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CenterState CEO goes in a new direction with new B2B Marketplace
SYRACUSE — Jane Amico, vice president of chamber services at CenterState CEO, explained it this way. “After 23 years and valuable feedback from both our members and the business community, we are reshaping our traditional business showcase and delivering a targeted-engagement opportunity,” said Amico. She spoke to reporters assembled to cover the announcement at the […]
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SYRACUSE — Jane Amico, vice president of chamber services at CenterState CEO, explained it this way.
“After 23 years and valuable feedback from both our members and the business community, we are reshaping our traditional business showcase and delivering a targeted-engagement opportunity,” said Amico.
She spoke to reporters assembled to cover the announcement at the CenterState CEO offices in downtown Syracuse.
CenterState CEO on July 9 announced the upcoming B2B Marketplace, an event that is “succeeding the long-standing CEO Business Showcase.”
The marketplace, which is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the Oncenter, will provide area businesses the chance to participate in training and education programs and networking events.
The B2B Marketplace seems to “fit our purpose and our strategy,” Joella Wind, vice president of video and voice-product management at Time Warner Cable Business Class.
Time Warner Cable Business Class is the event’s presenting sponsor.
“Facilitating business connections is what we do. It’s what we’re all about, whether it be their suppliers, their customers, their vendors,” said Wind.
The event will include what CenterState CEO is calling the “business exchange,” which Amico referred to as “the key differentiator.”
In its news release about the event, CenterState CEO describes the business exchange as a “structured forum to engage buyers and sellers identified by members as important to the growth and sustainability of their businesses.”
“It really provides direct qualified connections versus a traditional trade show, which is really much more of a visibility opportunity,” said Amico.
All meetings during the exchange are prescheduled and will take place at the exhibitor’s space at the Oncenter.
CenterState CEO wants its members to shift 10 percent of their purchases to local, independent businesses, which is similar to a program that the nonprofit SyracuseFirst announced March 25 and continues promoting.
“We want participants to evaluate how and from who they purchase their goods and services,” Amico said.
The B2B Marketplace “really allows that to happen,” she added.
Founded in 2009, SyracuseFirst is a nonprofit network of locally owned, independent businesses and organizations “dedicated to building a sustainable community by encouraging citizens to ‘Think Local First,’” according to the group’s website.
CenterState CEO is partnering with Syracuse–based BTI The Travel Consultants, which is providing the software for the B2B Marketplace sign-up website.
The firm’s software allows firms to request meetings with other at the event, Lou Lemos, president and CEO of BTI The Travel Consultants, said during his remarks at the morning announcement.
“For all companies, large, medium, and small, we offer the ability to have a minimum of 18, 10-minute appointments,” said Lemos.
The website to sign up is available through the website of CenterState CEO, Lemos added.
In order to schedule business exchange meetings, exhibitors must register by Aug. 15, CenterState CEO said. Attendees should register by Sept. 1.
“I honestly believe this show will sell out of booths,” said Lemos.
The business-exchange portion of the event will occur between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on that day. In that same time frame, the B2B Marketplace will also include the Economic Champions Luncheon, which begins at 12 p.m.
The event will also include a networking reception beginning that day at 4 p.m., Amico said.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Cuomo: The “I Love New York” program is expanding into China
The “I Love New York” program, which promotes New York businesses and tourism, is expanding into China. Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement in a
Integrated Marketing Services acquires Automated Graphics
CLAY — Integrated Marketing Services, Inc., a firm that has specialized in direct-mail marketing services for more than 20 years, has acquired Automated Graphics, Inc. of DeWitt. It was an asset purchase that closed on June 18, says Michael Barker, president and CEO of Integrated Marketing Services. Barker is the firm’s majority owner, while company
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CLAY — Integrated Marketing Services, Inc., a firm that has specialized in direct-mail marketing services for more than 20 years, has acquired Automated Graphics, Inc. of DeWitt.
It was an asset purchase that closed on June 18, says Michael Barker, president and CEO of Integrated Marketing Services.
Barker is the firm’s majority owner, while company vice presidents John Kinslow and Edward Mertens, Jr. have a minority ownership stake in the company.
Integrated Marketing acquired some office furniture and amenities from Automated Graphics, its client list, and existing customers, he adds.
