The federal government will be providing hundreds of billions of dollars in stimulus funds for institutions including local governments, schools, and healthcare systems to spend with America's businesses. Are you and your company in the best position to capitalize on these emerging opportunities?

Congress and the new administration are making decisions about how to boost the economy through a stimulus package known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It appears that a significant portion of the stimulus funding being discussed will be pushed through institutions. Click to continue

MCH has launched a new website, www.stimulusmarketing.com to share information about the stimulus funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment program. We are tracking information from a variety of sources and are providing daily updates on where the money is going and who will be spending it. The Stimulus Marketing website features regular updates, including links to breaking news, tips for targeting billions in new funding, and analysis of the situation in Washington and its implications to your company’s bottom line

Click here to visit the new Stimulus Marketing website.

MCH is pleased to announce its partnership with edWeb, a free networking and collaboration website for educators that:

• helps educators share resources and collaborate with colleagues anytime, anywhere 
• allows teachers and administrators to share best practices and information on what's working 
• enables schools and districts to work collaboratively to implement new programs and school reforms and 
• helps educators develop 21st century skills and introduces the benefits of social networking

The edWeb addresses the need expressed by many leaders and policy groups for online learning communities that can provide sustainable professional development opportunities for teachers. Click to continue

If you answered anything other than EVERYONE, your company may be missing opportunities. Now, more than ever, we all need to focus on customer retention. Nancy Friedman, President of The Telephone Doctor, provided great tips for handling voice mail, direct inward dial, and answering your own phone.

• Answer your phone with your name-no matter how high up the ladder you are. 
• Don't ever be "too busy to be nice." If you sound "too busy" you'll turn your callers off. 
• We are customers to each other. Treat your co-workers with the same respect that you treat your customers. 
• Return all phone calls or have them returned in your behalf. 
• Tell vendors when you don't want to hear from them. Salespeople appreciate direction.

Remember, you only get four to six seconds to make a great first impression on a call. So make it great.

Click here for more information about Nancy Friedman's customer service training programs.

In the Midwest, we're yearning for warmer weather and all of the outdoor activities associated with it. Many institutions are beginning the process of planning summer events so it's a great time for you to get your group ticket offers in front of decision makers. Even in a down economy, there are still opportunities.

"Less than two months before the start of the MLS season, the league’s clubs are reporting that ticket sales are keeping pace despite the economic downturn."
Tripp Mickle, Sports Business Journal, February 2, 2009

"On the face of it (and discounts aside), Chicago theater is proving remarkably resilient to the current economic circumstance. The downtown theaters are all humming with shows."
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, February 1, 2009

Make sure you're thinking about hospital employee outings, individual recognition/rewards, congregational events at church, school incentives, summer programs and senior citizen trips as you're developing your message and marketing strategies for group ticket sales.

There has been a huge surge in enrollment in continuing education courses over the past few months. Employees are utilizing education programs to expand their knowledge while displaced workers are focused on learning new skills. Like businesses, many institutions are trying to do more with less. It is a well-known statistic that it is often less expensive to provide additional training to existing employees than it is to hire additional staff. In fact, in some institutions, continuing education is a professional requirement. Teachers, medical professionals, and many other institutional employees must complete a specified number of continuing education hours in order to maintain their eligibility and/or license. The economic stimulus package passed by the House of Representatives has millions of dollars earmarked for educators' professional development. Make sure you aren't missing an opportunity to extend your reach in the continuing education market.

Click here to review datacards that are suitable for marketers of continuing education products and services and services and then call your MCH sales representative to get a count on those "why didn't I think of that?" institutions you may have missed.

Click here to request a quote for any of MCH's institutional databases and services.