Automation Alley Events

Marketing Mechanics Series

Do you have the proper tools to adequately market and grow your business?

If not, then attend the Technology Business Committee's new "Marketing Mechanics Series."

The series will provide attendees with the basic tools to construct an effective marketing plan, with a specific focus on marketing strategy, public relations, advertising and Internet marketing.

Sponsored by Biznet Internet Solutions and the TM Group, the series begins on Wednesday, March 26 with "Hammering Out a Marketing Strategy." The session discusses the basics of any successful marketing initiative to clarify and achieve organizational goals, including the proper definition of marketing, how to create a marketing strategy, marketing tactics, and the importance of developing a strong marketing plan. To register, click here.

The next event, focusing on public relations, will be Wednesday, April 30. "Building a Public Relations Plan," provides attendees an overview on public relations, including a definition on public relations, the different types of public relations, the dos and don'ts and the importance of a crisis public relations plan. To register, click here.

The third event on advertising, "Nailing Down Advertising Options," will be Wednesday, May 28. The session provides the advertising basics, along with information on building a consistent brand, marketing collateral, targeted marketing and graphic design. To register, click here.

The final event, "The Nuts and Bolts of Internet Marketing" will be Wednesday, June 25. Focusing on Web site basics that drive results, participants will learn about analytics and hosting, search engine optimization, blogging and podcasting. To register, click here.

Each event runs from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Automation Alley Headquarters. The cost is $20 per event for Automation Alley members and $40 for non-members; a series price of $60 for members and $120 for non-members is also being offered.

To register or for additional information, visit www.automationalley.com.

Automation Alley Advantage Program

With spring right around the corner, Automation Alley is proud to announce its continued partnership with Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Clarkston to offer Automation Alley members an exclusive membership at a reduced rate with waived entry fees. A golf membership at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club includes full use of golf, tennis, swimming, fitness, social, and dining facilities.

For questions or to schedule a tour of the Clubhouse, contact Susan Madole, director of membership sales at (248) 391-3300, ext 137 or smadole@oakhurstgolf.com.

March 12, 2008
B2B Business Development Series: The Heart of the Sale - Qualifying through Closing (Session II - Small Business)

March 19, 2008
The MORE Program

March 20, 2008
Wayne State University presents: Seeing Sound

March 21-28, 2008
Trade Mission to Qatar & the United Arab Emirates

March 26, 2008
Marketing Mechanics Series: Hammering Out a Marketing Strategy

April 3, 2008
Oakland University's Annual Ambassador Leonard Woodcock Legacy Seminar

April 9, 2008
B2B Business Development Series: Maintaining Your Relationships After the Close

April 22, 2008
Dual-Use Technology Briefing

April 23, 2008
Spring Member Orientation

April 24, 2008
Spring Member Networking Event

April 29, 2008
Litigate, Arbitrate, or Mediate: Solving the Mystery

Late last year, Automation Alley received a contract from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and the National Automotive Center (NAC) to provide an analysis of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and to propose a strategy for improving the commercialization of SBIR technologies.

The SBIR program is a highly competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. The program funds the critical startup and development stages and it encourages the commercialization of technologies, products, and/or services.

As a result of the contract, Automation Alley has hired John Bedz, formerly of Michigan Small Tech and Small Times magazine. Bedz will work with TARDEC personnel within the NAC to analyze the SBIR program and develop a strategy for improving the success rate of the SBIR program over a twelve month time period.

For additional information, contact the Resource Center at (800) 427-5100 or info@automationalley.com.

Are you looking to expand your business overseas? If so, there's still time to register for Automation Alley's upcoming trade mission to China and Vietnam.

From April 18-26, participants will have the opportunity to attend Auto China 2008 in Beijing and visit Vietnam, Asia's next hotspot.
China has a market of 1.3 billion consumers, including an emerging middle class of 300 million, who are fueling demand for American-made products, services and technologies. Vietnam is Asia's second fastest-growing economy, just behind China, with a projected rate of gross domestic product growth reaching nine percent in 2008. "Automation Alley is dedicated to helping Southeast Michigan companies grow by helping develop international trade relationships," said Noel Nevshehir, director of international business services. "China and Vietnam are not just about low-cost manufacturing. Both countries have sophisticated, technologically adept and highly-skilled workforces that are creating innovative products for the global market."

Industries to be targeted on the trade mission include: advanced energy and power generation; engineering and design services; environmental and pollution control technologies; machine tools and industrial machinery; medical devices and equipment; and information technology software applications.

