We’re looking for a mix of old school business people and new entrepreneurs at Wisconsin Business Owners and at our Wisconsin Business Owners Meetups. It’s a bit perplexing to me that we don’t have standing room only crowds, given the quality of our programs.
Despite excellent quality and value, so many meetups are now focused on “drive-by” presentations of as little as ten minutes. For some reason, people find that attractive. It may be attractive online – just “like” and “follow” and you think you’ve done the work – but real success requires more. Success is that place in life where preparation and opportunity meet. [my emphasis] We’ve long prided ourselves on professional, productive meetings in a very relaxed, personable atmosphere. So, why the limited numbers for Meetup attendance?
The video that follows may explain a bit of our dilemma in driving up numbers of attendees. I did a YouTube search for “old school corporate business” and “Why I do business old school” came up number one.
The points Andrew Henderson, the video presenter, makes are worthwhile for those who are “wannapreneurs”:
Rule #1 – Sales Matter
It takes more than a minute, or ten minutes, to master sales. Both of our Meetups this Friday address aspects of sales and follow-up in-depth. Our February 28, 2020 Lunch & Learn presenter, an engineer who sells, discusses “How to Advance Stalled Sales” Seats still available.
Rule #2 – Your Word Matters
Our February 28, 2020 Special Morning Session master sales/presenter does an hour and fifteen minutes in the morning on why your business apology matters.
Rule #3 – Contracts Matter
Rule #4 – Protect What is Yours
Rule #5 – A Job is A Job
Many thanks to Mr. Henderson of https://www.nomadcapitalist.com for explaining his thoughts. His thoughts helped me explain my own.
My next YouTube search was for “old school corporate business vs. millennial mindset” and this excellent animated video came up first:
I’m not blaming lower than expected attendance on millennials. Rather, on the digital equivalent of “drive-by” networking, a “swipe-right” involvement level. I encourage everyone to “do the work.” Ninety percent of success is showing up. Come join us!
BTW, #2 in my YouTube search for “old school corporate business vs. millennial mindset” was this TEDx Talk – lest I be called on to apologize to millennials, this is a great rejoinder to the video post above. My wife and I have four millennial adult children, and I believe all of them have life – work and play – figured out better than I did at their ages.
If you could close just one more sale each week, what would that mean to your business and income?
Why do people get stalled in their decision to work with you?
What do you have in common with those people that are stalled in their decision?
Every business owner experiences time where it feels like everyone in their pipeline is stalling for some reason or another. Learning just 3 simple ways to “release” the indecision of your prospects can make a huge difference to relieve the stress of stalled sales and help increase profits.
Discover how to identify if the prospect is actually interested or if they are just avoiding the ‘no’. Learn and get ready to apply three ways to move prospects from “I don’t know” to “Yes, let’s get started!” How to create urgency without creating pressure. Learn how to know when to move on and regain your time and energy for those prospects that need your help!
Join us if you want to support your prospects in making better decisions.
ATTENDEE BONUS: If you want to have a repeatable, proven process for engaging and converting your prospects, you’ll want to book a discovery session with me.
MEET OUR EXPERT: KELLI SAMPLE
Kelli Sample is a sales and business strategist. She works with entrepreneurs, small businesses, and professionals to help them unleash their inner sales potential so they don’t have to think about what to say next and just be present in the sales interactions.
Inspired and determined when she was told she could not sell because she was an Engineer, Kelli made the decision to learn how to become the best sales person she could be. After several years of sales success, Kelli was promoted to be one of 6 National Trainers for a high-end retailer of over 1,700 sales employees. Kelli developed and trained on several topics including sales skills, product knowledge, customer psychology, behavior profiling, and business systems. Kelli also worked as a sales trainer in Software-as a Solution Sales (SaS) redeveloping their sales training for their inside sales department.
