Michigan Blog - Featuring Michigan Shopping, Travel, Business & People

The Billion Dollar Question for 2010:

How does our company get ahead of the competition without losing sight of the bottom line?

"Go Local" - because people like buying from people they know, like, or can relate to in some way (think neighborhood).

Isn’t it true that everyone’s price point is very close to one another in the market place (for both products and similar services)? Of course, from time to time someone may try to “buy” business but all things being equal pricing is rather close?

Wouldn't you agree that the slim margin of sales victory will be determined by those who most successfully “connect” with the individual who’s doing the buying?

With the advent of mobile and online-local search engines, it has become a little bit easier to connect with your customers at the exact time that person is ready to buy.

If this is true, then why are only a fraction of Michigan Businesses exploiting the power of local business listings on Google, The Michigan Business Directory, Bing, Yelp and other local directories and communities?

We think that it's because of "lack of time" and "lack of expertise" - THAT is why the Michigan Business Directory has partnered with Smart Finds Internet to offer you an economical way to exponentially increase your local online presence.

Make 2010 a "local" year and jump start your local business with this economical listing package. It's as Easy as 1-2-3-Win!

CLICK HERE to find out more on the Professional listing package

Labels: Freebies at the Michigan Business Directory, Local News, Online Marketing and PPC, Web 2.0

Nasa Tech Briefs are FREE through our web link

Probably the most interesting and diverse collection of articles and publications involving a number of disciplines:

• NASA Tech Briefs’ Materials section spotlights new engineering materials, coatings, and materials processing techniques, related primarily to ceramics, composites, plastics, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The Tech Briefs describe applications of these materials in aerospace, defense, electronics, automotive, consumer products, and other major industries. Many of the Tech Briefs below are correlated to a Technical Support Package (TSP) or White Paper that can be downloaded free of charge.
  
  
• NASA Tech Briefs’ Manufacturing & Prototyping section spotlights advances in manufacturing and fabrication processes, rapid prototyping, and digital prototyping, as published in NASA Tech Briefs magazine. Many of the Tech Briefs below are correlated to a Technical Support Package (TSP) or White Paper that can be downloaded free of charge.
  
  
  NASA Tech Briefs’ Machinery and Automation section features design innovations in robotics, automated systems, industrial controls, motion control, machines and tools, as published in NASA Tech Briefs magazine. Many of the Tech Briefs below are correlated to a Technical Support Package (TSP) or White that can be downloaded free of charge.
  
  
• NASA Tech Briefs’ Test and Measurement section features new test instruments for use by engineers in aerospace, communications, electronics, automotive, and other applications, as published in NASA Tech Briefs magazine. Many of the Tech Briefs below are correlated to a Technical Support Package (TSP) or White Paper that can be downloaded free of charge.
  
  
• NASA Tech Briefs’ Semiconductors & Integrated Circuits section spotlights innovative designs of electronic components for applications in aerospace, defense, communications, automotive, bio-med, consumer products, and other major industries. Subject areas include power ICs, logic ICs, microprocessors, digital signal processors, FPGAs, and ASICs. Many of the Tech Briefs below are correlated to a Technical Support Package (TSP) or White Paper that can be downloaded free of charge.
  
  
• NASA Tech Briefs’ Information Sciences section spotlights new computer software architectures, algorithms, mathematical models, and simulation and analysis tools, as published in NASA Tech Briefs magazine. Many of the Tech Briefs below are correlated to a Technical Support Package (TSP) or White Paper that can be downloaded free of charge.

Some of the articles in this magazine are so forward thinking and state of the art - it is unbelievable. If your career is related to any of the above areas - get your FREE Nasa Tech Briefs today!

Labels: Free Magazine, Freebies at the Michigan Business Directory, Packaging Magazines

Today's packaging professional requires knowledge from a number of areas including packaging, business, plastics, chemicals, oil and gas, economics and recycling. The magazines below bring this information together dynamically in one source and best of all - if you work in the packaging industry, you can get these trade magazines delivered to you for free.