All Automation Alley trade missions include the U.S. Department of Commerce's Gold Key Service, which provides pre-screened, pre-qualified meetings based on a company's goals and objectives.

Automation Alley and U.S. Department of Commerce staff works closely to provide assistance to trade mission participants before, during and after the mission. The cost to attend is $7,995 per person and includes airfare, hotel, ground transportation, matchmaking meetings and other travel-related expenses.

For additional information, contact the Resource Center at (800) 427-5100 or info@automationalley.com.

B2B:The Heart of the Sale: From Cold to Sold - Closing Techniques that Work

On Wednesday, March 12, the Technology Business Committee will host its next session in its popular B2B Business Development Series, "The Heart of the Sale: From Cold to Sold - The Art of Closing Those Qualified Leads in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses."

Speakers include Kathleen Norton-Schook of SolidWorks Corp. and Tracy-Ann Palmer of Salesforce.com, who will discuss how to handle proposals and the art of negotiation.

Topics include:
-Qualifying leads
-Presentation
-Proposals
-Negotiation
-The complete sales cycle

The event runs from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. at Automation Alley Headquarters. The cost is $20 for members and $40 for non-members. To register, click here.

The Information Security Regional Skills Alliance (MiRSA) and Oakland Schools presented "Internet Security for Grown-Ups" on February 27.

The event informed attendees of the top 10 ways to keep their personal data safe from would-be hackers and protect their computers against viruses and malware. The presenters gave specific instructions, (available on the MiRSA website at www.automationalley.com/mirsa) and answered audience questions about Internet safety. This event will be repeated at different locations throughout the region - check the MiRSA calendar for details.

If you're interested in offering a similar event for your employees or customers contact the Resource Center at (800) 427-5100 or info@automationalley.com.

The most recent news from our member companies is listed below:

Carbon Credit Environmental Services Creates New Certification for GHG, CO2 Emissions Reducing Global Warming
Enterprizer Technologies releases new 'securityEnterprizer' assessment & optimization model
PMV Technologies Named to MSPmentor 100
Teoma Systems Honored as One of "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch"
WorkforceLogic and ASG Renaissance Announce New Diversity Program

To view the entire press release section, click here.

Detroit Media Partnership

Member since: 2008

Detroit Media Partnership manages the business operations of the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News, including production, advertising and circulation. Gannett Co., Inc., owner of the Detroit Free Press, is the general partner in the Detroit Media Partnership and MediaNews Group, owner of The Detroit News, is the limited partner.

The two newspapers publish separate editions Monday through Saturday, with the Detroit Free Press publishing the Sunday newspaper.

For additional information, visit www.detroitmedia.com

Senator Carl Levin

Senator Carl Levin is the Chairman on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was an early advocate of efforts to prepare the American military to combat terrorism and other emerging threats of the post-Cold War world.

As a co-chair of the Senate Auto Caucus and the Senate Auto Parts Task Force, Senator Levin has called for action to open the world's markets to American goods. He has been an advocate of programs that provide for joint government-industry partnerships in development of advanced vehicle technologies. These efforts led to the establishment of the Army's National Automotive Center in Warren, Michigan, which has played an important role in developing advanced technologies for military use in conjunction with the private sector.

As co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, Levin has fought to protect the environmental treasures of "the Great Lakes State." In 1990, Levin authored the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act to create new standards of environmental protection for Great Lakes waters. Levin also helped win passage of the Great Lakes Legacy Program in 2002 to clean up contaminated sediments, and he worked to secure funding to deal with foreign aquatic invasive species including zebra mussels, milfoil and Asian carp. An advocate for the creation of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Levin has obtained significant funding for it and introduced legislation in 2007 to expand the boundaries of the sanctuary to more than eight times its current size. The expansion would help preserve "Shipwreck Alley" for divers and historians, where dozens of ships sank in the waters of Lake Huron.

To continue reading this article, click here.

This year started with amendments to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that expanded the Act's protections for the families of military service members. On February 11, 2008, the Department of Labor (DOL) continued the focus on the FMLA by publishing proposed changes to the FMLA regulations. The DOL's report on the proposed rules, at over 470 pages, addresses some of the concerns with the regulations that employers expressed when the DOL first sought public comments on the regulations in December 2006. However, the proposed rules leave one of the most administratively difficult aspects of the FMLA regulations - intermittent leave - essentially unchanged.

To continue reading, click here.

Mark your calendars for Automation Alley's Ninth Annual Golf Outing on Tuesday, June 17 at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Clarkston.

Are you looking to save money on business products and services? Are you looking to generate additional revenue? If so, then visit Automation Alley's online Member Discount Program.