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Aboriginal Business Plan Workbook
Our Aboriginal Business Service Network (ABSN) service area has developed its newest workbook. The new guide at over 85 pages takes you through the step-by-step process of developing a business plan aimed at Aboriginal entrepreneurs.
To view our series of guides, go to the ABSN web site.
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CBSC Network Wins U.N. Award
The Network Of Canada Business Service Centres (CBSCs) has won the 2004 UN Public Service Award in the category of "Improvement of Public Service Results" for "Information Service for the Business Community". The Business Link is proud to be one of the 13 members of the CBSC network, serving entrepreneurs in every province and territory.
This UN awards program was instituted to enhance the role, professionalism and visibility of public service, drawing attention to best practices. The Award Ceremony will take place on United Nations Public Service Day on June 23, 2004 in New York at UN headquarters. Click here for more information on the award.
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Networking: does it really work?
A group of French entrepreneurs from Edmonton have been meeting regularly to exchange ideas and business opportunities. Already, interesting opportunities have been generated since starting the group in November 2003. You are invited to their business breakfast at the Best Western Cedar Park Inn ( 5116 Gateway Boulevard, Edmonton ), on Friday June 18th from 7:15 to 8:30 am. All those interested should call Denise or David 780-414-6125 at La Chambre économique de l’Alberta. The cost is 11$/person.
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Convergence 2004
The Business Link's
E-Future Centre is proud to be an affiliate sponsor of Convergence 2004. Please join us at the Technology Exposition on June 2 and 3 at the Telus Convention Centre, Calgary. Convergence 2004 is Western Canada's premiere IT Conference and Technology Exposition. Going into its 8th year, Convergence connects buyers and sellers of business IT solutions and provides outstanding educational workshops and seminars. For more information visit www.e-future.ca.
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An AWEsome Service
Fuelling the entrepreneurial spirit of Alberta's women business owners is the Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). New business owners to experienced entrepreneurs can benefit from AWE's services, loan programs, resources and connections. Their interactive events, workshops, business advising services and loans are designed to help you take action to grow your business.
Go here to visit AWE's web site.
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Regional Lending Library
Get access to thousands of business books and resources from anywhere in Alberta. The Business Link works with numerous business centres throughout Alberta to supply entrepreneurs with information and resources. The Regional Lending Library is a collection of books and resources for business development centres and you, their client. Click here for details on the program, and click here to locate the business development centre nearest you.
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Meet the Link
John Beauchamp is the Web Services Coordinator at The Business Link. John graduated with a diploma in Computer Systems Technology from NAIT in December, 2002.
As the Web Services Coordinator, John is responsible for maintaining and updating the web site, producing E-News! every month, and spending some time in the our Information Centre helping Alberta entrepreneurs with business questions.
John Beauchamp can be reached by phone at (780) 427-7842 or by e-mail at beauchamp.john@cbsc
.ic.gc.ca.
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Talk to Us!
Need assistance in finding information
on our web site? Check out our web/voice support service,
"Talk to Us".
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Send to
a Friend
Please feel free to forward E-News!
from The Business Link
to a friend or colleague. They can subscribe
on-line on our web site.
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Cliquez ici
pour accéder, ou vous abonner à ce bulletin
électronique en français.
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Welcome to the 25th issue of E-News! from The Business Link!
The June 2004 issue marks the 2nd anniversary of E-News!. Our subscription list continues to grow, now going out to more than 2600 entrepreneurs, business service providers and government representatives around Alberta. E-News! is an excellent way to keep up to date on upcoming events and new services offered by The Business Link.
We would like to take this time to thank all of our readers and content contributors for continuing to support E-News! and The Business Link over the past year. Whether this is your first time receiving
E-News!, or you've been with us for the past 2 years, we hope you will enjoy this quick monthly e-newsletter.
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High Performance Workshop Series
The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, with the support of The Business Link and Alberta Economic Development, presents the "High Performance Workshop Series ".
Becoming a High Performance Sales Professional
Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Presented by: 360 Solutions LLC, Jim Spiers & Terry Harris
Location: The Business Link, 100, 10237 - 104 Street, Edmonton
Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Cost: $165 Members and Non-Members, plus GST, Includes lunch
Please call 780-426-4620 ext. 230 for more information.
To register on-line, visit: Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
Quality Council of Alberta Brown Bag Sessions
The Quality Council of
Alberta (QCA) invites you to attend their FREE monthly
Brown Bag Sessions, held every third Friday of the month
at noon from September to June 2004. Bring your lunch
and take in this series on this year's theme "Share,
Celebrate, Invigorate". Presenters will share best
practices used by high performing organizations throughout
the world, celebrate some home grown examples and invigorate
participants with "what's going well".
This month's session on "Creating a Healthy Workplace - Personal Resources" will be held at
The Business Link on Friday,
June 18, 2004 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 this session,
contact Ann Beaque at the Quality Council of Alberta
at 780-423-6878 or 1-800-224-0848 or by e-mail at: abeaque@telusplanet.net.
The 2nd Annual Export Session for Consumer Products and Cultural Industries
The Edmonton and Calgary International Trade Centres are pleased to invite you to our 2nd Annual Export Session for companies in the Consumer Products and Cultural Industries sectors. This year’s event features Trade Commissioners from the Canadian Consulates in Milan, Italy; New York, USA; Sydney, Australia; and Tokyo, Japan. Each Trade Commissioner will address specific sector opportunities that exist for Canadian companies in their respective markets. The session will also include exporting information specific to Consumer Products and Cultural Industries companies.
