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Member News
& Events

January 2010

First Friday Forum

Highlights

Friday, January 8, 2010

PR for Small Business: A panel of professionals offers tips on getting the word out about your business

Our panel of experts (Aaron Kremer, Phaedra Hise, Robert Powell, Sean Ryan, and Greg Gilligan) discussed advice, hints and tactics on promoting your business with free publicity in a variety of media. Moderated by Lisa Schaffner.

Click here to view video footage from the event.

Upcoming

Friday, February 5, 2010

Using Web Tools to Increase Your Business Presence

Title Sponsor

Village Bank

Photography Sponsor

Robert Thomas Photography

Audio Visual Sponsor

Visual Aids Electronics

Print Media Sponsor

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Online Sponsor

Richmond.com

Are small businesses taking advantage of the "new media" and other web tools?
Hear what the experts have to say.

Moderator:

Ken Wayland, President, Free Agents Marketing, a Richmond-based advertising, public relations & marketing firm with clients that span health care, retail, non-profit organizations and corporations. Ken established Free Agents in 2001 on the premise of building solid relationships throughout the community and bringing businesses, organizations, consumers & people closer together. Free Agents Marketing is a 25-person full-service agency that provides advertising & consulting services to more than 25 clients. Ken believes in service to the community and is president of the Henrico Police Foundation; immediate past chair and member of the board of the Better Business Bureau in Central Virginia; and first vice chair of the Retail Merchants Association.

Panel:

Mary Fender, MCPF, GCF President, Frame Nation, LLC—Mary has been a professional framer since 1991 and is the only Guild Commended Framer in Richmond. Since opening in 2007, she immediately started using social media to promote and brand her new business and has developed a small following. She has ended up branding herself "MaryFramer" in the process. A recent "RVA Internet Awards" nomination in "Best Use of Social Media By a Business" is the most recent proof of some success in applying new techniques.

Dana Matheny, MBA, CEO, Fresh Start Design Studio—Creative Consultant & PRO-Deucer Dana, a native Richmonder, is the founder of Fresh Start Design Studio and specializes in branding and corporate identity, graphic design, website development, social media, and email marketing. She designed the “Think. Shop. Buy. Local” logo, helped design & direct the website, and has worked for such firms as Riddick Advertising, The Richmond Times Dispatch and Cherry, Bekaert and Holland.. Dana received the Member of the Month award in 2009 for her work on the Chesterfield Chamber's Celebration of the Vine Wine Festival.

Laura Posey, Vice-President, Dancing Elephants Achievement Group and Chief Idea Officer, VA News & Events—Laura brings much passion to her work as Vice President & Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a "firecracker" who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations. Laura is the co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets and has just finished her second book, Sales Magnetism: The Ethical Salesperson’s Guide To Success.

Andrew Rountree, Managing Partner, Addison Clark Online—With a strong background in direct-to-consumer marketing with various Fortune 200 companies, Andrew takes an analytic approach to delivering effective solutions in the online space, showing how search engines can drive traffic to your website and your storefront. ACO offers a full suite of online services, including: website development, search engine marketing, web analytics, and business and strategy consulting.

Friday, February 5, 2010
7:45–9:15 a.m.

Location: Westin Richmond Hotel
6631 W Broad St
Richmond, VA 23226
804-282-8444
Directions >>

Cost: Members, $25; Non-members, $30

Member News & Events

Do you have a Legal or Banking question for Richmond's best and brightest?

Friday, January 22, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
(Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m.)

SmallBiz Sherpas, a local nonprofit organization, invites you to be one of only thirty qualified, small business owners who wish to interact with a select group of business experts. Through seminar-style instruction and small group Q&A, you will spend approximately two hours covering one subject and then switch to another for the next session. These sessions are designed to promote opportunities for attendees to get practical advice from recognized experts in their fields.

Why should you attend?

Learn from experts and take away practical tips to help your business *Join in by adding your voice to the Q&A about the issues that affect you
Network with your peers and make valuable new business contacts
Money Back Guarantee ... If you are not completely satisfied we will refund your registration fee
25% of net proceeds from this event will be donated to New Visions, New Ventures

What you will learn?

Our banking expert, Kate Wagner, SVP and COO, First Capital Bank will show you how to work with a bank. Anyone looking for funding or credit to expand? Hear how bankers view your financial statements, focus on the key ratios you should know and follow, and understand financial covenants and how they are calculated.
Our legal expert, Ben English with Hirschler Fleischer, will teach you the ins and outs of legal issues that small business owners face and how to avoid common mistakes. Understand alternative financing options that are available, learn how to avoid common mistakes made by small business owners, and learn how to manage risk while capitalizing on opportunities to grow your company.

SmallBiz Sherpas is a 501(c)(6) organization - Your investment in SmalBiz Sherpas may be tax deductible.

LOCATION: Enterprise Meeting Center (2708 Enterprise Pkwy., Richmond, VA 23294)

COST: $197 Visit www.SmallBizSherpas.org or call (804) 467-4397 to Sign-Up Today!

For more information, click here.

Virginia Living magazine announces its digital edition, February 2010.

It’s the Virginia Living experience—all the stories and art and ads we’re so well known for—just online! You can search it, bookmark it, zoom in. You can act directly on business reply cards. Selected Web addresses listed in the magazine, both in advertising and editorial, are direct links to websites. Look forward to enhancements including video, slideshows and much more. Check it out by clicking here!

A subscription to Virginia Living’s print edition now includes a digital subscription as well—all for just $22 for one year or $38 for two.

Free Advertising Seminar with Media General and Borrell & Assoc.

Wednesday, January 27

Further your understanding on how to grow your business and win more customers! The seminar is completely free and you will have the opportunity learn about the Richmond market, who your potential customers are and how you can get your message to them with great online ad strategies! There will be three, one-hour seminars on the same date - choose the time that suits your schedule the best and then RSVP to the number on the flyer, click here.

RMA Links

Events is published the third week of each month. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Contact:
Pat Vitsky
(804) 662-5518
Fax: (804) 662-5507
e-mail

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