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Workshops on Export Marketing of Cultural Products and Services
Attention: Self employed artists, cultural workers, and arts and cultural entrepreneurs. Do you want to start exporting to new markets or want to expand your current export operation? Attend this session and meet the experts to learn about export marketing resources for Canadian artists and cultural workers.
This workshop is offered by the Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC), in partnership with the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT), the Department of Canadian Heritage - Trade Routes, International Trade Canada, Industry Canada, Team Canada Inc, and provincial trade organizations.
Cost:
$25.00 - includes lunch
Where:
Calgary
When:
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
9:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
For more information, visit www.culturalhrc.ca/
expmktgworkshop-e.asp or contact Lucie D'Aoust at ldaoust@
culturalhrc.ca
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Product Presentation for the Pacific Northwest
Interested in selling your food products in the U.S.? "Product Presentation to the Pacific Northwest" is an opportunity to position your product for U.S. retail access. This breakfast workshop features information on preparing to meet a U.S. food buyer, working with a broker, pricing your product and developing effective promotions strategies for the U.S. retail market. Following the morning workshop, there will be an opportunity to individually meet with a U.S. food broker and retail distribution specialist to discuss your product. Each company will be able to schedule a 1/2 hr meeting.
Cost:
$169.00
$20.00 per/person for additional company representatives
– Includes breakfast, workshop, and individual consultations.
Calgary Workshop
Where:
Carriage House Inn
9030 Macleod Trail SW
When:
Tuesday, May 11 - Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Edmonton Workshop
Where:
Executive Royal Inn West Edmonton
10010 - 178 Street
When:
Thursday, May 13 -
Friday, May 14, 2004
For more information and registration contact: 780-444-2272 in Edmonton, 403-201-3657 in Calgary, or e-mail at gail@afpa.com.
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Guest Advisor Season Draws to a Close
We would like to thank all the guest advisors who participated this season for donating their time and expertise to help the growth of small business in Alberta.
On April 30, the Guest Advisor Program will end for the season.
The Guest Advisor Program will be available again in the Fall, starting October 4, 2004.
If you are looking for some professional consultation while the program is not running, you should check out the document "Selecting Personal Service". You can also speak to one of our business officers to get the information you need.
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Spring Session of Seminars & Brown Baggers,
Although our spring session of seminars & brown baggers will be complete by the first week in May, be sure to check our web site, or watch for announcements in E-News! for new events in events in the months to come. Our Fall session gears up in September. Thanks to all our presenters and attendees for your keen participation
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Meet the Link
Eric Brant is one of three library technicians in The Business Link Library. Born in the U.S.A., he has lived and worked in western Canada most of his life. No stranger to the life of the self-employed, he was a working musician for over twenty years, and later graduated from the program of library and information management studies at Grant MacEwan College. Eric has worked at The Business Link for four and a half years.
Eric maintains the cataloging and technical processing services for The Business Link Library and is also available to assist both in-person and distance clients with doing business research and using the many print and electronic resources of the library. Additionally, he conducts research training for staff from the network of community business centres in Alberta, and for staff of other Canada Business Service Centres.
Eric may be reached directly by phone at 780-427-7777, or by e-mail at brant.eric@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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a Friend
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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 a new issue of E-News! from The Business Link. Whether this is your first time to receive 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.
Your feedback is welcome at any time to help us improve and enhance our services for Alberta entrepreneurs. Simply click on the "Feedback" icon located at the top of E-News! to send us your views.
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The Business Link's Spring 2004
Seminars and Brown Bag Presentations
Our economically-priced Small Business Seminars
and FREE Brown Bag Presentations feature
the basics of business from start-up to marketing to
e-business...and more! All sessions are held at The
Business Link at 100 - 10237 104 Street
in Edmonton. Pre-registration is required for the seminars
but not for the "brown baggers", however there
is limited seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
| May
Schedule |
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Date
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Time
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Topic |
Cost
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4
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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The Power of the Internet and its Effect on Your Business |
FREE
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6
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12 noon - 1 p.m.
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Internet Privacy: Get the Facts |
FREE
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6
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6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
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Do You Know Enough About Your Customers? |
$32.10
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For more information on our Small Business Seminars
and to register on-line, visit our web site at: www.cbsc.org/alberta/seminars.cfm.
Details on the "Brown Baggers" are available
at: www.cbsc.org/alberta/brownbag.cfm.
"Inventions, Brands and Creations: Strategies to Protect Your Intellectual Property" - Special Brown Bag Session
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) are set to take a leadership role in emphasizing the strategic value and importance of IP. Canadian small and medium-sized businesses, innovators and creators may now take advantage of a bank of speakers specializing in Intellectual Property.
Join the experts who will deliver an informative and engaging presentation aimed at raising awareness and understanding of Intellectual Property and provide your business with valuable advice and direction on how to strategically integrate IP into your business.
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Cost: |
FREE |
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Where: |
The Business Link Business Service Centre
100 - 10237 - 104 Street, Edmonton
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When: |
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
12 noon - 1 p.m. |
For more information, call The Business Link at 1-800-272-9675.
