Intuit is bringing back its “Small Business, Big Game” program. The event was popular with many small businesses in 2013, resulting in the winning small business, GoldieBlox, receiving an all-expense paid television commercial during the Super Bowl, as well as a whirlwind media tour.
The winner or this year’s version of Small Business Big Game will also receive a Super Bowl ad on Feb. 7, 2016.
“This puts the tremendous contributions of small businesses in the spotlight,” said Dan Wernikoff, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Small Business Group. “We’re committed to creating opportunities for small businesses to thrive through increased connection, collaboration and inspiration from each other and their communities.”
Entrepreneur Bill Rancic, who served as program advocate for the first campaign, will work with Intuit again this year.
“It takes courage every single day to be a small business owner, and it’s important that we celebrate their determination and recognize their ongoing contributions as the backbone of our economy,” said Rancic, small business author, advocate and co-owner of Xo, G Wine and RPM restaurant group. “The return of QuickBooks Small Business Big Game fuels small business success while giving them a voice to be heard on a national platform that will inspire, educate and connect them in a big way.”
Small Business Big Game
In 2013, Intuit took small business owners off the sidelines and put them in the starting lineup with the first edition of Small Business Big Game. More than 15,000 small businesses entered the contest, and 2.3 million votes were cast as people across the country supported their favorite company. Toymaker startup GoldieBlox from Oakland, Calif., won the program, with Intuit creating a television spot – “Come on Bring the Toys” – that reached more than 100 million viewers during the broadcast. This exposure provided a boost to GoldieBlox, which has gone on to launch three new games and a new mobile app. The three finalists also saw big benefits from increased exposure:
- Barley Labs’ revenue increased 132 percent, and they are about to hire their first employee.
- Dairy Poop’s sales increased more than 500 percent, from 250 bags total for their first six months to 800 bags a day.
- Locally Laid saw a 300 percent in feed sales and 100 percent increase in T-shirt sales.
This year’s Small Business Big Game promotion will again create a life-changing experience for one small business. The campaign will open to entries and voting by the public on June 1. The top 10 finalists, to be revealed on Sept. 3, will receive an all-expense paid trip to Intuit’s QuickBooks Connect Conference where the top three winners will be announced. All businesses participating in the program will be eligible for additional prizes.
Further information is available at the Small Business Big Game website at www.JoinTeamSmallBiz.com. To join the conversation, share on Facebook and Twitter using #TeamSmallBiz.
QuickBooks Connect
To complement Small Business Big Game, Intuit will host its second annual QuickBooks Connect conference in San Jose, Calif., from Nov 2-4. More than 4,000 people attended the inaugural QuickBooks Connect event in October, which featured entrepreneurs including Rancic, Martha Stewart, Magic Johnson, Arianna Huffington and Marc Andreessen.
Breakout sessions offered attendees speed mentoring services, access to leading business journalists, innovation workshops, QuickBooks Online Advanced Certification training and a 36-hour hackathon culminating in $100,000 in prizes. Highlights from last year’s event can be found at www.quickbooksconnect.com.
QuickBooks Connect Local
Intuit is also launching a nationwide QuickBooks Connect Local success tour across five markets in the United States. These monthly events will help communities and economies thrive by hosting educational seminars, training sessions and more. Rancic will keynote QuickBooks Connect Local to share valuable small business insights.
During these local events, attendees will also have the opportunity to register for Small Business Big Game and the national QuickBooks Connect conference. Events will be held in:
- Boulder: May 21
- Atlanta: June 25
- Detroit: July 16
- Austin: Sept. 22
- Seattle: Oct. 8
To register, visit www.quickbookslocal.com. Registration costs $25 and includes access to the half day of programming, access to business experts with personalized advice to growing a small business and product discounts and incentives.
Network
In June, Intuit will launch an online network tailor-made to connect like-minded small businesses.
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Tags: Small Business
