For those of us looking to grow our businesses or simply retain our current customers, what better occasion than Thanksgiving to express our appreciation for the business that our customers send our way!?  ”Who sends Thanksgiving cards???” you might ask.  Exactly!  Not many, so for those that do, guess what?  The impact with the recipient is HUGE! ”Too early?” you ask.  Not if you’re using a system like SendOutCards!  Design your entire campaign whenever you have time in the next few weeks, and set it to go automatically on, say Sept. 29 or 30th, so that the card is sure to arrive just before the holiday weekend.

To your success!

At Sydcam Marketing Communications, we develop collaborative marketing strategies, plans and communications by working closely with our clients. In this blog we’ll explain to you why we feel so adamant about it.

Collaboration delivers results

As we’ve seen with the explosion of Web 2.0, social networking is all about collaborating with clients to better understand their needs and to provide them with products and services they want. Bottom line, collaboration with clients has been proven to achieve better results and bigger successes. Why you may ask? Well, it can simply be the result of the old adage “two heads are better than one”.

It would be difficult to dispute that our clients possess considerable knowledge about their industries, markets and ultimately, their clients. We need to proactively tap into this wealth of knowledge to deliver superior results for our clients. Engaging them in the planning and decision making process can only benefit us in developing products and services that will truly “wow” them.

How can we make this work?

Many readers may think “this can’t work in my business”. Truthfully, collaboration can occur successfully in a variety of different ways, and with many different players. Employers and employees can collaborate as a team, and industry and academia can also collaborate together.

The most important element to successful collaboration is the willingness of both parties to work together, appreciate each others unique perspectives, be able to contribute and engage fully in the process, and finally be willing to compromise where necessary.

Collaborating with Consumers

In marketing, collaboration can be taken one step further by engaging consumers in the development of marketing strategies, plans and tactics. Through the use of surveys, feedback from social media and “old school” concepts such as focus groups, the consumer can become an integral part of the conversation, identifying what they feel would be the best way to satisfy their needs.

By working collaboratively with either clients or consumers, we’re able to create very practical and pragmatic solutions, and gain a fresh perspective on how best to apply marketing concepts and strategies for maximum affect. In our highly competitive and ever evolving marketplace, it seems inconceivable to ignore this input and information.

If you’re interested in working with a firm that wants to develop collaborative marketing programs with its clients, contact Sydcam Marketing Communications by email at info@sydcamcommunications.com. We want to hear from like-minded businesses that see the value in building stronger relationships as a means to creating better solutions. Let’s work together to build even better mousetraps!

You attended the networking meeting- Now What? Do you have a plan in place and implemented, for staying in touch with the new prospects you met at the networking event?    You will, after you attend Set The Stage For Follow Up Training Session.

Attending trade shows, monthly association meetings & networking events to get new prospects - costs money. 
When you take proactive actions to implement a step by step system to make sure every prospect you met goes into your sales funnel, is followed up and sales opportunities are maximized ….  you also maximize your business development investment. It just makes cents.

This sales follow up training is best for: Business Managers, Small or Medium Sized Business Owners, Sales Professionals and Entrepreneurs.

“SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  training is Monday night August 16th, 6 – 9 pm in Oakville, Ontario.

Register for “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training or 

Have this training come to your office – contact Cheryl at ExecutiveSalesSupport.com.

Learn the 10 Step Follow Up System through 2.5 hours of hands on, skills based training.  $89.00 in Oakville, Ontario.

At the “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training you will discover the 10 step framework and the first 6 steps will be covered in depth. These first 6 follow up steps are critical because they establish your social connection to the people you meet. 

You will learn how to; 

1. Improve you ‘first contact’ conversation
2. Set the stage for future contacts
3. Increase the number of prospects you are in conversation with
4. Develop win win relationship building connections
5. Discover the ‘giving piece’ that pulls you forward from that first contact to the second and beyond

Register for “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training  or contact Cheryl at ExecutiveSalesSupport.com to arrange for this training to come to your office.

Hear what attendees are saying about this skills based Follow Up Training; 

I met Cheryl Scoffield, the owner of Executive Sales Support, over a year ago and every time we talk business I walk away smarter. Yes, I said smarter! I walk away with usable information that will help my business.

Cheryl Scoffield, Follow Up Specialist, has developed a 10 Step Follow Up System that manages and maximizes your follow up activities. As in the follow up needed after you meet new prospects for your business; return from networking or the follow up needed to turn that stack of business cards on your desk into paying clients. If you need to know what to do next, Cheryl is the person you need to meet.

Why am I telling you this? Honestly, it’s because I have gained valuable knowledge from Cheryl over the past year and I am excited that Cheryl is now offering training sessions where she will share some of her tips and hints.