“We are temporarily using the name and we acquired all their assets and we hired all their employees on as employees of our company,” says Barker.
Barker declined to release any terms of the acquisition during an interview with the Business Journal News Network on July 9.
“Our goal here is to continue to provide the marketing-communications services that Automated Graphics has been providing,” Barker says.
Integrated Marketing Services operates in a 20,000-square-foot facility at 4682 Crossroads Park Drive in Clay.
Automated Graphics will continue operating in a space at 5846 Heritage Landing Drive in DeWitt as the firm’s employees transition to Integrated Marketing.
The acquired firm will temporarily be known as Automated Graphics, an Integrated Marketing Services company for about 90 days as the transition progresses, says Barker.
With the asset purchase, Integrated Marketing has the right to use the name until the clients are familiar with the new firm, he adds.
Michael Byrnes and Edward Bambrick are the partners who previously owned Automated Graphics, according to Barker. Byrnes has since retired and Bambrick is also advancing toward retirement age.
Byrnes and Bambrick approached Integrated Marketing Services about the acquisition possibility, says Barker.
“They didn’t want to just close the doors and walk away. They wanted to continue the business [if] possible,” he adds.
Barker has known Byrnes for about 25 years as a competitor in the same industry, he says.
Integrated Marketing Services hired Bambrick as a consultant for an undetermined period of time, perhaps between six months to a one year, to help with the transition “from a client contact standpoint,” says Barker.
The acquisition discussions began last August, Barker says, continuing for about 10 months before both sides finalized the deal.
Besides the partners, Automated Graphics employed four full-time workers who are still working at the DeWitt facility for the time being.
“We’re going to complete the transition over to our location by the end of this month,” says Barker.
The added workers bring the employee count at Integrated Marketing Services to about 30, he adds.
Integrated Marketing Services financed the acquisition through a loan from M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB), but Barker declined to disclose the amount of the loan.
Automated Graphics, a print-based, marketing-communications company, is “similar” to Integrated Marketing Services, says Barker.
Automated Graphics doesn’t handle the production work that Integrated Marketing can do, he says. The DeWitt firm strictly focused on graphic design, marketing, and consulting.
“They have some key customers that we were interested in getting to know better, which is really why we were in agreement to do this,” he says.
Barker declined to disclose any specific client that his firm wants to assist with services, saying that it’s still too early to disclose names following the acquisition.
Integrated Marketing already services clients that include Time Warner Cable, Aspen Dental, Raymour & Flanagan, National Grid. The firms that Automated Graphics worked with are also in that “same corporate category,” he says.
Besides its work in direct-mail marketing, Integrated Marketing Services also handles digital print work for brochures, post cards, and pamphlets and larger format printing work for trade shows, vehicle wraps, and signage, says Barker.
The firm generates about $4 million in revenue annually, he adds.
The Automated Graphics space in DeWitt will eventually go back on the market, says Barker.
The website of the Onondaga County Real Property Tax Services office lists Erie Heritage Group, LLC as the owner of the property at 5846 Heritage Landing Drive.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
SMALL-BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
Integrated Marketing Services, Inc.
4682 Crossroads Park Drive
Clay, N.Y. 13088
Phone: (315) 433-1190
Website: www.intmarkserv.com
Type of business: Direct-mail and digital-print marketing firm
Employees: 30 full time
Annual revenue: $4 million
Company owners: Michael Barker, Edward Mertens, Jr., John Kinslow
Central New York is a great test market
Several years ago, Coca-Cola introduced a product called C2 which contained half the calories and carbohydrates of regular Coke. It created C2 specifically for men who did not like the image or flavor of Diet Coke, but did not want to consume all the calories and carbohydrates in regular Coke. After spending nearly $50 million
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Several years ago, Coca-Cola introduced a product called C2 which contained half the calories and carbohydrates of regular Coke. It created C2 specifically for men who did not like the image or flavor of Diet Coke, but did not want to consume all the calories and carbohydrates in regular Coke.
After spending nearly $50 million on advertising and promotion of C2, Coca-Cola’s worst fears were confirmed. Its target market did not like C2. Instead Coca-Cola learned its target group wanted a beverage that had more flavor than Diet Coke and contained zero calories and carbohydrates. In the end, Coca-Cola was forced to shelve C2 and waste a lot of time and money in the process.
