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Increase Outreach through Co-Branding
Question:
How was the small rural City of Chelsea, Michigan able to become a 5-Star City for entrepreneurial climate?
Answer:Through the use of co-branding and
collaboration between the MI-SBTDC and the Chelsea District Library.
Library-Biz Connect
Co-Branding: Why?
When effectively done, co-branding provides a way for organizations to combine forces so that their marketing efforts work in synergy.
Capitalizing on each other's resources for cost savings.
From an organizational perspective co-branding represents an opportunity for a win-win scenario.
Co-Branding Advantages
Co-Branding: Who?
Select a highly reputable partner organization.
Select a complementary or synergistic partner organization.
Select a partner organization within the same regional area.
Select a partner organization with a proven history of successfully serving your target population.
Co-Branding Guidelines
Co-Branding: Who?
Local Partners
Community Ownership Appropriate Technology or FacilitiesKnowledge to Implement ProgramsAware of Small Business IssuesMeasure and Monitor Success
Co-Branding Guidelines
Collaborate: Why Libraries & SBDC’s?
SBDC’s Need
Greater Public Awareness of Available Services
Clients for Consulting Space for Business WorkshopsPrivate Areas for ConsultingSmall Business Champions
Collaborate: Why Libraries & SBDC’s?
Public Libraries Need
Innovative Workshops for Adult PatronsGreater Public Awareness of BenefitsLarger Participation in the Local CommunityIncreased Use of Library ResourcesLibrary Champions
Collaborate: Why Libraries & SBDC’s?
A view from the outside:
Loss of
value
Public LibrariesCommunity College Library
University Libraries
Local Newspapers
SBTDCLocal Banks
DDALocal First Movements
Chambers of CommerceBusiness District Associations
RotarySCORE
A view from the outside:
National and/or Regional Business Service Organizations
LocalPublic Library
Washtenaw Community
College
University Libraries
Rotary
Local BanksChambers of
Commerce
Main Street Business AssociationsLocal First
Movements
Local Newspapers
DDA
Local Entities that exist in most communities
Entities that serve large geographic areas.
Small Business Owners
Entrepreneurs
Who are we?
Libraries
Public Libraries◦ In and around Washtenaw,
Livingston, Wayne, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties
◦ Academic Libraries◦ Washtenaw Community
College◦ University of Michigan and
Eastern Michigan UniversityMichigan eLibrary
Small Business Service Organizations
National Organizations◦ SBDC◦ SCORE
Local ChambersLocal Organizations
◦ Arts Meets Business◦ Business Consultants◦ SPARK Ann Arbor◦ Food System Economic
Partnership
Who We Serve
Mission statement:To provide access to a network of business information
and support services for new and existing small businesses.
We aim to:Position public libraries as the local portal for economic
development.Connect average businesses to knowledge, data,
training, and business counseling in an approachable environment.
Pool regional resources to benefit our local communities.
SBDC’s
• Lower or maintain operating costs by leveraging shared resources• Larger geographic reach• Free marketing• Free space for workshops and one-on-one counseling• Reduce risk of trying something new - learn from each other’s mistakes and success• Identify new markets• Deepen community relationships• Can focus on what you do REALLY well
Co-Branding Benefits
Co-Branding Benefits
Libraries
• Show off - Librarians know how to get business information, that’s powerful!• Usage statistics to provide stakeholders• Recommendations for collection development• Education about resources• Deepen community relationships• More patrons and new audiences for programming• Build relationships to access resources
What We Offer
Biz Resource Centers
Spring 2009 Fall 2010
WCC’s Bailey Library Ypsilanti District LibraryChelsea District LibraryDexter District Library Jackson District Library
& Food System Economic Partnership (FSEP)
Brighton District Library48 miles
32 miles
57 miles
Biz Resource Centers
MI-SBTDC BRC’s:The Biz Resource Center is a partnership program between local libraries or organizations and the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center.
◦ One-stop locations where current and future small business owners can receive business assistance and advice.
◦ The latest computer technology, hardware and software, and extensive small business reference library of hard copy books, and publications.
◦ Software for a variety of business applications, addressing diverse business.
Roles & Responsibilities
Roles & Responsibilities
SBDC’s Libraries’
• Marketing • Presenters for
business workshops• One-on-one
consultations• Doing what we do
REALLY well, working with business owners
• Stay up to date on what resources are available
• Marketing• Program offerings:
workshops on business topics
• Facilities for workshops and business counseling
• Refer patrons to appropriate resource
• Internally educate staff about the collaborative
Co-Branding at Work
Putting it to Use in a Public Library
Grow Your Business 1:1 Consulting monthly
Taking Care of Business Workshops ◦Fundamentals of Starting Your Own Business◦Writing a Business Plan◦Finance: What Your Small Business Must Know◦Marketing Your Business Online◦Borrow A Business Expert◦Food, Farming and Business
Co-Branding at Work
It’s all about who you know!
Speakers found through contacts with libraries
These contacts are crucial for successful marketing as well
Expanding your own contactsOutreach to your audience
Co-Branding at Work
Directed Marketing
Co-Branding at Work
Lessons Learned
Don’t do it by yourself because you don’t have to
The business world is about networking, and by networking with libraries SBDC’s can better meet the needs of business owners
Ask to be askedIt works…
Case Study
Lessons LearnedAttended Workshop
1-on-1 Session at
Library
Further Consultation
Opened Main St. Business
Defining Differences:
• Approachable environment• Known community entity• Accessible facility• Distributed workload• Pooled resources
Co-Branding at Work
Local Recognition
Visible Asset to the Community
Chelsea named 5-Star City for entrepreneurial climate for our “work to foster economic development.”
Library’s partnership with SBTDC recognized alongside tax incentives and the Downtown Development Authority.
Where do we go from here?
Action Steps
Start somewhereFind a FitUtilize your local connectionsKnow your resourcesIgnore the naysayersOutreach: Don’t wait to be
asked
Contact Information
Shannon Beeman, MI-SBTDC
Washtenaw Community College301 West Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI734.547.9170 [email protected]
Victoria Bennett, WCC Washtenaw Community College
4800 E Huron River, Ann Arbor, MI734.973.3300