Kristeen Sopeju Edwards, Gifting Specialist, Business Owner
The Wreath Queen, Oakville, Ontario

Do you have a plan in place and implemented, for staying in touch with;

• prospects you meet? 
• prospects/clients who are already in your database?

Set The Stage For Follow Up  -  2.5 hours of hands on training includes an overview of the 10 Step Follow Up System guaranteed to connect you with your prospects beyond the 5th contact where 80% of sales are made. Learn how to set up your database.Next session of ’Set The Stage For Follow Up’  in Oakville is Monday     August 16,    6 pm -  9 pm -   Cost   $89.00
Reserve your seat early, because this training is limited to 10 participates.

The Canadian Professional Sales Association, polled CPSA members and identified one of their top challenges as “Sustaining sales momentum throughout the year”.   32% said this was their toughest challenge.

FACT – If people who come in contact with your business are not hearing from you on a regular basis, chances are they have forgotten about your business and the value your product or service offers. That means they are not contributing to next month’s sales target.

Join me and a small group of Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and Professional Service Providers for Set The Stage Follow Up Training -2.5 hours of hands on sales follow up training in Oakville, Ontario.

What you will learn – Strategies and techniques that not only connect you with prospects and clients but engage them so they are waiting to hear from you! Follow Up – The Bridge Connecting Prospects To Sales.

Learn How To Maximize Your Follow Up Activities & Grow Your Business Building The Know You – Like You – Trust Factor.

Let’s face it.  No one will ever buy from you if they never hear from you!

Beat the odds and stand out in a busy marketplace.

48% of business people never follow up.   Of those
25% make a second contact and stop.
12% make a third contact and stop.
Only 10% make more than three contacts.

Set The Stage For Follow Up  -  2.5 hours of hands on training includes an overview of the 10 Step Follow Up System guaranteed to connect you with your prospects beyond the 5th contact where 80% of sales are made.

Next session of ’Set The Stage For Follow Up’  in Oakville is Monday     August 16,    6 pm -  9 pm -   Cost   $89.00
Reserve your seat early, because this training is limited to 10 participates.

Should you attend? Check out what others are saying about Follow Up

Cheryl is definitely the Follow Up Specialist! After taking her “Follow Up System” workshop and being introduced to the “10 Step Follow Up System,” I have a template to follow that will save time and increase my business.

Sue Lacher, Business Coach, http://www.suelacher.com/

I enjoyed Cheryl’s “Set The Stage” training. Cheryl underscored the importance of following up with prospects and gave valuable input and ready-to-use strategies for overcoming that inherent reluctance to follow up past the first meeting. I also found Cheryl’s system for keeping track of your networkd very useful.

Camilla Nielsen, Intellectual Property Consultant,  http://www.cniconsult.com/

Join me and a small group of Entrepreneurs, Professional Service Providers and Business Owners for 2.5 hours of follow up training.  Reserve early – Seating is limited.

If you are a sales professional, business manager or entrepreneur who attends trade show or a monthly association meeting events as a business development investment you are investing of your resources of both time and money.

You invest your time;

• researching various trade shows and evaluating whether the event will attract the right target market for your business
• your time attending

You invest your money;

• trade show registration/booth fees & staff time
• travelling costs

Attending events helps to raise the visibility of your business in the marketplace and generates prospect leads for your business. These leads come in 2 forms,

1. attendees you met and with whom you started a conversation and
2. the attendance list which includes attendees you did not met and with whom you could start a conversation.

Back at the office, the questions are;

• how do you maximize your attendance investment by following up with the highest number of prospects and driving that traffic into your follow up sales funnel?
• what are the next steps to follow up and
  • continue the conversation with attendees you met?
  • start the conversation with the list of attendees you did not met?

In the past, for trade show follow up marketing, we would mail out sales literature and then try to get prospect on the phone, but follow up methods are changing.

Today, I help my clients utilize the technology they currently have, to build their next follow up steps.

• First, database set up to centralize all of the prospect leads, a CRM Customer Relationship Manager such as ACT, Maximizer or Goldmine.
• Second, set up an email blaster such as Swiftpage with ACT to send out emails.
  (Swiftpage can also work without ACT)

The great thing about this newer methods is that we can collect statistics, for example, about delivery. Depending on your follow up next steps, you may also be able to track the additional traffic your follow up drives to your website.

If you are interested in learning more about how to follow up and maximize your trade show or networking event attendance, I offer several options.

2 hour sessions Follow up – Discover Your Next Step and a session about taking action and implementing the follow up steps in your business Follow Up – Take Action. This session is about database set up, database maintenance and outbound cold calling.

Follow Up Training - Set The Stage For Follow Up and Automate Your Follow Up Process. Attend yourself and bring this business training for your office. You will learn how to build a Follow Up System that maximizes your business development investment and help get you past that 1st contact to the 2nd and beyond to the 5th contact where 80% of sales are made. You will save time, stayed organized and drive more traffic to your business!

