2011 might be the most patriotic year ever and NaVOBA makes sure veteran-owned businesses are going to cash in.
Immediately following the American victory in World War II, patriotic sentiment perhaps reached an all-time high. American flags flew proudly on every house on every street in every city and town across the country. As the country celebrated freedom, respect and admiration for the men and women who bravely served in America’s military climaxed.
With the scaling back of combat operations bringing thousands of military troops home from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11th , 2011 is shaping up to be one of the most, patriotic years in American history. NaVOBA’s mission is to create opportunities for all of America’s 3 million veteran-owned businesses. The patriotic environment will most certainly increase the likelihood of Americans wishing to express their gratitude to military veterans. NaVOBA is making sure that all Americans understand that the easiest way to say “thanks” is to buy from veteran-owned businesses.
An Excellent Opportunity
In the fall of 2009, NaVOBA commissioned a study that asked respondents from all walks of life from all over the country to share their opinions about the men and women who serve in America’s military. A staggering 95 percent of respondents said they’re grateful for the service of our veterans. Even more important for vetrepreneurs was the fact that 70 percent of those respondents said they’d be more inclined to purchase products and services from a business identified as veteran-owned. NaVOBA’s innovative “Buy Veteran” campaign makes it easy for Americans who want to buy veteran to find veteran-owned firms through the storefront “Veteran Owned Business” badge and the online marketplace at www.buyveteran.com.
The most challenging facet of encouraging Americans to buy veteran is simply letting them know that it’s an option. Every time you turn on the local TV news or read the local paper, stories dealing with veterans always seem to focus on unemployment or veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or some other disability incurred through service. While it’s vital to take care of those who’ve sacrificed so much, there are many ways to thank veterans for their service. It’s as simple as buying a pizza or picking up your dry cleaning or having roof replaced by small businesses that are veteran-owned. NaVOBA has worked tirelessly since the launch of the Buy Veteran campaign in November last year to create demand for buying from veteran-owned businesses.
Ringing in the New Year
On December 30, 2010, NaVOBA President Chris Hale rang the closing bell of the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in New York City’s Times Square to usher in the New Year and ensure Americans remember vetrepreneurs when they want to express their gratitude. The city was flooded with millions of visitors from all over the world anticipating the next day’s New Years Eve celebration. The largest video screen in the world, right in the middle of the busiest intersection in the world, prominently presented the Buy Veteran logo and images of NaVOBA’s team who attended the Closing Bell as people crowded the streets.
“It was a wall of humanity in the Earth’s aorta,” Hale said. “After we rang the closing bell we were immediately escorted outside into the middle of Times Square for photos. The feeling of seeing pictures of ourselves and the Buy Veteran badge, on full display at the media center of the world, at its busiest time of the year, for a full 30 minutes, was one of the most surreal feelings I’ve ever experienced. I remember just looking around for what seemed like an eternity looking at our pictures and the Buy Veteran badge on most of the Times Square video screens. I will never forget it.”
Steven Brown, director at the Market Intelligence Desk of NASDAQ introduced NaVOBA and prefaced Hale’s remarks by emphasizing how excited he was to introduce NaVOBA and Buy Veteran.
“Americans across the country can find personal and easy ways to connect with and honor military veterans in their own communities while making smart choices for themselves through a growing veteran business directory found at BuyVeteran.com,” Brown said. “NASDAQ is pleased to recognize the National Veteran-Owned Business Association and we hope that today’s market close brings more awareness to all that you do.”
Hale then spoke about how the coming year proves to be a great year for the veteran-owned business movement.
“Tomorrow night the ball will drop in this fine city, ushering in 2011, a year that could well be the most patriotic year of our lifetimes,” Hale said. “In 2011, we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor and the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. In 2011, we will fight another year in the longest war our country has ever fought. And we will welcome home thousands of our sons and daughters from war overseas. And of course, this September, we will mark the 10th anniversary of the biggest and most horrific terrorist attack in our country's history while we survive and rebuild on those sites.
