New York SBDC Research Network

You probably know the Motion Picture Association of America, if at all, as the folks who administer the movie ratings. True enough, but it also collects a lot of statistics as well. They include: 2006 U.S. Theatrical Market Statistics A summary of 2006’s theatrical performance, looking at box office trends, admissions trends and consumer attitudes. US Theatrical Snapshot A brief summary of the domestic box office, admission and screen count trends, including the top five grossing films domestically. International Theatrical Snapshot A brief summary of international box office and admission trends by region for the past four years, includes the top five grossing films worldwide. Movie Attendance Study An annual study which provides a summary of the demographics of moviegoers and an analysis of the yearly changes in frequent movie attendance. 2005 Piracy Data Summary A summary of a piracy study conducted by LEK Consulting outlining losses due to piracy, profile of a typical pirate,...

Josee often tells you about new books added to our collection. Today, I'm going to steal a bit of her thunder (sorry, J!). We recently obtained an electronic version of the book "Web & Software Development: A Legal Guide". It's published by Nolo , a publisher of self-help legal books for people & businesses (and provider of lots of other titles in our collection). I like the books from Nolo, because they're an honest attempt at boiling down complicated legal issues into terminology that's straightforward. A lot of their titles (like this one) are written by practicing attorneys with practical experience in their chosen specialty. We bought this book primarily because of a recurring type of request: Is software patentable? And, if it is, is it worth pursuing? I tried researching this question without this book, and the stuff I found was just dense and likely of little use to the client who needed it. Fortunately, chapter 9 - "Software and Internet ...

After reading through Mary's SPD Gazette and seeing what great things the centers are up to, I'd like to reiterate an invitation to send in DVD copies of tv spots, interviews or programs created by the regional centers. We are hoping to collect these materials in the hopes of becoming a depository for materials - printed, electonic or audio-visual for the products of SBDC collective talent. At some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, our catalog will be accessible and searchable by the rest of the NY SBDC. So, if you have materials you've produced that you can share, please do so. At the very least, we can keep a record of what materials are produced around the network and who to contact for a copy.

Want to see your colleagues on TV? Check out these video segments starring David North and Gloria Glowacki from Stony Brook (this link should open one video. There are others on the right, in the "Other videos in BUSINESS Channel" section.) The videos cover how to start a small business, financing, marketing, franchising, and businesses plans, and many of the services provided by the Small Business Development Center. And Gloria mentions the Research Network, and our market research services. Thanks Gloria!

I got an article from the Brand Identity Guru about The Art of the Tagline and Positioning which says, in part: So how important is a tagline? Well, it briefly represents your brand identity and positioning. If it's off target it hurts you and if you don't have one it hurts you. A tagline can be powerful and actionable. Let's play a little game. Which taglines do you know and associate with? If you know them and the company they belong to then they've done their job. Does your tagline measure up? Then their sales pitch. But it's a bit of fun, and maybe you can think of more to suggest to your clients. Tagline Trivia What brands are associated with these taglines? 1. You deserve a break today. 2. Be all that you can be. 3. Just do it. 4. It's the real thing. 5. Where's the beef? 6. It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken. 7. We try harder. 8. Oh, what a feeling 9. You've come a long way, baby. 10. Mmm mmm good 11. It's where you want to be...

"If you want to get a VC's attention, you need to make a stronger statement than that. Here's how." By Guy Kawasaki Entrepreneur Magazine July 2007 Recently I have pointed out an article by Guy Kawasaki on how not to approach a venture capitalist. In the July issue of Entrepreneur Magazine he now goes into what a business ought to do when looking for venture capital. The article is here, but these are the highlights: "An entrepreneur seeking venture capital can feel like a knight on horseback, looking longingly across the moat at the gleaming spires of the VC's "castle" beyond. How do you bridge that gap and actually get inside the castle walls, where the money is? Here, my shortlist of tips to get a venture capitalist's attention": 1. Get an introduction by a partner-level lawyer. (for connections) 2. If you're in tech, get an introduction by a professor of engineering. (for connections) 3. Get an introduction by the founder of a c...

When I’m not sure what to blog about, I read blogs to get ideas. Today I went to Stephen’s Lighthouse (by super-librarian Stephen Abram), and found a link to another blog posting, about, well, blogging. This posting, “ 55 Essential Articles Every Serious Blogger Should Read ” from the Entrepreneurial Blog of Matt Huggins , highlights articles and, of course, blog postings, that provide useful information to bloggers. Topics include getting started, creating content, increasing traffic, and making money. Helpful stuff. This blogger intends to take a closer look, and maybe your clients who are bloggers or would-be bloggers could benefit too…