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New E-Business Guides from The Business Link's E-Future Centre
Another seven guides have been added to our Alberta E-Future Centre's site, to provide you with useful e-business resources and tools.
E-Business Basics
This Info-Guide will help you understand the concept of e-business and how e-business can improve your own business processes. You will be able to test your own e-business readiness and learn where to go for more information on getting started with e-business.
Business to Business
E-Commerce Basics
This document will introduce you to the basics of B2B e-commerce from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), separating fact from fiction, with a dose of common sense thrown in for good measure.
Online Distribution and Fulfillment Strategies
Before launching your e-commerce site, you should plan out how you’ll ship your products to customers and fulfill the sale. This guide will discuss topics such as inventory control management systems, product packaging, international shipments, and quality assurance.
Internet Auctions
This Info-Guide is designed for beginners. It will explain how Internet auctions work and will outline the distinct advantages small business owners can gain from using online auctions to sell their products or services.
E-Business Planning and Strategy
This Info-Guide will outline the importance of planning in any business endeavour. It will explain how e-business activities can be readily incorporated into a typical business plan. It will teach you how to identify e-business opportunities and challenges, and integrate appropriate e-business activities into your own business plan.
E-Exporting
Once your site is live, you may receive visitors and orders from around the globe. If you have never sold your products to anyone outside of Canada before, you will have various questions, such as: "What paperwork do I have to fill out?"; "How do I ship my product?"; "What taxes and duties will be charged?"; and, "How do I receive payment?"
Integrating E-Business with your Small Business
This Info-Guide will help you identify ways to integrate e-business into your marketing and sales, operations, website, and customer relationships.
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There is Still Time to Use Our Guest Advisor Program
This season of the Guest Advisor program will end April 28. Don't miss out on this important resource. Speak with management consultants, lawyers, accountants, financial representatives and e-business experts, all who volunteer their time to discuss your business concerns.
You can call 1-800-272-9675, drop in to our location in Edmonton or go to our web site and e-mail a question.
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EEDC launches new business lead program:
Grow Edmonton and win
Edmonton Economic Development Corp. (EEDC) has developed a new program aimed at gathering tips from Edmontonians about businesses, conferences or events that might consider locating to Greater Edmonton.
Grow Edmonton encompasses four main economic development and tourism areas: Business Attraction – businesses that might expand or re-locate to Greater Edmonton, Business Retention – existing Edmonton businesses planning to expand or move their operations away from Greater Edmonton, Conferences and Meetings – association conferences, national conventions and trade shows, and Events – sporting and entertainment events.
It’s easy to submit a business tip. Simply visit www.edmonton.com, click on Grow Edmonton and submit a simple description of a new business opportunity. EEDC will contact contributors within five business days to attain follow-up information.
Participants are eligible for quarterly prizes and a grand prize. The winner of the first Grow Edmonton draw (for tips submitted before April 29, 2005) will receive two passes to the Champ Car race on July 17.
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Your feedback is welcome at any time to help us improve and enhance our services for Alberta entrepreneurs. Simply use the "Feedback" function located on the toolbar at the top of E-News! to send us your views.
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Welcome to a new issue of E-News! from The Business Link. Whether this is your first time receiving E-News!, or you've been with us from the first issue, we hope you will enjoy this quick monthly
e-newsletter. Our goal is to keep you informed of upcoming events and services at The Business Link and other items of interest to Alberta's small business community.
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The Business Link's Spring Season
Our high quality Brown Bags and Small Business Seminars are offered here at The Business Link and around the province via video conferencing.
For more information on this season, visit our site for a list of Small Business Seminars at: www.cbsc.org/alberta
/seminars.cfm and for a list of Brown Bag presentations go here: www.cbsc.org/alberta/brownbag.cfm.
Sessions marked with a   are available via video conferencing. For location and registration information, check out our video conferencing schedule.
Note: of particular is our Wednesday April 13 seminar held in the afternoon and is available via video conferencing.
| April Schedule |
| Date |
Time |
Topic |
Cost |
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05
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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How to Attract Delightful Customers and Get Rid of the Rest! |
FREE
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07
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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| 5 Steps to Generating Word of Mouth |
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FREE
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07
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6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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Starting a Business |
$32.10
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12
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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Contractor or Employee? |
FREE
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13
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12 noon - 3 p.m.
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| If You're in Business, Then You're inSales |
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$32.10
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14
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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| Keeping Your Affairs Private |
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FREE
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14
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6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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| Preparing a Business Plan |
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$32.10
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19
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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Balance: Being Small But Playing Big! |
FREE
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21
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12 noon
- 1 p.m.
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| The GST and New Businesses |
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FREE
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21
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6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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Pricing - Getting It Right |
$32.10
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26
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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Internet Auctions |
FREE
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28
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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| Internet Security |
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FREE
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28
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6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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| Do-It-Yourself Incorporation |
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$58.85
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Beyond Borders…Your Passport to Exporting
A conference for Alberta businesses exploring global markets
Edmonton – May 11-12, 2005
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Are you thinking about exporting your goods or services? Or are you already exporting and looking to diversify into new markets? This one and a half day conference is designed to help you plan and refine your export strategies.
“Beyond Borders…Your Passport to Exporting” will provide an opportunity for you to learn from experts, gain practical advice and tips from successful Alberta exporters, make professional contacts and network within the export community.
