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Kansas SBDC March 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Advantage Marketing

Advantage marketing kansas small business award

In 2013, when Cori Kohlmeier was close to completing her business plan for Advantage Marketing, she recognized that she was at a point where she needed more direction as well as help on her financial projections.

Cori knew her industry well. She had been in media since graduating from Wichita State University in 2001. What she needed now was a business advisor that could double as a sounding board for her new business venture.

Using local resources, Cori met initially with a member of the local SCORE chapter for some assistance. There her mentor, a local businessman who was retiring, encouraged her to use the Kansas SBDC. At the Kansas SBDC at Wichita State University (Cori’s alma mater) she began working with Elaine Hanna.

For Cori, Elaine’s help was exactly what she was seeking. “Elaine reviewed the business plan and talked me through changes that needed to be made. She guided me through the financials and estimated projections for the company. Utilizing a software system called ProfitCents she completed the projections for my plan.” After the business plan was finished, Cori identified that she would need additional funding to start the company. “I had a small amount I was going to invest but wanted to make sure we had a secure start. Elaine got me in touch with Fidelity Bank, who along with SCKEDD, was able to give me the business loans I needed.”

After Advantage Marketing launched, Cori continued to use Elaine as her business advisor. “When I was experiencing significant growth early on I met with Elaine to establish the next set of goals and objectives. This included moving locations and adding a business partner,” shared Cori. “The agency has since purchased another agency adding more clients as well as staff, further growing our footprint. Even though Elaine was retiring at the time, she listened and talked me through part of our negotiation.”

Cori appreciated the help and advice. “Elaine really took the time to understand my business and how it worked. She asked questions and offered advice on every situation – which was instrumental in the growth of our company.”

Today Advantage Marketing – with Cori at the helm as the President/ Founder and Amy Hoefer as VicePresident/Partner – continues to thrive in a competitive market. The company employs eight full-time employees, three part-time employees, and subcontractors. The firm has expanded services beyond traditional media buying to include digital marketing, social media management, and website development.

Success has also come in the form of awards for the business. After only one year of business, the Advantage Marketing team was named one of the top ad agencies in Wichita by the Wichita Business Journal. In 2016 Cori was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 2016 “40 Under 40 Class,” recognizing 40 rising stars making a difference for the Wichita economy and community.

Growth has not slowed for the firm. Recently, Cori oversaw the merger with of Advantage Marketing with another agency. The process grew the footprint of the agency while adding valued clients such as Botanica, Sedgwick County Zoo and Wichita Hyatt.

More about Advantage Marketing

Website: Advantage Marketing
Facebook: Advantage Marketing

Kansas SBDC Advisors

Elaine Hanna, WSU
Natalie Santonil, WSU

How Kansas SBDC helped Advantage Marketing

Cash Flow Projections
Business Plan  

Filed Under: Business Planning, financial analysis, success stories Tagged With: Advantage Marketing, business consulting in kansas, business help in sedgwick county, business help near wichita, businesses in wichita, financial projections help, help with my business plan, marketing help for my business, sbdc, website development help

Kansas SBDC February 1, 2018 Leave a Comment

Kansas SBDC Marketing

kansas sbdc marketing help quote

KANSAS SBDC MARKETING Often our clients are frustrated with trying to evaluate marketing options on their own.

THEY WANT increased sales, improved marketing results

WE PROVIDE marketing planning, website development, e-commerce development, social media marketing

THEY BENEFIT We help them weigh the options to make effective decisions that can help their businesses succeed.

Do you need help weighing your options? We invite you to contact a location near you when you are ready for assistance.

Business advising is confidential and at no cost to the owner. SBDC services are made available to you and your business by funding from the U.S. SBA, Kansas Department of Commerce, and university hosts and other partners. Curious? Read our FAQs.

So, how does this work?

First, to become a client, you sign up online. Next, a center rep near you will contact you to cover your next steps. Next steps may include an online assessment, training, or it may be a one-on-one meeting with a business advisor.

When you meet with a business advisor the advisor’s role is to listen to you and learn about your marketing challenges in a judgement-free environment. The advisor will ask about your goals, your needs, and your expectations. They’ll ask about the implications that your marketing has on other aspects of your business. We know that marketing doesn’t exist on its own, so to really help your business, we like to look at the whole picture.

When you and your advisor agree on a plan of action, we’ll proceed.

What you might discover

You might find that we work best as objective outsider that can be there to talk through ideas or to serve as a sounding board. Or you may need us to dig in and help you prepare or revise a marketing plan. Or you may find that you need us to get deep into the details and work together to develop strategies and tactics to test for a specific product or for your overall brand. Whatever approach works best for you, we’re here to assist.

If we discover that what you need is beyond our scope, we can refer you to great developers and designers operating as other small businesses in Kansas. Even if we refer you to outside resources, you’ll find that we willing to be there to work with you as you implement new programs in your business.

Want to get started? Sign up online.

Businesses interested in marketing were often also interested in

  • Financial Analysis
  • Market Research
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Filed Under: marketing, services Tagged With: creative ways to market your business, e-commerce development help, how does the sbdc work, how to market a business with no money, how to market your business on social media, how to market your business online, market research, marketing, marketing help for my business, marketing strategy small business, social media marketing help, ways of marketing a product, website development help

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Greg Panichello, Kansas SBDC State Director
800 SW Jackson St Ste 900
Topeka KS 66612
785-296-6514
panichello@ksbdc.net

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