CONTACT INFORMATION: KELLI SAMPLE
Kelli Sample, Sales and Business Strategist www.kellisample.com
262-498-6022
Come Join Us! Advance Stalled Sales!*** Details, map & RSVP at https://www.meetup.com/wisconsin-business-owners/events/268521659/ You’ll reserve your seat to network with other authentic relationship builders. Bring plenty of business cards and brochures to share!
“Hold me now, it’s hard for me to say, I’m sorry” (With apologies to Barry Manilow)
By Dave Wallace
Why is saying “I’m sorry” to a client so hard to utter?
When you apologize, do you apologize for your apology?
Did you know that if you apologize incorrectly it can be fatal to your business?
If you’re in business, you’ve made mistakes. After all, we’re all human. So, you apologize. But, did you know that a poorly crafted apology can do more harm than good? Learning how to apologize is critical to your ongoing success, unless you’re the one business in the world that never makes a mistake!
In our time together, you’ll learn about a scientific theory called the “Service Recovery Paradox (SRP)”. You’ll learn the key elements of a business apology. And, most importantly, you’ll learn how to choreograph a business apology to maximize the SRP.
Register if you want to have your business apology prepared in advance!
ATTENDEE BONUS: Attendees to this workshop will be able to schedule a 1:1 meeting with me to discuss your sales challenges. It doesn’t have to be about business apologies, it could be about anything having to do with your sales/business development efforts. Special attendee pricing will be explained at the event.
MEET OUR EXPERT: DAVE WALLACE
Dave Wallace, our 1,800th Member. Four-time presenter, showing us how to say “I’m sorry” in business.
B2B sales are more complex than ever. Status quo bias is real and incredibly difficult to overcome. Storytelling is of paramount importance in sales. And businesses that focus their storytelling efforts on organizations that they can confidently define as an ideal customer increase their average sale size, decrease the length of their sales cycle, and increase their pipeline close rate. Translation: they increase revenue.
With 42+ years of experience, there isn’t much I haven’t seen, experienced, or had to deal with. I’ve been where you’ve been, felt what you’ve felt, and done what you’ve done.
I’m a proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame. In November 2017 I became an Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. My wife and I have two children, one grandchild, and an English Setter.
Outside of work, I’m a passionate cyclist, logging in excess of 7,000 miles per year and running a 300+ person cycling group. Cycling has taught me three important things that are directly applicable to my work: humility, tenacity, and teamwork.
CONTACT INFORMATION: DAVE WALLACE
Dave Wallace
(414) 375-0253
ITINERARY, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020
9:15 – REGISTRATION & OPEN NETWORKING
9:30 PRESENTATION
11:00 – ENDS
BUT STICK AROUND! OPEN NETWORKING FOR ANOTHER FULL HOUR BEFORE OUR NEXT EVENT – OUR LUNCH & LEARN
Info & Separate RSVP for our Lunch & Learn at
WisOwners Lunch & Learn: Advance Stalled Sales
Friday, Feb 28, 2020, 11:00 AM
EXACTA Corporation 16595 W Bluemound Rd Brookfield, WI
13 Wisconsin Business Owners Attending
Advance Stalled Sales by Kelli Sample If you could close just 1 more sale each week, what would that mean to your business and income? Why do people get stalled in their decision to work with you? What do you have in common with those people that are stalled in their decision? Every business owner experiences time where it feels like everyone in th…
Mark Mullarky https://www.wisowners.com/members/mark-mullarky-mullarky-business-systems/
Mike Raber https://www.wisowners.com/members/mike-raber-micro-business-corporation/
Sponsors:
Jamie Shibley https://www.theexpressory.com
Dave Walter https://www.TiteSpot.com
Jennifer Bartelt https://www.MainStreetFraming.com
Gerard I. “Jerry” Schritz https://www.intelegist.com
Gail Yaeger https://www.DoveCelebration.com
Ben Houle https://www.ButchersCatering.com
***SPEECHES MAY BE VIDEOTAPED or PHOTOGRAPHED***
Your attendance means you accept being shown on tape +/or in photos.
Be Prepared to create stronger networking connections. Be Prepared is not just the Boy Scout motto. It’s the way to get the most out of your networking efforts.
