Seminar Descriptions:

 

Winning the Mental Game of Selling™

Target audience: sales managers, sales reps

Superstar athletes know one thing. Your mental game either makes you or breaks you. Top-producing sales professionals know this too. Your attitude, energy, resilience after set-backs and ability to think successfully strategically as well as tactically sets you apart at the end of the day. The person with the most advanced and street-smart mental game toolkit wins. This fresh, innovative program for sales professionals and sales managers will provide you with an opportunity to "try on" some of the best peak performance techniques of the selling superstars. This is a new, creative angle to the selling game that raises everyone's performance bar.

Bill Cole, Founder and CEO, Procoach Systems

 

Create Call Openings that Stimulate Interest and Avoid Resistance

Target audience: sales managers, sales reps

Prospecting for new customers is a necessity, although it is often the most dreaded part of a sales job. Join Art Sobczak as he shows how to create sure-fire opening statements that create interest and curiosity—not resistance. Using the phone in sales is only difficult for people who use outdated, salesy, manipulative tactics, or for those who aren’t quite sure what to do, or aren’t confident in their abilities. Art’s audiences always comment how he simplifies the telesales process, making it easily adaptable for anyone with the right attitude.

Art Sobczak, President, Business By Phone, Inc.

 

Developing Questions that Help Prospects Buy

Target audience: sales managers, sales reps

So, you have the attention of the decision maker. What’s next? Art Sobczak will show you how develop a questioning process that will improve your chances of getting a commitment. Art provides real world, how-to ideas and techniques that help salespeople use the phone more effectively to prospect, sell, and service, without morale-killing “rejection.”

Art Sobczak, President, Business By Phone, Inc.

 

Leadership is NOT an Option−It’s a Necessity!

Target audience: owners and managers

When it comes to developing a high performance team of sales people, office staff and delivery drivers, leadership counts! Do you have what it takes? Come to this highly interactive class and find out. Through the use of discussion, self-reflection and small group interaction, Nancy Stern will help you discover the qualities of effective leaders and high performance teams, explore the role values and ethics play, and develop attitudes that project faith, trust and credibility to direct reports. And, you’ll laugh while you learn!

Nancy Stern

Are You Networthy? How to Build and Maintain Effective Connections

Target audience: all

I know I am supposed to network, but I don't have much time and I don't even know what I am supposed to be doing! If that sounds familiar, you are not alone! Many people secretly despise the idea of "schmoozing," yet worry they are limiting their career potential without it. If you can attend one more networking workshop, we promise it could forever alter your approach to professional networking. You will leave with specific tools to increase your productivity WHILE you network! Paul Wesselmann has promised to share easy and fun tips on building and maintaining a useful network as well as how to make "chit chat" opportunities more relaxed and beneficial for everyone involved.

Paul Wesselmann, Trainer, Stone Soup Seminars

 

FUN-Damentals of World Class Customer Service

Target audience: all

In order to survive, you need to have a team of professional players who are all committed to providing a “total quality experience” to each and every customer they come in contact with. Join Susan Clarke as she guides you in the process of identifying the needs and expectations of your customers. Susan will then focus on creating leaders who can model the behavior and have the ability to communicate personalized service to their teams and creating teams that can deliver personalized service.

Susan Clarke, Certified Behavior and Values Analyst

 

Don't Strangle the Whiners!  Tips for Dealing with All Kinds of People

Target audience: all

Remarkable interpersonal skills can enhance your ability to work with colleagues, customers, and others. The challenge is that each person you encounter has a distinct personality, and let's face it, some people are easier to get along with than others!  This engaging workshop challenges participants to explore practical strategies that can help manage conflict, communicate feedback more effectively, and build strong relationships at work and in life. (This is an updated version of a program Paul Wesselmann presented at ABC 2003.)