Coca-Cola did however learn a valuable lesson from C2 in that it should have done its research first. According to the Harvard Business Review, about 75 percent of consumer packaged goods and retail products do not earn enough income when they are first introduced. The main reason? Lack of market research.
Testing a product before producing it on a full-scale level minimizes risk and can save a company lots of time and money. Furthermore, one of the best places to test a new product is right here in Central New York. The use of Central New York as a predictor of eventual product success or failure has been well documented by marketers for decades. Products, services, and advertising — both famous and obscure, ranging from ice cream to alcoholic beverages to baby carrots — have been tested in Syracuse.
The criteria used to judge the acceptability of a test-market region or group include: a population that is demographically similar to the proposed target market (in most cases that is the U.S.), relative isolation from densely populated media markets, and low advertising costs so testing can be efficient and economical.
1. Similarity to the eventual desired market
It goes without saying that a test market should have similar demographic and consumer purchasing habits to the wider area where a product or service will ultimately be distributed. Some criteria where it might be important for a test market to mirror the intended larger market include age distribution, home ownership, blue-collar/white-collar mix, educational attainment, racial/ethnic composition, just to name a few.
The Syracuse metropolitan area has a demographic composition that largely reflects the United States, which makes it a great test market by research standards.
In fact, Acxiom Corp. recently published a “Mirror on America” study that ranked the top 150 test markets in terms of how well they conformed to national norms in key criteria. Out of the list of 150 test markets, Syracuse ranked 5th. The top five were:
2. Geographic isolation
Some metropolitan areas are tightly packed among others (e.g., Baltimore is sandwiched between Washington and Philadelphia) while others are a great distance from the next population center (e.g., Phoenix, Ariz.). The latter type of market is desirable for test-market purposes because, as with any type of research, it is important to isolate variables as much as possible. If people are regularly exposed to advertising in one media market, but do a significant amount of shopping in another, they are poor test subjects. People who live in isolated population pockets are more likely to be exposed to marketing messages and make their purchases within that market. That makes it easier for researchers to isolate the effect of, for example, a TV commercial on sales.
Even though Syracuse is located in the relatively densely populated Northeast, and in a state that many outsiders assume is synonymous with New York City, it is a combination of urban, suburban, and rural communities isolated in part by significant natural boundaries such as the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Ontario. Syracuse is about a 90-minute drive from Rochester, two hours from Albany, and four hours from New York City. The nearest televisions markets — Watertown, Utica, and Binghamton — are at least an hour away and have small reaches beyond their core cities.
3. Affordable advertising media
Larger cities don’t normally make the best test markets because, among other things, it can be very expensive to advertise in them. The cost of advertising in New York City or Los Angeles is much higher than in a mid-sized market like Syracuse. The main purpose of the test market is to determine the likelihood of success while expending minimal resources. For that reason alone, smaller, more affordable media markets make much more sense to test marketers.
So you have this great test market, now how do you test your product?
The same factors that make Syracuse a great test market also make it a great place to conduct market research. Even if your business does not need to test a new product it could conduct research on various different topics. Common consumer-based research topics are:
There are two methodologies, quantitative and qualitative, that marketers use to conduct research. Qualitative research is used to explore and understand people’s beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behavior, and interactions. It generates non-numerical data — for example a customer’s description of satisfaction rather than a rating using a numerical scale. Focus groups, in-depth interviews, and mystery shopping are examples of qualitative research that can document a variety of experiences, revealing views and experiences of test subjects.
On the other hand, quantitative research often generates data that can be converted into numbers for a statistical review. A typical example would be a restaurant survey card that asks “from 1 to 5, with 1 being ‘very dissatisfied’ and 5 being ‘very satisfied,’ how would you describe your dining experience today?” Surveys that use a research panel can allow firms to quickly access willing participants.
A company could reach a specific audience, such as females aged 25 to 40, and survey them on a specific characteristic of brand loyalty, for example measuring their satisfaction on a new variation of an existing product to see how additional features or changes would be perceived. “RMS ViewPoint” is a local research panel made up of Central New York residents. Participants are paid a stipend to participate in surveys, focus groups, etc. depending on the type of study being conducted.