Whether you aim to do personal or professional networking, Meetup.com is a great site for enlarging your network. Here we’ll share a couple of tips to use at Meetup.com and other networking sites to help you make stronger networking connections.
Before you go to your networking event or Meetup, take a look at who else will be there. At meetup, just click on their names and you’ll be taken to the profiles of attendees. Make a list of two or three (or more) who you’d like to meet. Have a question or two in mind for when you meet them. Include “I noticed on your Member profile that your ideal prospect is “X” – can you tell me more about that? Or, your profile says you’re also a Member of “X” groups; how do you like them?
The first time I shared this tip with a member of Wisconsin Business Owners, just before a Meetup, she was looking at the list of attendees online and exclaimed, “Welcome, Theresa” as the new member who’d registered walked through the door. Theresa was pleasantly surprised to be so warmly greeted by name, and a light bulb clicked on for the member who greeted Theresa. Both got off to a strong start for the day.
A few of our Members, great advocates of helping others create stronger networking connections
Jamie Shibley
Wisconsin Business Owners sponsor, Jamie is the owner of The Expressory. See her video at her page here…a clear expression of the importance of a personal touch!
Stacy Kaat
Former Organizer and long-time member of Wisconsin Business Owners, Stacy helps people with pictures at Stacy Kaat Photography.
Bill Sargent
Long-time regular, Bill Sargent is also a photographer, specializing in natural light photography (among many other things!). View portrait samples here.
There are a number of ways to create personalized, memorable and stronger networking connections. Ninety percent of success is showing up. Ninety percent of the remainder is your attitude once you show up!
In a tech-obsessed culture, it can be difficult to build genuine relationships with people, especially in the workplace. Robert Reffkin shares his tips and tricks for establishing authentic connections on the job.
Robert Reffkin is on a mission to help everyone find their place in the world.
Why you should listen
Robert Reffkin was inspired to enter the world of real estate by his mother, Ruth, a longtime agent who now proudly works at Compass, the real estate company Reffkin cofounded in 2012. After completing a bachelor’s at Columbia University in less than three years, Reffkin worked at McKinsey, Goldman Sachs and as a Fellow in the White House before returning to Columbia for his MBA. He ran 50 marathons in 50 states to raise $1 million dollars for charities — including for New York Needs You, the non-profit he founded to serve young people living below the poverty line who are the first in their families to go to college. Reffkin lives in Tribeca with his wife Benis and their three children.
Straight talk – constructive criticism – is welcome in the workplace and as a volunteer. As a matter of giving back, I did some community service organization volunteering. As my kids were growing up I did a fair share of volunteering. For my kids, whether for Scouts, Basketball, Baseball, Football or family outings, I figured that volunteering was a way to force myself to do the things with my kids that I wanted to do anyhow.
Whether as an employer, or a volunteer, a pet peeve of mine is the person who says, “someone, they asked me not to say who, didn’t like “x”.” The peeve is not with the messenger. My automatic responses are generally 1) what do you think? and 2) tell them if they have a concern, they should share it with me. I welcome constructive criticism. The way to deal with concerns is to make them explicit, to examine them, and to find resolution.
That matter of fact approach isn’t cold. It’s realistic. Complaining to someone who is not in a position to change what you’re complaining about is just complaining. Complaining to someone who is in a position to change what you’re complaining about – in as positive a manner as you can muster – is constructive criticism. Complaining in hopes of changing outcomes is the mature, thoughtful approach to take, in my opinion.
I was reminded of my pet peeve about (the lack of) constructive criticism when I saw the following TED for Work talk, The Secret to Giving Great Feedback.
Humans have been coming up with ways to give constructive criticism for centuries, but somehow we’re still pretty terrible at it. Cognitive psychologist LeeAnn Renniger shares a scientifically proven method for giving effective feedback.
As one of the Organizers of Wisconsin Business Owners, I welcome your constructive criticism. Use our contact page or call me…preferably after you’ve viewed the video above.
