The First "Small Business Stimulus Week" Will Create $10,000,000 of Sales Opportunities for 7,000 Businesses, from 13 States, in Just 5 Days

Salem, NH, November 28, 2012 --(PR.com)-- During the week of December 10th-14th, 2012, over 7,000 businesses from 13 States will be participating in the first bi-annual, Small Business Stimulus Week. Every year, during the second full week of December and the fourth week of July, small businesses will focus on helping to increase sales revenues by referring business to each other. Tim Roberts, Executive Director of BNI Maine, New Hampshire, Western Massachusetts, and Founder and President of Success Through Referrals online training, will be participating with his 1,600+ small business members. The businesses participating include every type of professional from physicians, dentists, chiropractors and massage therapists, to plumbers, electricians, attorneys, auto sales professionals, dog groomers and more. The goal for the launch of Small Business Stimulus Week is for 60% (4200) of the 7,000 businesses participating to receive, on average, 2.5 referrals each worth at least $1,000 in business. This would realize 10,000 referrals and over $10M in potential sales in just 5 days.

This initiative is the brain child of Frank De Raffele, a New York Times bestselling author and Founder of Entrepreneurial Excellence Worldwide. "We as Small Business Entrepreneurs know that the government isn't going to help us grow our business and that we are the ones that are going to have to bring our economy back to where it once was. Small Business Stimulus Week is just one way that Small Business Entrepreneurs can help each other become more profitable. The response for our first one has been amazing. I never expected to have over 7,000 businesses involved from 13 states. We are pretty sure we can achieve our goal, but I can't wait to see the final results," stated De Raffele. He has cut off any further participation for this December's event and is now taking participants for the July 22nd - 26th, 2013 Small Business Stimulus Week. As of now, he has 5 more states that will be involved and it is going international with Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland signed on. "How cool is it that? We are going international in our first year? We welcome everyone and want to see a worldwide community of small businesses working together," commented De Raffele.

Success Through Referrals is the first online referral training organization of its kind. Tim Roberts, the Founder and President believes in collaboration and is working with Frank to make this the best worldwide referral stimulus program, bar none. "When Frank came to me and asked if we would like to be involved, I didn't even hesitate to say yes. Small Business Stimulus Week will help the small business community, worldwide, stay focused on the importance of collaboration and cooperation. We may compete for business but we must collaborate for success. When one small business fails all small businesses get hurt," stated Roberts.

Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world's leading referral organization with over 145,000 members in 50 countries, knew this was a great idea from the onset. Misner said, "Frank has put together a great program and referral marketing is what BNI has done for almost 28 years. BNI is in full support of Small Business Stimulus Week and small business entrepreneurs worldwide."

Media Vision Advertising is an Orange County, New York based marketing agency that creates marketing strategies and advertising campaigns for small to medium size businesses. James Danella is Media Vision's President & CEO and states that Small Business Stimulus Week is a great marketing and sales initiative for small businesses worldwide. "When you have a segment of the marketplace come together to help and promote each other, you end up with a grass roots, bottom up affect of business stimulus. Small Business Stimulus Week is an initiative we want to help promote because the value to all small businesses and the economies they are within is almost immeasurable," stated Danella.

Strategic Alliances that have come on board are BNI Maine, New Hampshire & Western Massachusetts (www.BNINH.com), Media Vision Advertising of Orange County-NY (www.MediaVisionAdvertising.com), Success Through Referrals-of Salem, NH (www.SuccessThroughReferrals.com), and BNI of Upland, CA.(www.BNI.com).

Businesses in the following states are participating: New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Florida, Indiana, Nebraska, Wyoming, Iowa, South Dakota, Oregon, Washington, Alabama.