In conclusion, whether you are a small business like a local pizza shop or a large conglomerate like Coca-Cola, you should never simply make assumptions about your consumers’ habits, tastes, or preferences. Take the time to do the research; ask the right questions and gain valuable insights that either affirm your assumptions, or better yet, prevent costly mistakes.
Lori Lichorobiec is the communications coordinator for Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc., or RMS, a full-service marketing and market-research firm based in Baldwinsville. Contact her at loril@rmsresults.com
Upstate Medical University formally opens new Cancer Center
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University on Friday formally opened its new Cancer Center. The Cancer Center sits
Semifinalists selected for Oswego County Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition
The 2014 Oswego County Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition recently announced the seven semifinalists that are competing for a $25,000 prize toward the start of their business in Oswego County. In the third edition of the event, the Next Great Idea committee said it received 19 business-concept proposals. The seven that were chosen by
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The 2014 Oswego County Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition recently announced the seven semifinalists that are competing for a $25,000 prize toward the start of their business in Oswego County.
In the third edition of the event, the Next Great Idea committee said it received 19 business-concept proposals. The seven that were chosen by a panel of 10 judges cover a wide range of industries, according to a news release.
The Next Great Idea semifinalists are as follows.
American Machine Design and Fabrication, LLC owner Jacob Cipriano proposes to serve the manufacturing sector in Oswego County and beyond by engineering and manufacturing automation solutions for production environments to make manufacturing companies more efficient and competitive.
Outdoor Educational Expeditions and its creator, Jennifer Mays, will provide customized outdoor and educational expeditions throughout Oswego County, leveraging its abundant natural and historical resources to promote tourism and provide healthy lifestyle activities.
Campany Oncology Products is a business idea arising from the unique experiences and findings of cancer survivor, Judy Campany. She seeks to develop oncology-specific products for cancer patients and survivors. This business would leverage existing local manufacturing companies to produce the products and establish a unique niche business in Oswego County, the release stated.
Party and Play Café is an event and play location that would focus on children’s entertainment, but would also be adult friendly. Karen Crisafulli came up with the business idea by identifying a need for a quality children’s play outlet in the Oswego area.
Violin Wrap is the business idea of Matthew Vacanti. Based on his experience in the music industry, he has identified an opportunity to develop a colorful and protective covering for string instruments like violins, violas, and cellos. The products would be manufactured in Oswego County and marketed worldwide.
Ontario Soap Company, and owner, Heather Shambo, will create luxury soaps and body-care products using locally sourced ingredients. High-quality local products used in the soap production will be a focus of the business’s marketing efforts, according to the news release.
Bookbrawl.com, started by Austin Rudd, is an online platform headquartered in Oswego County that allows students to create their own textbook marketplaces on campus to reduce the cost of books and supplies.
“Each of the semi-finalist businesses selected to move forward are looking to capitalize on a realistic opportunity they have identified in the market which will benefit Oswego County through the jobs they will create and the advantages they will provide the existing companies and residents in Oswego County,” Next Great Idea Chairperson Austin Wheelock said in the release.
The next step for the semifinalists will be to develop a full business plan by Sept. 5 that will include a detailed narrative on the business, financial statements, and key supporting information.
In addition to awarding one winning business $25,000, other anticipated outcomes from the program include developing a culture of innovation and entrepreneurism in Oswego County; improving the quality of life for the community by bringing innovative and needed businesses and services to Oswego County; fighting the “brain drain” by encouraging the best and brightest to stay local; creating new job opportunities and markets; and expanding the tax base, the news release stated.
The Next Great Idea Business Plan Competition website (www.oswegocounty.org/NGI) includes an overview of the event, a competition timeline, guidelines, and details on the $25,000 prize, sponsors, partners, and contact information.
In addition, the $25,000 can potentially be leveraged to borrow up to $250,000 in partnership with local banks, the Oswego County Industrial Development Agency, the community development offices of the cities of Oswego and Fulton, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and other economic-development agencies.
The Real Meaning of Independence
The annual 4th of July holiday, which we celebrated recently, is a time to reflect on the true meaning of independence. It’s important to note that independence is not about being alone; it’s about being free to be in control of your own future. This is especially important when leading a business — large or
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The annual 4th of July holiday, which we celebrated recently, is a time to reflect on the true meaning of independence. It’s important to note that independence is not about being alone; it’s about being free to be in control of your own future. This is especially important when leading a business — large or small.
