Showing posts with label NWA business conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NWA business conference. Show all posts

Monday, June 15, 2009

No, seriously - get your booth NOW for this event!

Ok, so we have repeatedly (http://rogerslowellchamber.blogspot.com/2009/05/ready-for-your-business-to-thrive.html and http://rogerslowellchamber.blogspot.com/2009/02/nwa-business-conference-expo.html) and perhaps even maniacally mentioned the Northwest Arkansas Business Conference & Expo scheduled for August 6. You know, you get it.

And while August is a long way off and may give you unpleasant thoughts of the end of summer and back-to-school time, you have to face the music: time is running out to participate in this fantastic event!  Admittedly, we are a bit biased since it is our event, but our enthusiasm is sincere.

The keynote and luncheon speakers are falling into place (promise, you'll love them!), the seminars are just about finalized, and all in all it is stacking up to be a phenomenal (and inexpensive) day with positive impact for business people throughout Northwest Arkansas and the state, whether a one-person shop or a 500 person team.  You must attend.

More importantly, however, the Expo portion of the event is just about full!  We are now sold out on all Class A, B and C booths... except the booths that come with a handful of remaining sponsorships!  There is just ONE Business After Hours sponsorship remaining ($1,500, includes microphone time and a prime Class A booth), THREE gold sponsorships ($1,000, includes a class A booth) and THREE silver sponsorships ($750, includes a class B booth).  

Additionally, we have a couple of session sponsorships remaining ($650, includes microphone time with 30 - 50 business people attending the session PLUS the opportunity to distribute information about your business).

Granted, it's part of our job (and our commitment to businesses of all sizes) to put on this event and sell booths and sponsorships.  Seriously, though, you will regret it if you do not showcase your business in the Expo portion of the event.  Tickets will be available up to the event day (www.nwabusiness.org), but jump now to grab a spot to highlight your business.

As Brian Solis states in this excerpt from his article "Fear Kills Businesses, Dead" on TechCrunch (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/21/fear-kills-businesses-dead/):

Businesses, and customers, do not stop making decisions—they’re just more discerning during volatile economic climates. But make no mistake, if you choose to stop vying for customer attention, the world will move ahead without you.

This is your time to vault in front of your competition, to earn rapid and sweeping visibility, for a fraction of the time and money that was required to excel during the “good days.”

Your rivals are retreating right now, so what are you going to do about it?

Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu advised in The Art of War:

When weak, feign strength…Attack him [your enemy] where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

Whoever inspires you, remember, tomorrow’s leaders are born, tested, and proven, today. This is your moment.

So, you'll be there with your product, your service, your business cards and your sales pitch, right?  See you at the Northwest Arkansas Business Conference & Expo on August 6!



Thursday, February 5, 2009

NWA Business Conference & Expo

We are so excited to announce an "arranged marriage" between two of our previous successful events, creating the Northwest Arkansas Business Conference & Expo to be held on August 6, 2009.

The Arkansas World Trade Center and the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal have joined the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce as event partners, bringing significant resources and cutting edge ideas to the table.

For example, the team at the Arkansas World Trade Center (http://www.awtc.org/) led by Dan Hendrix is helping us to bring national caliber presenters on topics that may include the benefits of importing and exporting for businesses large and small, as well as pitfalls to doing business globally and international finance seminars.

Similarly, our pals Darin Gray, Jeff Wood and the team at the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal (http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/weekly_nw.asp) are working on sessions related to niche marketing, sales and emerging technologies. By the way, "team" is an understatement... Ronie Sparkman and Wende Willbanks truly make that ship float!

On our team at the Chamber, Gretchen Laffoon and Stacey Calhoun are working fast and furiously along with our Small Business Council conference planning committee to tackle the small business track as well as all the event day logistics. And here's the fun news: our keynote speaker is Clyde Fessler (http://www.clydefessler.com/), former VP of Business Development for the Harley Davidson Motor Company. His message will resonate with everyone, from potential entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 team leaders!

The event is presented by Sam's Club and Your Community Phone Book, and it will definitely be a can't miss event - mark your calendars now and stay tuned for details! We'll hold a press conference announcing the event on February 11, and all the specifics on the event will be at http://www.nwabusiness.org/. The NWA Business Conference & Expo is definitely going to knock your socks off!