Paul Wesselmann, Trainer, Stone Soup Seminars

 

Unit of One:  Entrepreneurial Thinking in Small & Large Organizations

Target audience: all

Whether your organization has hundreds of employees or is made up of just you, the evolving entrepreneurial mind set suggests that innovators who demonstrate value to employers and customers create more possibilities for themselves and others. This comprehensive, action-oriented workshop is designed to explore nine competencies that can ensure your success. Paul has spent almost two decades refining this list of traits that have helped him and thousands of others increase their profitability while deeply enjoying their work.

Paul Wesselmann, Trainer, Stone Soup Seminars

 

Driving Traffic to Your Website–Internet Marketing Basics

Target audience: owners, sales and marketing managers

Can your customers find you on the Web? It is critical that you harness the power and importance of the Internet for driving new sales and prospects to your business. Traditional marketing strategies now need to integrate with a strong online presence and Internet marketing techniques for your Web site. In this session, learn how to drive traffic to your site through search engines and important changes you can make to your site to easily and successfully convert prospects to buyers. In addition, other proven Internet marketing techniques such as e-mail campaigns, digital advertising and social networking will be discussed.

Jennifer Rae Stine, Director of Marketing, FortuneWeb Marketing

 

Enhancing Your Mood with Food.

Target audience: all

Feeling blue? Seeing red? Tiptoeing around your co-workers until their coffee kicks in? Could what you are eating be eating at you? Learn the connection between the foods you eat and the moods you experience during the day and how it can affect your well-being at work and at home. Leave San Diego with a strategy to select foods that can help steady, lift and calm your moods. Give your customer service a boost, too, by learning how properly "setting the table" with the ABCD formula can create a better mood for business.

Penny Rudder, Camp Well-Being

 

Competing With the Megas:  How You Can Capitalize During Change

Target Audience: owners and sales managers

Many dealers find themselves struggling to compete using traditional methods in today’s dynamic market.  This session explores the myths, realities and opportunities resulting from the changing direction of mega dealers, continuing market compression and other influences impacting the office products industry. Join Mark Slatin as he examines two case studies to illustrate some actionable steps dealers can take to capitalize on the market space big box dealers are leaving behind.

Mark Slatin, President, True Colors Consulting, LLC

 

Green: It’s Not Black or White—It’s Gray—and It Is EVERYWHERE!

Target audience: furniture dealer owners and sales managers, furniture sales reps

Green product features are becoming one of the determining factors in purchasing and specification decisions. Do you really understand it? In 90 dynamic minutes, this session will bring you up to speed on green—what it is and what it is not. Gene Lisa, in the commercial furnishings end of the industry, will give us insight from his 15 years of experience with green, and working with mid-market and contract dealers, designers, and facility managers. You will learn the basics of green: the terminology, the buzz words, questions vendors should be asked and, above all, how to specify green and make your proposals responsive to corporate and government mandates and initiatives.

Eugene Lisa, VP Sales and Marketing, Verde Interior Products

 

Compete More Effectively with Furniture

Target audience: furniture dealer owners and sales managers, furniture sales reps

Successful office furniture operations are based on identifying the right type of client, understanding your opportunity, and presenting the right solution. In this information-packed session, dealer consultant David Solomon will share best practices and processes to help you analyze your market and identify your ideal target customer. We’ll explore how to identify furniture opportunities and effectively qualify the customer to understand needs and budget, and how to develop a complete winning solution—product selection, design and services—that exceeds your customer’s expectation. You’ll take away dozens of great ideas to help you capitalize on your market position and compete more effectively.

David Solomon, Principal, Solomon Coyle, LLC

 

Who Cares About Technology?

Target Audience: owners and managers

For years you’ve heard that you need to embrace technology in order to grow your business, but why is this important? You are not getting pressure from your customers to implement anything beyond a Web site. You can get your bills out, so the accounting system is fine. What’s all the fuss about technology? Come to this session to learn about the technology requirements for doing business with large accounts.  John Freund will discuss the technology value proposition for your customers and what to look for in your accounting and eCommerce systems. Finally he will discuss how you can use technology to easily uncover the opportunities that exist for your business today.    

John Freund, Chairman and Executive Founder, Jump Technologies, Inc.

