WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A workshop on effective business marketing and promotional and sales strategies will take place May 13 and June 24 at the Ivy Tech Community College campus in Lafayette.

The Bigger Profits Through Targeted Sales workshop will run from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Workshop sponsors include the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service New Ventures Team and the Supplier Diversity Development Coalition of Greater Lafayette.

“With this partnership we are hoping to attract women-owned and minority-owned businesses, along with other small business owners to this workshop,” said Jesse Moore, director of Purdue’s Office of Supplier Diversity Development.

The workshop includes sessions on marketing and sales, defining a product and positioning segmentations, and implementing a marketing action plan. Participants will build their own personalized marketing action plan and sales strategy that can be implemented immediately.

“The focus of the workshop is on marketing and sales, and this is very relevant in today’s economy,” said Jane Anderson, senior project manager of the New Ventures Team.

“This workshop comes at the right time for small businesses because at the end of the workshop participants will leave with a personal marketing action plan and selling strategy that they can put to work in their business immediately.”

Workshop registration is $80 per person for the May 13 and June 24 workshops. If registration is completed before June 12 for the June 24 workshop, registrants receive an early bird rate of $60 per person.

Register online at https://www.agecon.purdue.edu/cab/newventures/biggerprofits2009/Register.asp. For more information about the workshop visit https://www.agecon.purdue.edu/cab/newventures/biggerprofits2009/.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A workshop to help grant writers of all skill and experience levels learn how to write a grant proposal will be held by Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.

The two day Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing workshop will be offered March 18 and April 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in several locations across Indiana. The workshop will teach participants how to get the most funding possible for their organization. Participants need to attend both days of the workshop, if possible, but the first day is essential.

“Participants from this workshop have been able to receive more funds for their projects than ever before. To date participants have received $7.3 million in funded proposals,” said Sabina Calhoun, Purdue Extension program resource development officer.

The workshop is a two-part videoconference workshop with Purdue Extension educators that may be viewed at 24 different sites throughout the state.

This workshop is for both beginners and experiences grant writers to develop ideas into winning proposals, target potential funders, and understand the full proposal development, submission and review process.

On the first day of the workshop, participants should come with an idea for a grant proposal and by the end of the day they will have an outline and resources necessary to expand the outline into a full proposal.

When participants return the second day with a full written proposal, they will be put into the role of reviewers. Day two also will teach strategies for finding funding and provide an opportunity to polish proposals and send them in for professional review.

“This workshop is for participants to go back to their perspective communities and have the chance to receive the funds for community growth, vitality and sustainability,” said Calhoun.
Regional site locations include:

• Purdue Extension Benton County office, Fowler.
• Clinton County Learning Center, Frankfort.
• Purdue Extension Fountain County office, Covington.
• Purdue Extension Jasper County office, Rensselaer.
• Newton County Government Center, Morroco.
• Purdue Extension Pulaski County office, Winamac.
• Purdue Extension Tippecanoe County office, Lafayette.
• Purdue Extension Warren County office, Williamsport.

The registration deadline is March 1. The workshop is $150 per person. This fee includes the Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing manual, lunch both days and follow-up technical assistance. Checks should be payable to Purdue University. The workshop is sponsored by Purdue Extension and the Purdue Center for Regional Development.

For more information or a registration form, contact the local Purdue Extension office, or Angela Schneidt at 765-496-2090, adthomas@purdue.edu

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will conduct an on-line business workshop, Tuesday, January 13, 2009 from 11am-12pm (EST).

This on-line workshop will provide guidance to small business owners that are in need of new construction loan or those that wish to purchase a building. Business owners will learn how SBA is involved in the loan process, what documents to take to the lender, and how to make a good first impression with the lender. The Internet session will also review SBA programs and services that can help an entrepreneur start or grow a business.

The following questions will be answered in this workshop:

• How much money can I borrow?
• Can the loan be used for more than land and building?
• How much equity injection is required?
• What is an SBA guaranteed loan?
• How do I start the loan process?

Reservations are not required, and participants may log on to the session from any computer in any location. To participate, log on to http://www.readytalk.com and for the audio portion call (866) 740-1260 the access code for both is 3056201#.

For more information contact Ronda Crouch at (317) 226-7272 x212 or ronda.crouch@sba.gov. The U.S. Small Business Administration is an agency of the Federal government.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A Jan. 30-31 workshop at Purdue University will include information on how to bring the new generation into the farm as smoothly as possible.

The 29th annual Farming Together will provide information and work time to develop answers for many issues involved with bringing a new manager into the operation. It also will provide an opportunity for participants and potential new partners to begin making decisions together about their farm operation’s future.

“As the farming industry is going through a new era with prices and input costs higher than ever seen before, it is a situation that needs to be thought through when bringing in the next generation,” said Alan Miller, Purdue Extension farm business management specialist. “This workshop offers the opportunity for partners to come in and examine their operation and how they are going to move into the future.”

During the two-day conference, participants will work with Purdue Extension specialists on topics that are important to making transitions on the farm.

“This workshop is a great way for participants to sit down and work through some of the difficult questions or situations they think they may face,” Miller said. “Specialists will be available and bring an outside perspective to help address the problem.”

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Effective communication in the family business, Janet Ayers, Purdue Extension leadership specialist.
• Developing a shared vision for the future of your farm, Maria Marshall, Purdue Extension small business development specialist.
• Developing a management succession plan, Miller.
• Farming together — assessing your resources, Craig Dobbins, Purdue Extension farm business management specialist.
• Farming together — working with family and staying friends, Robert Taylor, Purdue Extension farm business management specialist.
• Legal question-and-answer session, Gerald Harrison, legal affairs specialist and attorney.

Registration is $120 per farm before Jan. 15. After Jan. 15, registration is $150.

Registered participants will receive a packet, which will include an assessment to be completed and returned prior to attending the workshop. More information about the workshop is available at http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extension/
programs/farm_together.asp

For more information or to request a registration form in a different format, contact Marsha Slopsema at (765) 494-4310, mslopsem@purdue.edu or Miller at (765) 494-4203, millerwa@purdue.edu

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University and law firm Bose McKinney & Evans LLP will offer two free workshops this month focused on the legal issues of intellectual property involving trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets.

The first session, from 9-11 a.m. Jan. 20, is planned at Discovery Park’s Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, Room 121. The workshop will be repeated from 9-11 a.m. Jan. 27 at Purdue Research Park’s Conference Center, 3000 Kent Ave.

The workshops, titled “Minimize Your Legal Costs While Maximizing Your IP Protection,” are free, but reservations are required. To register, contact kraymer@boselaw.com, (317) 684-5293. For more information, go online to http://www.boselaw.com/events-seminars.cfm?event_id=21.

Attorneys at Bose McKinney & Evans will provide basic information on various types of intellectual property such as trademarks, copyrights and patents, said event co-organizer Julie Goonewardene, director of business development for Purdue Research Parks and Discovery Park.

Presenters will outline how to legally protect intellectual property and when you should consider consulting an attorney or patent agent. In addition, attorneys will discuss the importance of protecting and respecting intellectual property rights in artistic works and marketing initiatives.

Jennifer Walker of Bose McKinney & Evans said the workshops are targeted for entrepreneurs, corporate executives, business owners, scientists, engineers, professors, technology transfer officers, marketing professionals, designers, technology transfer officers and students.