marketplace

Rural Opportunities Conference

NetWork Kansas is pleased to share this announcement on behalf of the Kansas Department of Commerce:

Mark Your Calendars!

The Rural Opportunities Conference will be held November 16-17 in Salina, Kanas. This conference will combine the Broadband Summit and the annual MarketPlace program to leverage common goals and audiences in support of economic advancement through technology. Entrepreneurs and community representatives will connect with broadband experts to explore advanced economic solutions, plot development strategies and network with fellow industry professionals.   

The conference is being held at the Bicentennial Center. More information will be coming soon.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Carole Jordan at 785-296-3485. We hope to see you in November!

Kansas Marketplace Update

On November 9 & 10, the first ever Kansas marketplace event was held in Hays, Kansas.  This event was spearheaded by the Center of Rural Affairs (based in Nebraska) and Kansas Commerce.  There was an advisory group of twenty some representatives from across the state working for about a year on developing and advising on ideas to make this one of the best avenues of educational and real world networking assistance for small business development. 

There was just over 250 registrants to attend the marketplace event.  Over the course of two days, there was 42 breakout sessions for business owner and community organizers to acquire new information on events, activities, programs, projects, and ideas to improve their own situations in this time of economic challenges.  Networking seemed to continually come up as a key question and information point.  The new generation’s way of marketing was incredibly interesting.  Although old school marketing was not “kicked out the door” by any means, the new tactics and avenues was a means by which to promote community, product, and services.  Working in conjunction with traditional marketing, these new social networks (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Blogging, and others) are becoming the premier way the youner generation communicates and is educated about services/products/communities. 

There were two special event speakers whose emphasis was on setting the right environment for business development.  Although, this aspect of business atmosphere or environment has been mentioned many times in history, it is an essential part (basis rule) of a business and communities which seems to be undeveloped and often the easiest forgotten in the long run.  It may be started in the short term, but often never grows to the peak level of marketing it should. 

Plans for next year’s second Kansas Marketplace are already on the drawing board,  For our Phillips County and regional businesses who were able to attend, I would ask that you share the information acquired with those businesses and community leaders that were not able to attend.  This will help the entire environment for the area.  I encourage all businesses not in attendance this year, and even those that were in attendance, to make plans for attending next year’s marketplace, if possible. 

Many say “Knowledge is power”, but “Knowledge is only acquired through active pursuit of education, and only education applied (acted on) benefits”.   Always strive to improve your businesses edge, through applying new proven (real world) information/education that works.  Networking is very important to marketing as well.  

PCED has some of the information acquired through the breakout sessions, but the majority of great information came from networking (questions and answers) during sessions  and between sessions.  Let us know if there is anything we can do to help with your business.  We may not know all the answers, but we will definately use our networking to try to find someone or group that can help find an answer. 

Endure, Grow, & Prosper

MarketPlace Kansas

Exciting News for Kansas Entrepreneurs! Over a year of planning and collaboration with key designers of the MarketPlace event in Nebraska has resulted in the expansion of this entrepreneurial event in Kansas. Mark your calendars! On November 9 & 10, MarketPlace Kansas will be coming to Hays, Kansas. Normally a one day event, the organization team has decided to put on a day and a half of MarketPlace at the Hays Ramada Inn Convention Center in November to host the hopefully anticipated 500 + participants.

If you are not familiar with MarketPlace, you should look at the Center for Rural Affairs website and review activities and educational opportunities for small and midsize entrepreneurial businesses at the 2009 Nebraska Marketplace. This conference is directed toward small businesses, entrepreneurs, as well as economic development and community leaders. It will be a great learning and networking opportunity for your local businesses and young/developing entrepreneurs. Over 500 people attended the one-day event in North Platte this year, and it is hopeful that the same or more will attend in Kansas; if we start getting the work out!

Mark your calendars. Plan to attend and share your talents/products at the Kansas Market in November!