 


Managing through a Slow Economy

Target audience: owners and managers

Timed to capitalize on the release of the updated and expanded 2008 version of the Dealer Financial & Operational Profile, this session will focus on managing assets and profitability during a business downturn. The presenters’ combination of dealership management and financial expertise will provide you with financial insight into your business as well as actionable steps for identifying weaknesses and developing strategies to maximize asset use, stabilize profitability and grow your business.

Chuck Macpherson, VP of Dealer Development, S.P. Richards Company and Tom Maley, VP of Business Development, S.P. Richards Company

 

Networking—Sales Representative Idea Exchange

Target audience: sales representatives willing to exchange ideas with their counterparts and expand their knowledge networks

Sales reps, join your counterparts for a structured networking opportunity to exchange success stories on one or both of the topics below. Attendees will be assigned to groups and each participant will be expected to share a successful idea or strategy. No flies on the wall in this session! All must come prepared to share an idea or two. You will have five minutes to share your story and you will leave with an idea from each member of your group. This session will include two group discussions. You may choose to participate in one group on each topic, or repeat one topic with two groups:

·          Account retention strategies

·          How to sell against price

 

Networking—Dealer Principal Idea Exchange

Target audience: dealer principals willing to exchange ideas with their counterparts and expand their knowledge networks

Owners and principals, join your counterparts for a structured networking opportunity to exchange success stories on one or both of the topics below. Attendees will be assigned to groups and each participant will be expected to share a successful idea or strategy. No flies on the wall in this session! All must come prepared to share an idea or two. You will have five minutes to share your story and you will leave with an idea from each member of your group. This session will include two group discussions. You may choose to participate in one group on each topic, or repeat one topic with two groups:

·          Sales management and motivation techniques

·          Creative marketing ideas

 

(YES! Exclusive Program) Improv(e) Your Life ™

Target audience: YES! members only

Life doesn’t come with a rule book, so when the script hits the fan…improvise. In this workshop, you will experience seriously fun ways to improv(e) your flexibility, embrace change, and breeze through problems. Improv helps you think on your feet, be creative and innovative, listen carefully, become a captivating speaker or presenter, and get the most out of every moment. It’s great for promoting teamwork, reducing stress, developing resiliency, and creating dynamic leaders. Participation in this program will challenge your spontaneity, imagination and intuition. You will get out of the audience and get into the act. And….you’ll learn while you laugh!

Nancy Stern

 

 

 

 

 


SPEAKER BIOS:

 

SUSAN CLARKE

Susan Clarke is a dynamic international speaker whose fast-paced and entertaining programs offer a positive approach to creating environments that encourage outstanding performance. She is a Certified Behavior and Values Analyst and a recognized expert in the field of internal and external customer service. Her novel theories are based on her "real life" experience combined with her expertise in the areas of behavior, values and attitudes. Susan teaches that by understanding and anticipating the needs of your customers, you will exceed expectations. By valuing and caring for your staff, you will have people that are more dedicated, enthusiastic and energetic!

 

BILL COLE

Bill Cole, MS, MA, a leading authority on peak performance and coaching, is founder and CEO of Procoach Systems, a consulting firm that helps organizations and professionals achieve more success in life, sports and business. He's coached at the highest levels of big-time college athletics, major-league pro sports and corporate America. Bill was the Sport Psychology Coach for the Israeli Davis Cup Team and has coached at Wimbledon and the US Open. He's known as America's Mental Game Coach. He was the Sport Psychology Performance Coach to the Stanford University Baseball Team, which reached the finals of the 2001 College World Series.

 

JOHN FREUND

John Freund has over 22 years of experience in information technology, focusing primarily on start-up companies introducing new technologies to the market. Before joining Jumptech, he was founder and President of Analytical Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of CRM solutions to the distribution industry. Prior to that, he co-founded ShowCase Corporation, a leading provider of business intelligence tools.  John served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ShowCase and was part of the executive management team, helping to grow ShowCase to over $40M in sales with 250 plus employees around the world.