Featured speakers will present on: relationship building with international customers; e-business for exporters; financing your export initiatives; identifying and managing risks; and global trends and their impact on Alberta exporters.
You’ll meet face-to-face with experts in the fields of customs, freight forwarding, financing, e-business, marketing, product liability and more.
Register before April 22, 2005 for the early bird fee of $125 + GST. Visit www.exportlink.ca/beyondborders for more information and to register on-line.
Networking Opportunities at The Business Link - Grow Your Circle of Contacts
Do you need to widen your business contacts? Then join us at The Business Link for an opportunity to Network! It is free and no registration is needed. Be prepared to exchange business cards and gain valuable contacts!
Join us on Wednesday, April 27, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
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Cost:
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Free
*No membership required*
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Where:
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The Business Link
100 - 10237 104 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
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For more information, contact Lisa Iwanyk by phone at
780-422-7738, 1-800-272-9675 or by e-mail at iwanyk.lisa@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
Quality Council of Alberta Brown Bag Sessions
The Quality Council of
Alberta (QCA) invites you to attend their Brown Bag Sessions at The Business Link in Edmonton and in Calgary at Bantrel Company, #700 6th Avenue S.W. This
year’s theme will be “Following the Roadmap to Excellence”.
The QCA is offering a number of sessions,
presented by noted Knowledge Management professionals, on using Knowledge
Management to achieve organizational excellence. The sessions are free to members of the Quality Council of Alberta and $10 for non-members.
Two events will be held this month. The first "Framework for Business Excellence, People Focus" will be held in Calgary on Thursday, April 7 and at The Business Link in Edmonton on Friday, April 8. The second "Excellence For Small Business, Tools for Small Business" will be held in Calgary on Thursday, April 21 and in Edmonton on Friday, April 22.
The sessions are held from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. Seating is limited and allocated on a first
come - first served basis.
For more information and to register for these sessions,
contact Ann Beaque at the Quality Council of Alberta
at 780-423-6878, 1-800-224-0848 or by e-mail at: abeaque@shaw.ca.
Powerful Financing, Sales and Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business
The Calgary Business Information Centre in partnership with RBC Royal Bank presents a half day seminar on Wednesday April, 6 from 7:30 am – 12:00 noon. The session is designed to help you sell your business idea to banks and increase your chances of receiving appropriate financing. The seminar will provide you with the following: practical strategies on how to approach a bank to increase your chances of getting financing for your start-up or growth stage business, an understanding of the differences between your financing options so you can best maximize your return on the dollar, the demystification of sales and marketing practical tips for presenting your business concept in a way that captures immediate attention and delivers compelling reasons for people to buy. Seating is limited so register early.
For more information and to register, call Danielle at 1-403-221-7810.
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In recognition of World IP Day, April 26, we offer this article on one aspect of Intellectual Property.
What is a patent?
The full version of the following article is from www.cipo.gc.ca and is located here.
Patents are government grants that give inventors exclusive rights to their inventions.
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In Canada, this protection extends for 20 years from the date of filing. Patents are granted for products or processes that are new, workable and ingenious (novel, useful and inventive). In this way, patents serve as a reward for ingenuity.
Patents do more than keep creative wheels spinning. They are an important means of sharing know-how, because each patent document describes a new aspect of a technology in clear and specific terms and is available for anyone to read.
Eighteen months after a patent application is filed, the document is made public. This is done specifically to promote the sharing of knowledge. Patents are vital resources for businesses, researchers, inventors, academics and others who need to keep abreast of developments in their fields.
In Canada, a patent is given to the inventor who first files an application. It's therefore wise to file as soon as possible after completing your invention because someone else may be on the same track.
To access the full version of this article, visit The Canadian Intellectual Property Office web site at: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/patents/faq_pt-e.html.
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IP Toolkit
www.cipo.gc.ca/iptoolkit
The IP Toolkit helps direct you through useful information about Intellectual Property (IP). It contains information, instructional modules, links and highlighted glossary terms that answer most IP questions asked by businesses and entrepreneurs. Here you can find more about what IP is, why it is useful, how it fits as part of a business strategy, how to apply for it and how to use IP effectively.
Intellectual property (IP) in broad terms, refers to the legal rights resulting from Intellectual activity in a scientific, industrial, literary and artistic fields. It could be rights associated with a patent, trade-mark, copyright, industrial design, integrated circuit topography or a plant breeder's rights.
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The Business Link works in partnership with over 30 Regional Access Sites located throughout the province, plus the Calgary Business Information Centre (CBIC), to provide information and resources to Alberta entrepreneurs. To find the closest Regional Access Site in your area, visit our web site at: www.cbsc.org/alberta/regional.cfm.
All the Regional Access Sites around the province offer a wide range of services designed specifically to meet the needs of new entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business people in their area. The services can include financing, a wide range of resources to help small business people and many training programs and seminars.
Taber & District Chamber of Commerce proudly presents Roy Prevost the "Small Business Crusader". The session called Learn to Prosper in a Big Box Retail World, will be held at 6:00 p.m on Monday, April 11, 2005 at Luigi's Pizza and Steakhouse.
For more information, call 1-403-223-2265 by April 4, 2005.
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The
Business Link Business
Service Centre
100-10237 104 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5J 1B1
Business Info Line: 780-422-7722 or 1-800-272-9675
Fax: 780-422-0055 |
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www.cbsc.org/alberta |
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