THE VISION BEGINSTHE VISION BEGINS

The “Think Big Dream Team” The team had representation of the region’s financial and

advocacy organizations that: Have over a decade of experience with support services for the

region. Have an intimate awareness of requested needs. Understand HOW to deliver services. Were spawned and empowered by communities.

The Challenge “How do we optimize our ability to fulfill requested needs and

services?”

HISTORICALLYHISTORICALLY

Independently they provide on a limited basis:

Financing

Technical Assistance

Housing

Agricultural & Horticultural Research

General Economic Development Support

Grant Writing Services for Small/Micro Businesses

Communications Networking

Draw on one another's expertise and provide Draw on one another's expertise and provide seamless services for the regionseamless services for the region

• Basic Financial Training for Low Income People

• Home Ownership

• Development of Regional Philanthropy

• Sustainability Options for Small Producers

• Youth Entrepreneurship/Retention

• Business Financing

• Business Expansion

• Communications Technology Training• Customer Service

Educational Programming Housing

Technical Assistance

BusinessDevelopment

Iowa Sales Network

• Regional Housing Trust Fund

• Individual Development Accounts

• Expanded Efforts in Rehabilitation/New Construction

•Market and Customer data for small agricultural producers

•Commodity-based crops: bio-energy, bio-diesel; bio-tech pharmaceuticals

•Business Plan Development

•Business Research and Development

•Legal

•Cash Flow Projections

•Grant Writing

• Micro Enterprise Loan Program

•Tax Credit Training/Clearinghouse

•Iowa Sales Network: Product to Market Venue

•Local, regional, state, national and global marketing and advertising support

•Fulfillment of economic development organizations’ requests

•Retain and recruit new residents to the region

The Iowa Sales Network will be a web site presence developed by the Center that enhances the opportunities for

economic success

of rural entrepreneurs by expanding their market into Iowa and across the United States,

of rural communities by expanding existing businesses, increasing the number of start-up businesses, and by creating new jobs at good wages,

and of small producers utilizing the advances in horticulture by opening local markets for selling their products.

The Iowa Sales Network will:The Iowa Sales Network will:

serve as the mechanism for the Center that will

provide a successful venue for product to

market for micro-enterprise, small business

and small agricultural producers.

be distinctive from other, basic e-commerce

sites developed by non-profits for use by for-

profit businesses.

Become self-sustaining and provide a

substantial revenue stream for the Center’s

general operating budget.

Micro-Enterprises & Entrepreneurs will be Micro-Enterprises & Entrepreneurs will be successful because:successful because:

The Center Staff will ensure that the necessary

support services are available for upstarts and

during typical “at risk” stages

The ISN will provide them with what they can not do

singly: highly automated system of accounting, billing of customers

volume affordable credit card and e-check service

advertising

marketing

shipping

networking for small ag producers to fill institutional orders

IT WILL BE LIKEIT WILL BE LIKE

BRINGING A BUSINESS TO

SOUTHWEST IOWA THAT EMPLOYS

200 PEOPLE

WITHIN THE FIRST 3 YEARS

AT $25 AN HOUR

Piecing it Together: We begin with a Piecing it Together: We begin with a marketing component of the ISNmarketing component of the ISN

“Window Showcases” Funded in Part by the CVC

Partners/Support Include The Southwest Iowa Coalition

The Grow Iowa Foundation

ISU Extension to Communities

The Wallace Foundation for Rural Research & Development

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

The Concept A Viable Product to Market Mechanism

You can build it — they might not come. Brick & Mortar Showroom

Visual Access to Product

Networked Through Existing Community Web Sites

Critical Mass Necessary for a Varied Shopping Experience

Side Benefits Adds Viability to Main Streets and Town Squares

Tourism Attraction

Begins to Brand the Region

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

How does it work? 22 Counties — Located 13 Empty Storefronts

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

$50 per Product Per Product / 1 Per Window All Thematically Dressed Shop on Line or From Information on Label Awareness

Community visitors Web site traffic Press releases Brochures Visible during community existing events

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Strategically placed: traffic/existing tourism events

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Finding the Vendors/Products

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Securing Community Web Sites — Building the Pages

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Dressing/Designing

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Networking in Action Time

Most have a full-time job One/Two producers Don’t have to maintain the Web page

Cost Savings on marketing/advertising Can not afford to reach a broader market Can charge more for the product No Overhead in Consignment

Joining for a Bigger Impact Visual Presence E-Commerce Traffic Capturing Current Visitors to Web sites Variety

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Challenges:

Afraid of Competition

Afraid of Legalities

Schemes

Stressed Chambers

A Lot of Education Time

Can’t Provide Technical Assistance

Window ShowcasesWindow Showcases

Where are we now?

Temporary Windows

Attracting Vendors

Produce the Brochure

In Time for Thanksgiving

Traffic and Christmas

Sales

What Happens NowWhat Happens Now

Secure Funding for Comprehensive ISN

Foundations

Federal

State

They Choose to Maintain

Grow the number of windows

Local Web page maintenance

Local presence to update windows