Cost: $20.00 - includes lunch
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Canmore |
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Where |
Radisson Hotel - Crocus Room |
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511 Bow Valley Trail |
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When: |
June 17, 2004 |
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8:30 to 4:30 pm |
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Calgary |
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Where |
International Hotel - Riverview A & B |
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220 – 4 Ave SW |
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When: |
June 18, 2004 |
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8:30 to 4:30 pm |
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Edmonton |
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Where |
Shaw Conference Centre - Salon 2 |
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9797 Jasper Ave |
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When: |
June 21, 2004 |
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8:30 to 4:30 pm |
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For information on registration contact Serena Choy by phone at 780-495-5627 or by e-mail at choy.serena@ic.gc.ca.
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Effective marketing on a limited budget (excerpts)
By The Business Link
Marketing doesn't have to be costly. There are many inexpensive and relatively easy things you can do to increase sales and customers.
The easiest form of marketing you can do is to nurture your existing customers. The Pareto Principle (80/20) when applied to business suggests that most of your business will come from a small percentage of your customers. It is significantly harder to get new clients than it is to keep existing ones interested. Therefore, an easy and integral part of your marketing should focus on your existing clients.
Treat them with respect!
Consider your manner and that of your staff when dealing with customers during routine transactions. Are you treating them in a friendly, courteous and helpful manner? What about when they complain, how are their complaints received? Are they acted upon? Do you send them an explanation or a thank you note following a complaint?
What is your image on the telephone?
Are telephone calls handled politely and with attention? If you have an answering machine, what does your message say about your business? Is it a warm, friendly, informative message or cold and alienating? If people leave messages, ensure they are answered promptly. Customers want to know that you think they are important and that they matter to you.
Thank Them!
Some companies have found sending out thank you cards or providing some little token to customers, or at least their best customers, an effective way to generate repeat business.
Business Cards
If you collect the business cards of your customers, do something with them!! Don't just let them collect dust in a file cabinet.
Ask them what they want/need
Encourage them to tell you what they want or think of your service. This can be a great source of information about what else you might offer, or how you could improve your service. Elicit their comments in person, or possibly in brief questionnaires or client profile forms. Depending on your type of business, asking customers to participate in a focus group might be another way to generate ideas for services, products or marketing.
Newsletters
For many businesses, a short newsletter sent to customers on a regular basis has been an effective way of keeping in touch, announcing new products or bringing them up to date on news about the business.
If you hate to write, or don't know what to say, this need not be a deterrent. Often you can find comments about products or your industry, or related topics which you can summarize and include in your newsletter.
Keep in touch
If you have a slow period in your business, call up previous clients and check on how they are doing and if they need anything. This can generate sales you would not otherwise have received.
To access the full version of this article including a list of valuable resources, visit The Business Link's web site at: http://www.cbsc.org/alberta/tbl.cfm?fn=markidea.
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Alberta Government Services
When you register a corporation in Alberta, apply for a birth certificate, or seek information about the province’s consumer protection legislation, you are accessing some of the many services, products and information offered by the Ministry of Government Services.
The Alberta Government Services web site contains guides for selling to and buying from the government, information on acts and regulations as well as other business related information, and a wide variety of downloadable forms and publications.
Are you going to register your new business or file your annual returns? The web site also contains a search tool to help you locate a registry in your area. Click here to search for a registry agent.
For more useful links to additional sources of business information, visit our web site at: www.cbsc.org/alberta/tbl.cfm?fn=weblinks.
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The Business Link works in partnership
with over 35 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.
One of these Regional Access Sites is the Crowsnest Pass Business Development Corporation (CNP BDC).
The Crowsnest Pass Business Development Corporation offers a wide variety of services to small business people and entrepreneurs in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass which includes Bellevue, Hillcrest, Frank, Blairmore and Coleman.
The programs they offer to business people and potential business people include: courses on entrepreneurial and business skills, business plans and new venture analysis, market research analysis, loan applications counseling, cash management counseling, information about government programs and available grants, information on licensing and regulations, general information about the region and its services. The CNP BDC also offers access to resources such as statistical information, books, magazines, reports, video tapes, and free access to computers and the Internet to assist people in researching business information. The CNP BDC is also able to provide workshops on specific business topics, if demand exists and existing resources do not already cover the topics.
The CNP BDC provides financing to entrepreneurs and existing business owners who are unable to obtain conventional financing. New and existing small businesses can obtain a loan up to $125,000 (CF General Loan Fund). Business loans up to $125,000 are also available for entrepreneurs with disabilities through the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program and youth between the ages of 18 and 29 can apply for a loan up to $25,000 through its Western Youth Entrepreneur Program.
The CNP BDC offers a self employment program for people who are currently receiving Employment Insurance. The self employment program allows these individuals to take advantage of income support for a period of 26 weeks while they run their own business.
Address:
Crowsnest Pass Business Development Corporation
Box 818
Blairmore, AB
T0K 0E0
Phone: (403) 562-8858
Fax: (403) 562-7252
e-mail: cnpbdc@telusplanet.net
web: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/cnpbdc/cnpbdc.htm
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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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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