day 2013 - PLUG IN to the Global Economy | |
 World Trade Day 2013 is the 40th Annual Rocky Mountain Region's premier trade and investment conference with 500 expected participants from across the globe. This year's theme, "Plug into the Global Economy - How Technology Impacts Trade," will feature the latest technology tools available to help expand international business opportunities and showcase operational and marketing techniques, including improving your supply chain, connecting a global workforce, marketing to mobile devices, social media for international business and website search engine optimization. Demos of the world's most dynamic technology tools will be featured, as well as company success stories.
With a different theme every year, World Trade Day has become the Rocky Mountain region's most successful and exciting focal point for the international business community. Attendees gather to learn and discuss the most interesting and pressing issues facing global business today. Taking place on May 16th, World Trade Day coincides with World Trade Week, which was declared by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1935.
Registration and more information found here.
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| Colorado Business Resource Guide - Ad Space Available | |
 The Colorado Business Resource Guide is one of the most successful and comprehensive business start-up guides in the nation. It is made possible by a collaborative effort between federal and state business assistance agencies and the private sector. As federal and state agency budgets are reduced, this public-private partnership has become the most cost-effective way to produce this tremendous guide.
The new, updated, and improved business resource guide will be available summer of 2013. Ad space is still available. For guidelines and info, contact Bart Taylor at btaylor.media@gmail.com. |
| Small Business Tip: 7 Tips for Starting a Successful Customer Loyalty Program | |
Got a loyalty card in your wallet?
Small business loyalty programs are a great way of showing customers that they are valued. They encourage return business and help you gather information about your customer demographic. Loyalty programs can also boost your marketing efforts. According to Experian CheetahMail, email campaigns that target loyalty program members are more successful - generating higher open rates, transaction levels and revenue. Even emails that invite prospects to join loyalty programs outperform regular email blasts.
Of course, getting your loyalty program right is critical. Industry experts believe the future of loyalty programs lies in mobile technology. But not everyone has a smartphone or the right app loaded to take advantage of your program. The key is creating a program that is accessible to all and easy to use.
Here are seven tips for starting a small business loyalty program:
1. The Easy Way to Go - A Loyalty Punch Card
If you're new to loyalty programs and want a low-tech option, the simple punch card formula is a good place to start. Just design and print out a card and offer a free gift after a certain number of purchases have been made. There are a few obvious drawbacks to this method - you can't track consumer demographics and the program is 100 percent reliant on customers' carrying that card around with them in their wallet. That's if they even remember it's there.
2. Start an Opt-In Program
Another easy option is to set-up a simple "sign-up for offers/rewards" program. Ask customers to share their email addresses and add them to an opt-in email list - you can do this online or at the point of sale. This form of email sign-up eases the application process and spares your customer the hassle of having them download an app or share heaps of personal information. In exchange, you'll promise to send them regular communications and special offers only available to loyalty members. As mentioned above, email campaigns that target loyalty members can be a great source of revenue - and, of course, are trackable.
3. Consider a Premium Loyalty Program
If you want to reward customers who spend the most, develop a program that limits who may be eligible to qualify. Use your customer relationship management software to track higher value purchases over time and invite customers who meet certain thresholds to join. Alternatively, simply invite high-spending consumers to sign up for your program at the point of sale.
This tip brought to you by Caron Beesely and the SBA, see the remaining tips here.
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| San Luis Valley Small Business Expo | | |
San Luis Valley Small Business Expo
"Networking at High Attitude"
Saturday, April 20, 2013
10 am - 6 pm
Mote Vista Ski-Hi
(4 Chico Camino, Monte Vista)
The Small Business Development Center and the area Chambers have united to present a Community Fair and Vendor Marketplace. Join us and your local Valley businesses as they showcase their products and services. For ntrepreneurs, this is a great chance to market your business to the entire valley population and also network with other businesses.
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| Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium | | |
The National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC) announces the return of the Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium (VETS) for the third consecutive year at the Silver Legacy Hotel in Reno, Nevada from June 10-13, 2013.
VETS2013 will assemble more than 500 stakeholders to discuss how to take full advantage of federally-mandated contracting opportunities specifically for veteran-owned small businesses. The event includes representatives from the veteran small business community, federal agencies and prime contractors who exchange knowledge and business opportunities in the classroom, exhibit hall and in the one-on-one business sessions.
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Colorado Small Business Development Center
a division of
Colorado Office of Economic Development
& International Trade
1625 Broadway, Suite 2700
Denver, CO 80202 |
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