One of the best ways to ensure you’re free to be in control of the future of your business is to have the right team in place — whether that is a management team, employees, advisers, or vendors.
As the new owner of a business, I have a profound appreciation of independence.
To maximize our opportunity to realize independence and success, it’s important that we have the right people in those positions for our business. And, we also work to serve in this role for our clients. This “team,” however it is comprised, must collectivity guide the company with strategy, integrity, and communication — the three cornerstones of success. In fact, we believe that long-term success is impossible to achieve without a commitment to all three.
This might mean having someone dedicated to the media needs of the organization, or serving as a sounding board for objective feedback and advice. This structure allows leaders to focus on how their long-term strategies tie into the organization’s day-to-day activities — and they are actually able to react to other demands, such as the news media, more quickly and effectively.
There are plenty of other ways that demonstrate the value of having the right team in place to help you realize independence and success. But it all starts with the realization that to be truly independent, you must learn to depend on those people you trust and who can help you achieve your business objectives.
Are you being heard?
Crystal Smith is the president and director of public relations at Strategic Communications, LLC, which provides trusted counsel for public relations, including media relations, employee relations and community relations. Contact Smith at csmith@stratcomllc.com.
Letter to the Editor: Setting the record straight on climate change
To the Editor: [Note: This letter is in response to the Tom Morgan column, entitled, “Global warming: not an easy idea for scientists to walk away from no matter the evidence,” published in the July 4-11 issue of The Business Journal.] It is unfortunate and shocking that with the reliable sources of scientific information available
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To the Editor:
[Note: This letter is in response to the Tom Morgan column, entitled, “Global warming: not an easy idea for scientists to walk away from no matter the evidence,” published in the July 4-11 issue of The Business Journal.]
It is unfortunate and shocking that with the reliable sources of scientific information available today, profound ignorance not only exists, but also is empowered to publish such unfounded and fantastical misinformation as that which appeared in Mr. Morgan’s article. It would be comical, were it not that people in the business community might actually believe the incorrect information, or — just as bad — assume that there is serious doubt about the facts of anthropogenic climate change.
We all need to be clear about the basic and incontrovertible facts: 97 percent to 98 percent of published scientists in the field of climate science confirm the basic tenets of anthropogenic climate change — that human activities are causing the earth to warm. Let’s put this in perspective: If your doctor diagnosed you with a life-threatening disease, and he told you that you needed a major operation or procedure to survive, would you get a second opinion? A third? How many doctors would you go to before you found one that called for something less drastic, because that’s what you really want to hear? Ten? Twenty or more? And, would you trust your life based on the advice of the 2 percent to 3 percent of doctors who might tell you, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine?” If not, why would you trust the fringe minority on an issue that could involve permanent and crippling environmental and economic disruption?
Verifiable data exists. It is important to separate this from the unsubstantiated and inaccurate statements, so we can make the correct decisions for ourselves and our community. Please allow me to attempt to set the record straight with information that has been provided, verified, and affirmed by reliable sources such as NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, the IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), and by virtually every major scientific association of every country in the world.
The decisions that we make today, including consumer choices, business decisions, and governmental policies, can make a huge impact on the severity of the problems that we will face. Separating fact from fiction is critical in order to do the right thing for ourselves, for our community, for our economy, and for our future.
James A. D’Aloisio, P.E.
Jamesville
Note: D’Aloisio is a structural engineer. He is a member of the Climate Reality Project and the Citizen’s Climate Lobby. Contact him at jad@khhpc.com
State legislative session ends with some accomplishments, but more to do
The state legislative session recently ended for the year. There were many good measures that passed, but many more, however, that did not come to floor for a vote. Here are a few noteworthy items that passed that I was pleased about. This list is not comprehensive, but I wanted to share with you some
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The state legislative session recently ended for the year. There were many good measures that passed, but many more, however, that did not come to floor for a vote.
Here are a few noteworthy items that passed that I was pleased about. This list is not comprehensive, but I wanted to share with you some highlights.
While this is a good list of accomplishments, there is still more to do.
William (Will) A. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or (315) 598-5185.
Michelle Malenick has joined Testone, Marshall & Discenza, LLP’s Syracuse team. She is a senior accountant in the firm’s tax practice group. Malenick brings six
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.