GENE LISA

Gene Lisa is recognized as one of the premier speakers and educators on “green” products in North America. Drawing on 30 years’ experience with commercial furnishings as a manufacturers’ representative, and working with architects, interior designers and end users, he began marketing raw materials made from recycled content. This process of material substitution and integration led him to provide educational forums to the industry on sustainable issues. Gene’s early exposure to this emerging market has allowed him to exhibit and participate in numerous national and international trade shows and conferences. His extensive industry experience and longevity in the area of environmental products bring a unique contribution to the office furniture arena.


PENNY RUDDER

Penny embodies a passion for eating and living healthfully and offers a refreshing antidote to living in today's hectic world. Her background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and appointment to a team of healthcare professionals exploring the connection between the foods we eat, what we bathe in, how we handle stress and overall well-being. She created Camp Well-Being to connect people to the fun of leading healthier, happier lives. Matching people to products that are good for them and good for the environment, she also offers personal coaching to give everyone the opportunity to look fit and fabulous at any age.


MARK SLATIN

Mark Slatin is the president of True Colors Consulting LLC, an independent management consulting firm that specializes in helping clients improve sales and work performance through sales training, sales process improvement, business plan workshops and keynote speaking events. Mark spent 13 years in the office products industry, leading a $50 million sales organization in the mid-Atlantic at Boise Cascade/OfficeMax. He also brings his 25 years of sales leadership at Fortune 500 companies to Loyola College in Maryland, where he teaches Sales Management and Strategies to MBA students.



ART SOBCZAK

Art Sobczak specializes in one area only: working with business-to-business salespeople--both inside and outside--designing and delivering content-rich programs that enable participants to begin showing results from the very next time they get on the phone. Audiences love his “down-to-earth,” entertaining style, and low-pressure, easy-to-use, customer-oriented ideas and techniques. Art has produced and delivered over 1000 training sessions over the past 22 years for companies and associations in virtually all business-to-business industries.

 

DAVID SOLOMON

David Solomon is a business interiors dealership consultant and practitioner known nationally for bringing business vision, forward-thinking management practices, and technology and process innovation to the distribution challenges of the office furniture industry in North America. He performs business process assessments and provides remediation consulting for dealerships across North America. He also manages dealer peer groups and speaks at numerous industry events. David co-developed with Barry Coyle an intensive, four-part assessment of a dealership’s real-world strengths and deficiencies using assessment tools that Solomon and Coyle have developed in the course of engagements with over 100 dealers, installation companies and furniture manufacturers.


NANCY STERN

Trained in educational theater, Nancy Stern spent ten years as a producer, director, and educator before translating her finely honed skills to consulting, speaking, and training. She quickly became highly regarded as a speaker with a message—one who leaves exhilarated audiences with practical tools for immediate use. Nancy has a Master’s Degree in Communication Education and studied improvisation with the well-known theater group, Second City.  She’s an Emmy award-winner who also produced and appeared in the national PBS television series “Communicating with Nancy Stern.”

 

JENNIFER RAE STINE

Jennifer Rae Stine is a seasoned Internet marketing professional, specializing in search engine marketing and optimization strategies. She holds a B.A. in Telecommunications and worked for 10 years for large corporations, managing their Internet presence, search marketing and Web development strategies.  Recently, Jennifer has brought Fortune Web Marketing services to the office supply industry, after identifying a need for independent office supply dealers to effectively create an Internet branding presence and generate new business online. By taking each client’s needs and goals into account, she creates unique solutions that fit the business models and marketing strategies of independent dealers.


PAUL WESSELMANN

Paul Wesselmann makes his home in Madison, Wisconsin where he operates his speaking and training company Stone Soup Seminars. Each Monday morning, Paul distributes an inspirational email, Ripples, that offers inspiration and practical motivation to over 15,000 subscribers around the country. Paul holds degrees in psychology and higher education. In addition to his work on several college campuses, his adventures include having been a support group facilitator, volunteer coordinator, radio talk show host, and his college mascot.