• Packaging Careers Magazine - Free Subscription
  PackagingCareers connects you to all aspects of the packaging industry throughout the world - not only in Michigan. Whether you are a CEO, Packaging Engineer or a machine operator, we can help put you on the path to a career in packaging.
  Facets of the packaging industry in which we serve:
  Film Extrusion - Packaging, Cosmetic & Health, Contract Packaging, Converting jobs - Packaging, Flexible Packaging, General Packaging, Glass & Jar Graphics design, Lamination/Coating Management, - Packaging Medical Packaging, Metal & Can Packaging, Packaging design, Packaging Engineering, Paper/Paperboard Plastic, and Plastic bottles Printing Rubber Packaging, sales Tag/Label, Thermoforming ,Wood Packaging
  
• Packaging Digest Magazine -- Free Subscription
  Who really knows where the packaging industry—or the entire economy, for that matter—is headed these days? Usually, an established industry tradeshow gives you a pretty good indication of the industry's direction. Get insights on the industry for free with a subscription to Packaging Digest Magazine (free)
  
• Packaging World Magazine Free Subscription
  Stay up-to-date on news that impacts packaging machinery and suppliers. Packworld.com offers the packaging industry professional information on the latest trends in packaging design, materials and equipment. By providing comprehensive information on trends in the packaging industry, as well as job opportunities, white papers and videos, Packworld.com and Packaging World Magazine should be the industry's first stop for packaging solutions and the latest packaging news.

Plastics are polymers - long-chain carbon-based or "organic" molecules. These chains are made up of repeating fundamental molecular elements, or "monomers."

The term plastics covers a range of mostly synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or filaments.

Did you know that Beaverton, Michigan is the Thermoforming Capitol of the world?

Labels: Freebies at the Michigan Business Directory, Packaging Magazines

Our second big revamp announcement of 2009 is getting even more Kudos than our first announcement!

Back in the beginning of 2007, the Michigan Business Directory launched a sister website http://www.michiganpr.net/ that offered Michigan Business members and Michigan based companies the ability to send out press releases for free throughout the web.

Our members loved the feature, and more and more websites started picking up our RSS feeds giving free exposure to our companies.

The problem we had was that the release service was tedious. Each release had to be manually reviewed and we received a tremendous amount of spam. It became very expensive to manage with hundreds of releases coming in each day. We had two alternatives:

1. Start charging companies for the releases OR


2. Revamp the submission process to eliminate the SPAM and make it easy to edit and approve the legitimate releases.

We chose option #2 and it has already proven to be the right option! Throughout our social network, our marketing company partners and PR company friends .. we have gotten rave reviews. Try it out yourself: http://www.michiganpr.net/addpage.php?a=addnews

A couple of friendly reminders:

• This service is for newsworthy press releases - if you would like to draw attention to an event in Michigan - use our Free Michigan Event Calendar. It's easy to register and once you register one time, you can input all of your company events.


• Please make sure that you submit your release in a professional manner. We truly want to approve all releases, but some PR gets submitted with spelling errors and improper grammer and we cannot approve it


• Spread the News! Make sure that you bookmark your release using our handy "AddThis" button when your release is approved!


• Use the WYSIWYG editor and add a couple of links that are applicable. Doing this will help your website or blog gain exposure. But do not submit HTML - we cannot approve press releases with HTML.

If you have any questions, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjoyce or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Mary-E-Joyce/773284581

Labels: Free Press Release, Freebies at the Michigan Business Directory

It's Christmas Eve and we want to wish each and everyone of our members and readers a wonderful Holiday Season.

Many of our blog readers are not aware that this blog is associated with the Michigan Business Directory which is a FREE online resource for businesses in Michigan and serving Michigan.

Here are some of the freebies you can take advantage of in the upcoming year if you are a business owner or involved in sporting events, clubs etc... in Michigan.

• List your organization or company in the directory for free
• List your company on Merchant Circle for FREE
• Submit your coupons for FREE
• Search Coupons for Free
• Search and map Michigan Schools for free
• List Tryouts, Events, Meetings and Performances etc... for free
• Submit your Press Release for Free - check out http://www.michiganpr.net/ our partner
• Get FREE Content for your website

The new year will be here soon - we wish everyone a fantastic New Year. Remember the Beatitudes in whatever you endeavor.

Features for the New Year:

• Michigan Wedding Planning Guide The A-Z of planning a wedding.
• Free Weight Loss Calculator
• The New Google Michigan Custom Search - Try it!
• Wedding & Bridal Shower Favors

Labels: Freebies at the Michigan Business Directory, Merry Christmas