“2011 is sure to be a patriotic year. To an American, we are all eternally grateful for the service and sacrifice of our nation’s most deserving heroes; the men and women who put their civilian lives on hold to serve in the United States military. And Americans, at more than any other time, will seek ways to thank our troops and our veterans,” Hale continued. “When we do, we should do so with the knowledge that veterans greatly appreciate our gratitude. But also know that veterans don’t want charity. They simply want a chance. For they are better off because of their military service. Veterans are well-trained, well-educated and more than well-prepared to lead our businesses and help restore our economy. There’s nothing these men and women cannot do. Currently, 3 million veterans own small businesses. We call them vetrepreneurs. And buying from them, buying veteran, is about as American, as patriotic, as it gets. Buy Veteran. Today and every day. Find them at buyveteran.com. On behalf of our great nation’s 3 million vetrepreneurs, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011!
Later that same day, Hale promoted Buy Veteran during an interview on CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo.”
Incredible Exposure
To meet the challenge of creating demand to buy from veterans, NaVOBA hired Barbara Pflughaupt of New York City-based BP Media Relations to help spread the buy veteran message through mainstream mass media outlets. Phlughaupt, who has more than 25 years experience in media relations campaigns, said the launch of the Buy Veteran movement in November 2010 has been exceptionally well-received by media outlets.
“We had a really good start, and media interest is growing every day,” Phfluhaupt said. “As we continue to build the database with small VOBs doing business with people in their local communities the word has started to grow and we are connecting with national print and broadcast, as well as local and regional media in the top U.S. markets.”
The Face of the Movement
Buy Veteran National Spokesman Stephen Cochran has been a significant factor in the convincing media outlets to publish stories about the Buy Veteran campaign. Cochran, who was featured on the cover of the November/December 2010 issue of Vetrepreneur, is a rising country music star and a decorated Marine Corps veteran who volunteered after learning of the September 11, 2011 terrorist attacks.
“We are so lucky to have had Stephen Cochran come on board to help us launch nationally, and to let us know he is here whenever we need him,” Pflughaupt said. “He’s an inspiration and the voice of today’s veteran business owner.”
Cochran has appeared on numerous national broadcasts including an appearance on Fox & Friends on Small Business Saturday, as well as a satellite media tour early November that reached into every major media market in America. Through live and taped radio and television interviews such as USA Radio Network, Fox News Edge, network news affiliates, Country Weekly, USA Today, Nashville Scene and more, Cochran expressed his true passion and dedication to the Buy Veteran movement and his fellow vetrepreneurs to millions of Americans.
“He comes across exactly as he is and the message is just as strong – why not Buy Veteran,” Pflughaupt said.
Going Local
In order to bring the success and momentum of the national exposure to vetrepreneurs in every city and every small town across the country, NaVOBA developed a team of regional advocates to work with media outlets and chambers of commerce in their local communities. These advocates help create demand by spreading the Buy Veteran message through local media and connect with VOBs through chambers in these communities to ensure the vetrepreneurs make their businesses available to supply the demand.
“We’ve been lucky to have our regional advocates help us with the media as well,” Pflughaupt said. “We really appreciate the help of Travis McVey in Nashville and Jim Wasko in Los Angeles, owner of The Crab Cooker, who did a great interview with KNBC-TV that has sparked additional media interest elsewhere.”
The movement has seen a great start to 2011 and it’s only going to get better. As more NaVOBA members get involved to share relevant and meaningful stories in their communities, more and more mainstream media will help spread the Buy Veteran story and let people know they can thank a veteran best by buying veteran.
