Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 JA N UA R Y 9 , 2 0 2 3 F O C U S 2 0 2 3 E C O N O M I C O U T L O O K She says the pandemic fueled a surge in home baking, which helped sales. e company's 2021 sales totaled $2.3 million, with 19 employees. "Customers value their village bakers, too, resulting in increased sales. Buying local food that has taken a shorter trip to the table is a solution for better quality, fresher food at lower prices," she says. In 2023, Maine Grains will continue to support its staff with Bumper Crop coupons from the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets. e coupons are redeemable for food at farmers markets. Maine Grains also increased its cash wellness benefit to support employee health care costs. "Our staff and customers are con- serving cash, reducing trips and look- ing for value in the purchases they make," she says. "We will partner with Good Shepard Food Bank to help to end hunger in Maine and make freshly milled grains available to families in need in 2023." With the coming expansion, Maine Grains had to be resourceful in finding financing. "As we prepare to expand our facility by constructing a new building on our campus, we face challenges with interest rates and significant rises in construction costs which has us working hard to find gap financing and expansion solutions that fit our budget," she says. Nonetheless, Lambke says, Maine Grains projects modest sales growth and "we remain committed to serv- ing our customers the highest quality, locally sourced organic and heritage grains while serving as an engine for job growth and family sustaining wages in Skowhegan." M A R K E T I N G / P R Don't overlook PR and marketing efforts in 2023 B y P e t e r V a n A l l e n W ith a turbulent economy and uncertain forecast, a leading public relations leader in Maine wants to remind companies not to forget about marketing. Looking at marketing and PR Nancy Marshall, owner of Marshall Communications, says that going into 2023 she sees three trends in market- ing and PR. Personalization: Marshall says "consumers will expect personalized experiences online so businesses of all sizes need to use data and analytics to tailor marketing messages and content to their customers. Creating target customer avatars is recommended so businesses can suggest products and services that are personalized." Video: Still photos, Marshall warns, "are so last year. Video needs to be used to show what you're talking about on social media, in emails and in print articles. Print publications need to have video to illustrate articles." Content marketing: Marshall says "individuals and businesses need to post content on social media like LinkedIn and on websites so they are positioned as authorities in their field." H I G H E R E D U CAT I O N Despite recent growth, Colby president con- cerned about inflation, labor shortages B y P e t e r V a n A l l e n C olby College has been instrumental behind much of the recent growth in downtown Waterville. e town-gown relationship has grown with the downtown additions of the Lockwood Hotel, the Paul J. Schupf Center and the Alfond Commons, as well as associated businesses. More than $100 million has been invested in the downtown, most of it driven by Colby. But Colby's president, David Greene, is nonetheless concerned by some of the external factors that may affect the private college of 1,800 students. "I am concerned about a recession, but my best guess (and hope) is that any economic downturn will be relatively shallow. e business fundamentals in the U.S. continue to be strong, unem- ployment is low, and investors seem to be waiting for clarity and the right opportunities. All that said, the Fed has C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F N A N C Y M A R S H A L L Nancy Marshall is the owner of Marshall Communications.

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