The Art of the Business Plan - Business Planning Seminar for Technology and Life Science Companies
This one-day seminar covers the basics of creating and tracking the performance of an effective business plan, and helps identify what to do when problems occur or things change in an organization. The luncheon session will cover how to build e-business practices into your business plan.
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Cost: |
$75.00 - Includes GST, light breakfast, lunch. |
| Calgary |
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Where: |
Alberta Research Council
3608 - 33 St. NW |
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When: |
Tuesday, May 6, 2004
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. (registration starts at 8:15 a.m.)
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For registration, contact Allan Wageler by phone at (403) 284-6423 or by e-mail at awageler@calgarytechnologies.com.
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Edmonton* |
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Where: |
The Business Link Business Service Centre
100 - 10237 - 104 Street |
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When: |
Thursday, May 13, 2004
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. (registration starts at 8:15 a.m.)
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For registration, contact Margaret Nitkowski by phone at (780) 422-7788 or by e-mail at nitkowski.margaret@cbsc.ic.gc.ca.
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*The Edmonton seminar will also be linked simultaneously via video conferencing on May 13th to Medicine Hat and Grande Prairie.
To register for the session in Grande Prairie, contact Leona Mulligan by phone at (780) 814-5340 or by e-mail at leona@smeda.com.
To register for the session in Medicine Hat, contact Melanie Friesen by phone at (403) 528-2824 or by e-mail at mfriesen@entre-corp.com.
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For more information and registration, visit the web site at www.innovation.gov.ab.ca/inno-series/index7.cfm.
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 - Social Environment" will be held at
The Business Link on Friday,
May 21, 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.
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What is Market Research? (excerpts)
By The Business Link
Market research is an orderly, objective way of learning about people - the people who buy from you or might buy from you.
It can provide unbiased answers to questions such as:
Who will buy your product? What are the requirements of your customers? What price will they pay for your pickles? What size of jar do they prefer? What are their requirements for shipping that would affect jar size and/or shape? Where do they want to be able to buy your pickles? Are there other types of pickles they would buy?
Why do market research?
It's impossible to sell people what they don't want. That's obvious. Just as obvious is the fact that nothing could be simpler than selling people what they do want. Market research is essential in helping you find out what people want.
Market research provides what you need to get sound information about your product, service or market so you can develop good marketing and business strategies.
Who should do market research?
All businesses, big and small, old and new, need to do market research. A common feeling of many small business owners is that they don't need to do market research since they already have a feel for their customer market, given their long experience. However, experience, though useful, can lead to a false sense of knowing. Be careful; information gathered randomly over the years may be out of date, vague, biased or of a folk tale nature.
When should I do market research?
Market research is not a one time only activity. It needs to be done on an ongoing basis and whenever a major business decision needs to be made. It usually needs to be done:
- Before starting a new business.
- When introducing a new product or service.
- To maintain your existing business.
How to do market research?
It's to your advantage to do at least some of your own market research. The more you do, the less money you'll pay to consultants and the more insight you will have regarding your product/service and market.
Start by doing some indirect market research. Gather information that is already done and available to you at little or no cost. Some good initial contacts include provincial government economic development agencies, municipal offices and chamber of commerce offices. Check to see what your competition is doing.
You may then find you need to do some direct market research. It might include such things as conducting a taste test of your new product, doing a telephone survey, or observing the numbers and types of people who shop at the local competitors.
To access the full version of this article, visit The Business Link's web site at: www.cbsc.org/alberta/tbl.cfm?fn=market_basic.
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Human Resources Management
Are you looking to take your business to the next level, but you need to find the high caliber employees who will help you achieve your goals? The Human Resources Management web site at
hrmanagement.gc.ca has the information and resources you need to find and work with your employees. The site includes information and resources for hiring new employees, compensation and benefits, training and development, and an online job bank to help you in your search for new employees.
The web site also contains a detailed guide for calculating payroll deductions (www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/tax/business/topics/payroll
/calculating/menu-e.html) and an area where you can download all the necessary forms (www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/menu/AFAF_T_TD
-e.html).
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 Lac La Biche Regional Community Development Corporation (LLB RCDC).
The Lac La Biche Regional Community Development Corporation serves small business owners in the communities of Lac La Biche, Wandering River, Caslan, Hylo, Plamondon, Kikino, Owl River, Heart Lake, Buffalo Lake, Rich Lake, Beaver Lake and Atmore. These services include business plan and financial proposal preparation, market research and analysis, marketing and advertising assistance and a business library. LLB RCDC also offers several workshops and seminars including a junior achievement program, small business week seminars, a customer service program called "Service Best", and a self-employment program for entrepreneurs who qualify for or are receiving EI.
LLB RCDC also provides financing with access of up to $125,000 for those who may not otherwise have the financial resources necessary for business start up, business expansion or the purchase of an existing business. Financial assistance is offered through two investment funds: General Investment and Disability Investment.
LLB RCDC is also involved in developing and promoting the Lac La Biche region as a place for business, living, learning, and tourism.
Address:
Community Futures Centre
Box 2188, 10106-102 Ave
Lac La Biche, Alberta
T0A 2C0
Phone: (780) 623-2662
Toll Free: 1-877-623-2662
Fax: (780) 623-2671
E-mail: rcdc@telusplanet.net
Web: www.rcdc-rerc.com
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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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