The following list highlights a sampling of the massive national exposure NaVOBA has created and will continue to build upon throughout 2011:
Atlanta Journal Constitution , 11/11/2010,
Pin-Ups for Soldiers/Facebook Page - BVlogoandpost- 11-13-10
OnPatrol-USO web site- BVfeature- 11-18-10
PR Web-RABrelease- 11-23-10
Benziga - The Trading Idea Network - RABrelease- 11-23-10
Business Journal -AdamsCounty- BV Release - 11-23-10
Auto & Moto News -RABrelease- 11-23-10
NewsNow- 11-23-10
Twitter - Enviromax - Twitterre: @buyveteran 11-23-2010
NewsBuff – Regional Advocates release- 11-24-10
Blog - Bothreleases- 11-24-10
NaVOBALaunchesRegionalAdvocateBoardtoSupportandGrowthe'BuyVeteran' Movement
Family Fan Club - BuyVeteraninfoandlogo- 11-26-10
Fox & Friends (FNC-TV)- AppearancebyStephenCochran- 11-27-10
Yideo - Fox& FriendsVideo- 11-27-10
DB Blog -BVreleases- 10-27-10
Itris Mack’s Blog on IMACK -Launchinfo- 11-27-10
Livedash - Fox& Friendstranscript- 11-27-10
Cast TV- Fox& Friendsappearance- 11-27-10
Twitter - re: FoxandFriends- 11-27-10
Twitter-SemperFiFund- 11-27-10
TwitterSearch- 11-28-10
Witty Sparks -Fox& Friendsvideo- 11-29-10
Paleez News - Life in the Fast Lane - BVlaunchrelease- 11-29-10
Military Community Partners- LinktoNaVOBAandBV- 11-29-10
Navy Vets Social Network- BV- 11-30-10
Detroit Chamber of Commerce blog- RABrelease
Blog Post - CochranSemperFifundwithBVmentionandsite- 12-3-10
Thank you for your Service US- BVlaunch- 12-4-10
PostedtoCountryMusicForum- above blog- 12-5-10
TMR Zoo - Cochranconcert& BVmention- 12-9-10
WP Expert - TwitterlistingfromNaVOBAre: BV- 12-9-10
PRNewswire - CochranandBVmention- 12-9-10
Auto Dabblogs- RABannounce- 12-9-10
Antimusic web site - CochranandBVmention-12-9-10
Just Piper- BVvideoandFox& Friends-12-10-10
USA Today- YourLife/Kindnessblog- BV database -12-14-10
Nashville News Press- Cochranandwebsite- 12-15-10
Nashville Scene - CochranandBVwebsite- 12-15-10
AmericanConsumerNews.com - KNBC-TVposting-12-16-10
Insanelygood blogspot- KNBC-12-16-10
KNBC-TV - JimWasko, localLAspokesperson& MattPavelekinterview- 12-16-10
MSNBC local LA News web - KNBC-TVlink- 12-16-10
MSNBC Today - KNBC-TVlink- 12-16-10
LA Blog Biz -KNBC-TV- 12-16-10
AOL- KNBC-TV- 12-17-10
BING - KNBC-TV-12-17-10
Webcaster - KNBC-TV- 12-17-10
Trendbuzz -KNBC-TV- 12-17-10
Secure Soft-VOBBizsitefeaturingBVbadge- 12-17-10
Awesome Blog -RABAnnouncewithlink- 12-18-10
SantaMonicaNews.com- KNBC-TVvideo- 12-18-10
Country Weekly Forums- BVwebsitere: Cochran- 12-18-10
The Federal Circle- BVannouncement& info- 12-19-10
Human Resources Industry- RABAnnounce- 12-20-10
Cast TV - pickupofCochranvideofromBV- 12-20-10
Hunters on Twitter -Twitter– BV 12-20-2010
All in the News- KNBC-12-20-10
Closing Bell- NASDAQ– 12-30-10
PRWeb Release-2011 Top Ten Tips for Military Vets: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/1/prweb8039658.htm
Country Weekly.com - Cochran& BV- 12-23-10
Jumping Anaconda- BlogBV-Cochran- 12-23-10
Mastokkenari - Cochran& BV- 12-23-10
Digg-Country Weekly - 12-23-10
Topix-BV-Country Weekly - 12-24-10
FriendFeed- BV- Cochran - 12-24-10
Stockhouse- NASDAQ- 12-29-10
Earthtimes- NASDAQ- 12-29-10
World News- NASDAQ- 12-29-10
BioPortfolio- NASDAQ- 12-29-10
Autodab - RAB Announce- 12-29-10
Stock Tips- NASDAQ- 12-29-10
NewsBlaze-NASDAQ-12-30-10
Benizga - TopTen- 1-3-10
Trading Markets- TopTen- 1-3-10