Small businesses and entrepreneurs have access to the latest technology to pinpoint their customer base and create effective marketing strategies through a new service offered by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Extension�s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, the SBDC provides their business clients with a map of their customers� location and demographics for use in a marketing plan. The service is available to counties served by the UWSP Extension, including Adams, Wood, Portage, Waupaca, Marathon, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas. The SBDC at UWSP is one of the few in the state to offer the GIS mapping for business analysis.

"Marketing is so important," says Mary Wescott, an SBDC counselor. "The basis of the business is knowing your customers. GIS is a useful tool for defining your marketplace and customer profile, and the service is priced just to our costs."

Student Intern Luke Behling, a senior geography major from Hilbert, assists with the mapping program while Wescott works with businesses and their customer database. Business owners are helped on a first come, first serve basis.

For existing businesses, the SBDC uses the GIS software to provide a market analysis. Using input from the business� database, Behling maps customer concentrations and the size and location of the trade area. Wescott identifies industry trends, targets potential customers by demographics, locates competitors and pinpoints where the business might concentrate their advertising dollars. This service costs $350 and includes data entry of 500 names.

For those seeking to start a new business or expand with a new location, the SBDC will create a map that shows the merits of one area verses another, the proximity of competitors, the drive time from a variety of access points, key demographics of the surrounding population and the socio-economic and demographic data within a three-mile radius. This service costs $200.

"Sometimes location is critical," says SBDC Director Vicki Lobermeier. "We use the mapping software to analyze which locations fit their customer profile, with factors of age, income and population."

Wescott and Lobermeier began researching the use of GIS software to counsel businesses after receiving requests for market analysis information. Al Bond of UWSP Information Technology and Benjamin Ofari-Amoah of the Geography Department helped lay the groundwork for the program and Ofari-Amoah matched them with Behling for an internship.

In addition to the GIS mapping service, the SBDC also offers free business counseling, one-on-one education and outreach seminars and workshops. The popular eight-session Entrepreneurial Training Program for business planning will be offered again at the Cedar Creek Mall beginning in April.

The SBDC is facilitated by UWSP Extension, the center of continuing education and lifelong learning at the university. The organization provides credit classes, degree completion programs, conference planning, contract training and an array of personal and professional development programs for business and industry, youth, working adults and special audiences.

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