4 Enjoyable Ways to Spend Your Fall Days In Sartell

Does the crisp fall air and the sight of changing leaves make you crave spending more time outdoors with friends and family? Around Sartell there are countless opportunities to satisfy your Fall fever.

With 24 parks, 17 miles of trails, playgrounds, bike lanes and the Watab River running through the community, it is easy to find beautiful autumn landscapes and fun activities to partake in. While keeping this in mind we want to share some ideas that you will enjoy this season!

1.    Fall Leaf Photography and Collection: A beautiful way to spend a fall day is to take time to admire the leaves on the trees as they change colors. Planning a picnic or a hike in the woods during fall can be a great romantic getaway for two or a fun day for the family! The changing colors make gorgeous photography and with the miles of trails in Sartell this may be the perfect place to start!

2.    Create a New Family Tradition: Fall is the perfect time to involve the family in an outdoor sport. Football season has started and it is still warm enough for soccer, baseball and other group sports. Go on a bike ride, a hike or even rake the leaves in your back yard and make a scarecrow. All of these activities can be turned into an annual fall family tradition.

3.    Navigate Through A Corn Maze: There are plenty of corn mazes available in the Fall for kids and adults. At night there may even be some mazes haunted by the costumed staff members that create the perfect spooky atmosphere. For these after dusk mazes, it is perfect for families with older children and the younger kids can still enjoy the maze during the daylight without all the monsters!

4.    Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchards: It just isn’t fall without pumpkins or caramel apples! Take the family out to a patch and orchard to pick those apples and the perfect jack-o-lantern! Make sure to make those delicious caramel apples on a stick for everyone to enjoy.

I know we are excited to enjoy this fall weather and we hope you are too! Now get out there with your family and friends and enjoy the beautiful Minnesota autumn while you can!

Rock 'N Block

We hate to say it, but summer is flying by and we’re quickly approaching the end of July. On the bright side, we’re getting closer every day to one of our biggest events of the summer – Rock n Block! Be sure to mark your calendars for August 10^th to celebrate the 5^th annual Rock n Block at Pinecone Marketplace!

            The event kicks off at 4 p.m. with Kid’s Zone. This is a chance to walk around with the family to check out all of the vendors and play some games – maybe even win a few prizes! If you show up before 6 p.m., you’ll receive $5 worth of kid’s tickets with each paid admission. The kid’s zone will run until 7 p.m. but in the meantime, the band Electric Almighty will take the stage starting at 5 p.m. Electric Almighty is sure to put on a good show and entertain all age groups with their collection of music ranging from 70’s classic rock, to the pop music of the 80’s and 90’s, all the way to today’s biggest hits. At 8 p.m. we will begin our karaoke contest for all of the undiscovered talent in the area brave enough to show off their vocals for the crowd! Then at 9 p.m., the headliners for the night, the Fabulous Armadillos, will perform until midnight. Their creative style has made them one of the most popular bands in central Minnesota; we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us!

            This event would not be possible without all of the support we’ve received from generous sponsors. We’ve teamed up with Leighton Broadcasting and Times Media to cover all forms of promotion. So be on the lookout for any advertisements, keep your ears open for radio ads, and pass on the word of Rock n Block to your friends and family. We want to see everyone come out for a celebration filled with tasty food and drink, fun games, good music, and great company!

Promote Your Small Business for the Holidays

Shop Small is a nationwide campaign dedicated to supporting small businesses through Small Business Saturday by American Express. According to the Shop Small website, over one hundred million people came together to "Shop Small" in their communities last year. Small Business Saturday 2012 is November 24th and falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This shopping holiday was first celebrated November 27, 2010 and has proven to be successful for participating small businesses and it can add to the succes of your small business.

Getting involved with the Shop Small campaign is easy thanks to American Express. American Express provides small business owners with free advertising for qualifying small businesses and free marketing materials for small businesses and community members via the shop small website. It is up to the business to utilize the information and make Small Business Saturday work for you. Saying is easier than doing, which is why we are here to show you exactly how easy it is to market your business for Small Business Saturday.

The first step is to visit their website (www.shopsmall.com) and click the "Promote Your Small Business" tab at the top of your page and download the free marketing materials. After clicking the download tab they will ask you to fill out some information. Don't be intimidated by this step. We would suggest taking the extra steps to personalize your materials and downloading the information but either way it is up to you. Hit submit when you are finished. Here is what you can expect:

After you submit your information it will take you to a page thanking you for your order. Here you can order free prints by clicking Get Started. Be sure to read the small print. You are only allowed to print the poster you just downloaded and the free download has no cash value.

Next, simply enter your zipcode and select the nearest participating FedEx location and fill out the information. This is where things might get confusing. They will ask you to submit a file. You will be submitting the 11 x 17 print poster you just downloaded. If you chose to email your download you will have to take an extra step and go into your email and click the link to download the information. Typically you can find this under downloads and select Small_Business_Sat_Marketing_Kit (1).zip. After you unzip the file select the Print-Ready_Poster and select the Print-Ready_Poster_11x17.pdf. If you do not see the pdf here you will have to go back to downloads and look for a pdf title signage.pdf. This is also where you will be able to access the rest of your marketing materials. After you have chosen the poster simply hit send and pick up your order at the location you selected. If this is too confusing please feel free to email amyjo@daytamarketing.com.

After you pick up your free prints hang it up in your small business and start spreading the word about Small Business Saturday. Go back to your downloads and update your email, blog, website, facebook, and twitter accounts with the information you have been given. If you are really ambitious run a sale, offer discounts, set out free lemonade and cookies. Show your customers your appreciation for visiting you on Small Business Saturday and have fun! 

Shop Small?

"People who own their own businesses are their own bosses. They are independent thinkers. They know they can't compete by imitating the big guys; they have to innovate. So they are less obsessed with earning than they are with ideas." -Ted Turner

Small businesses are creating 75% of all new jobs. Half of all private sector employees work for a small business. Your Family and Friends are connected to the local small business community. On November 24, 2012 you can celebrate and support local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, boost the local economy and invigorate neighborhoods. November 24, 2012 is Small Business Saturday, falling between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Last year over 100 million people came together to SHOP SMALL.

This year, go small! Support small business. Search for savings on unique merchandise while experiencing spectacular service - something small businesses excel at providing. Stay tuned to find out how you can promote Small Business Saturday for your business.

WHICH SMALL BUSINESSES WILL YOU SUPPORT THIS YEAR?