Is your business communication strategy based on a “more information the better” philosophy? Often, we think if we tell a potential client everything there is to know about our product upfront, they’ll easily see the value and decide to buy. Not so. Providing the wrong information at the wrong time can actually stall – or even end – a sale before it gets off the ground.

Colin Parker, the CEO of Red Giraffe Strategic Sales & Marketing, has developed a Progressive Messaging Strategy for communicating with clients.  In this session, Colin will teach you the value of progressively communicating the right data to your client and how to recognize that information is needed to move your sale forward. It is a sales and marketing necessity for closing more sales, faster.

In this 90-minute interactive session, Colin will address the topic: How to Get More Sales, Faster.

There are only 15 spaces available so please sign up quickly to avoid disappointment.

What We Do Sessions

Financial Business Clinics are specialist drop-in clinics delivered by Accelerate Okanagan Partners: professional service providers who provide free expert advice and guidance on specific Financial challenges faced  by companies and entrepreneurs.

If you would like to take advantage of this upcoming Financial Business Clinic to discuss any financial matter or concern, please do contact us at 250.870.9028 and we will be happy to book you a slot with one of our financial partners: Grant Thornton or KPMG.

Legal Business Clinics are specialist drop-in clinics delivered by an Accelerate Okanagan Partner: a professional service provider who provide free expert advice and guidance on specific Legal challenges faced  by companies and entrepreneurs.

If you would like to take advantage of this Legal Business Clinic to discuss any legal matter or concern, please do contact us at 250.870.9028 and we will be happy to book you a slot with our legal partner: Pushor Mitchell.

The $325,000 BCIC-New Ventures Competition is accepting registrations -  deadline April 17, 2012, 11:59pm.

For the 12th year, the BCIC-New Ventures Competition will award cash prizes to early-stage technology startups viewed to have the most potential for success by our panel of judges.

This year’s prizes include:
• $100,000 BCIC First Prize Package
• $55,000 BCIC Second Prize Package
• $35,000 BCIC Third Prize Package
• $40,000 BC Hydro Sustainability Prize
• $30,000 Shildroth Agritech Innovation First Prize
• $20,000 Shildroth Agritech Innovation Second Prize
• $20,000 BC Bioenergy Network Prize
• $15,000 Vancity Social Venture Prize
• Plug and Play Prize (value $10,000)
*Prizes may change without notice

Who should enter?
The competition is open to any B.C. resident or business with a technology-focused idea that has not yet secured more than $500,000 in financing from external investors (i.e. investors other than friends, family and company founders).

To Register
To register in the Competition or for more information regarding rules and eligibility requirements, visit www.newventuresbc.com.

This seminar will be of interest to:

• Companies interested in developing and expanding their business
• Companies that are developing new products
• Companies wishing to test their products in the marketplace
• Companies looking to expand into export markets

Representatives from the following organizations will tell you what lending programs they have available, how you can qualify, and provide examples of companies they have funded:

• Community Futures Development Corporation of the Central Okanagan
• Business Development Bank of Canada
• Farm Credit Canada
• Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust
• Export Development Canada
• Agriculture Canada
• National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
• Public Works Canada – Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program
• MNP will discuss Revenue Canada’s Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Program.

The program fee of $25.00 plus HST includes lunch.

Click here for the full agenda

SDTC (Sustainable Development Technology Canada) is announcing calls for applications for clean technology funding from all technology businesses in the Okanagan that address the challenges of climate change, clean air, soil and water.

This is a great funding opportunity for all relevant companies in late-stage development, and/ or pre-commercial demonstration of clean technologies.

SDTC will host a series of webinars to guide prospective applicants through the process, ensuring that the best ideas rise to the surface. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the Statement of Interest process and funding requirements.

Click here for more information.

Want to know more about Accelerate Okanagan?

Think you want to join us or one of our programs but not sure?

Sign up for free to one of our “What We Do” information sessions

And free coffee!

Come along and find out how Accelerate Okanagan can help you start and grow your opportunity!

To reserve a seat at a What We Do Session in Kelowna:

HR Business Clinics are specialist drop-in clinics delivered by Accelerate Okanagan Partners: professional service providers who provide free expert advice and guidance on specific HR challenges faced  by companies and entrepreneurs.

If you would like to take advantage of this upcoming HR Business Clinic to discuss any HR matter or concern, please do contact us at 250.870.9028 and we will be happy to book you a slot with one of our HR partners: LoveHR or Pushor Mitchell.

On March 29th, the Canadian government released the 2012 Federal Budget and with it, widely anticipated changes to the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit program. This roughly $4 billion annual allocation is subject to significant changes that will broadly affect Canadian companies that invest in technology and innovation across all sectors.

This plated lunch seminar in the comfortable surroundings of the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver will offer three presentations by subject matter experts from leading professional firms in the field of innovation tax credits and corporate tax and finance. Each presentation will address the implications of the 2012 Federal Budget changes to the SR&ED program and other innovation tax credits affected by this announcement.

By attending this presentation you will:
- Learn about the changing political and economic support structures to innovation programs
- Have a broad understanding of the changes to the SR&ED program as per the 2012 Federal Budget
- Identify the relevant changes to the SR&ED program from a technical and financial perspective
- Develop an understanding of how to manage cashflows and creatively fund innovation efforts