VerticalResponse Announces Shortlist for $10,000 'New Deal' Competition
Top 30 Small Business Submissions Chosen; Public Voting Open Until April 9; Winners Announced April 12, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- VerticalResponse, Inc., a leading provider of self-service email marketing, online survey and direct mail solutions for small businesses, today announced the top 30 submissions for its 'New Deal' competition for small businesses. As part of the competition, $10,000 in prizes is being offered. The selected small business entries will be on the competition page (http://newdeal.verticalresponse.com/) for public voting until April 9, 2010.
"When we started this competition, we had decided to list just 10 small business entries, but due to the quality of responses we had to list 30 videos," said Janine Popick, CEO of VerticalResponse. "We're so impressed that small businesses have taken time out of their busy days to create videos that highlight their entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to making their businesses grow and succeed."
Small Business Submissions
In total there were over 70 video submissions for the 'New Deal' for Small Business competition, which ranged from young small business entrepreneurs to older and more experienced entrepreneurs. Industries represented included solar energy, theatre, new media, holistic services, pets, entertainment, and retail. Sample quotes from the video submissions include:
- James Albert, President and Founder of ISI Solar, a solar energy company: "If we won, we would take that money and invest it in projects that would allow us to show the public what can be done as far as renewable energy technologies, and conservation of energy, which is the primary thing. Not everyone can install solar, but everyone can conserve energy."
- James Robert Lay, the Grower of Relationships at PTP New Media, a non-traditional web, viral and social marketing company: "It's about giving back and helping others. If we won we know for sure 25% will be donated to a not for profit organization. We would take the rest and invest it in the company to help us to continue us to grow through innovation, communication and collaboration so that we can continue to help our credit unions connect and build relationships with their members."
- Nate & Heidi, the owners of The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, a gourmet grilled cheese restaurant: "The business is entirely funded by Heidi and I, we didn't take out any small business loans, because there weren't any available. We're in control of our own destiny. It seems like how much work we put into it, is related to how much value we get out of it."
'New Deal' Winners Announced April 12
The prize winners will be announced on April 12, 2010 on the VerticalResponse website: www.verticalresponse.com/NewDeal. Additional details can be found in the YouTube video featuring VerticalResponse's CEO Janine Popick.
Competition Background
The competition was inspired by recent media attention of the President's plea for banks to increase their lending to small businesses and his focus on job creation, which is similar to the New Deal initiative Franklin D. Roosevelt launched in 1933.
About VerticalResponse
VerticalResponse, Inc. is a leading provider of self-service email marketing, online surveys and direct mail services empowering small businesses to easily create, manage and analyze their own direct marketing campaigns. VerticalResponse bundles email, online surveys and postcards to offer customers an integrated Web-based direct marketing solution that's intuitive and affordable. VerticalResponse is headquartered in San Francisco, California. For additional information, please visit www.verticalresponse.com
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
Janine Popick
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=92010
SOURCE VerticalResponse, Inc.
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article