Questions? No problem. Contact Cheryl Scoffield, Follow Up Specialist.

Are you attending trade shows, monthly association meetings & networking events to get new prospects? Business Development  costs money.
Do you have a plan in place and implemented, for staying in touch with the new prospects you meet?

If you are interested in learning more about how to follow up and maximize your investment, I offer several options.

2 hour sessions Follow up – Discover Your Next Step  and a session about taking action and implementing the follow up steps in your business Follow Up – Take Action. This session is about database set up, database maintenance and outbound cold calling.

Follow Up Training - Set The Stage For Follow Up and Automate Your Follow Up Process. Attend yourself and bring this business training for your office. You will learn how to build a Follow Up System that maximizes your business development investment and help get you past that 1st contact to the 2nd and beyond to the 5th contact where 80% of sales are made. You will save time, stayed organized and drive more traffic to your business!

Questions? No problem. Contact  Cheryl Scoffield, Follow Up Specialist.

You attended the networking meeting- Now What? Do you have a plan in place and implemented, for staying in touch with the new prospects you met at the networking event?    You will, after you attend Set The Stage For Follow Up Training Session.

This sales follow up training is best for: Business Managers, Small or Medium Sized Business Owners, Sales Professionals and Entrepreneurs.

The next “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training Sessions  will be Monday night June 21st, and Monday night August 16th.
The training is 2.5 hours from 6 pm – 9 pm and takes place in Oakville, Ontario.

Register for “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training or contact Cheryl at ExecutiveSalesSupport.com to arrange for this training to come to your office.

Learn the 10 Step Follow Up System through 2.5 hours of hands on, skills based training.  $89.00 in Oakville, Ontario.

At the “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training you will discover the 10 step framework and the first 6 steps will be covered in depth. These first 6 follow up steps are critical because they establish your social connection to the people you meet. 

You will learn how to; 

1. Improve you ‘first contact’ conversation
2. Set the stage for future contacts
3. Increase the number of prospects you are in conversation with
4. Develop win win relationship building connections
5. Discover the ‘giving piece’ that pulls you forward from that first contact to the second and beyond

Register for “SET THE STAGE FOR FOLLOW UP”  Training  or contact Cheryl at ExecutiveSalesSupport.com to arrange for this training to come to your office.

Hear what attendees are saying about this skills based Follow Up Training; 

Cheryl is definitely the Follow Up Specialist! After taking her “Follow Up System” workshop and being introduced to the “10 Step Follow Up System,” I have a template to follow that will save time and increase my business.   Sue Lacher, Business Coach 

Cheryl is energentic and inspiring. In her “Set the Stage” training, Cheryl underscores the importance of following up with prospects and gives valuable input and ready-to-use strategies for overcoming that inherent reluctance to follow up past the first meeting. She also presents a very useful system for keeping track of your network.   Camilla Nielsen, Intellectual Property Consultant 

In a survey conducted about 10 months ago, results show that the top three problems facing entrepreneurs in Halton  were:

1. isolation,

2. lack of meeting space and

3. difficulty getting good referrals to get the best help for themselves and their businesses.

I personally know this to be true as a home-based entrepreneurial coach for the last 5 years.

Sitting in my home office certainly has its perks but boy, there were some unbearable days where I had to pack my files and laptop and GET OUT as I could not stand the loneliness of being at home anymore.  I also know that I frequented too many Starbucks stores to name (hence my slight, ok, major addiction to soy chai lattes) because I had no place to meet my clients.  On top of it all, I have had my share of feeling lost and making poor choices when it came to outsourcing for help because I didn’t know where to go for a good referral.

Any of these feel familiar?

Well, that’s why I created the e-Spotâ„¢…. a much-needed community for entrepreneurs.  I just knew that if I was surrounded by energetic, creative, entrepreneurial minds, had a flexible, fun yet professional space to work and have meetings in and could get the help I needed, all in one spot, I would grow as a person and by extension, so would my business.

As many of you have heard me talk about over the last few months, the e-Spotâ„¢ is a membership-based community for entrepreneurs for the Halton and Mississauga area, located at 353 Iroquois Shore Road in Oakville (just off Trafalgar, north of the QEW) on the 2nd floor.  We are in the midst of designing this unique space that is unlike anything in the vicinity complete with gorgeous interior brick, an exposed, loft-style ceiling, an energy bar, and the most dynamic staff you’ll meet – this 3000 square feet space calls out “creative, cool and competent” and will WOW you and your clients.

Opening in December 2009, we are already gaining lots of interest from a HUGE entrepreneurial community.  I am writing you today to invite you to come and find out all about this new community.

We are hosting a short information afternoon on Friday, November 13th from 1 – 2pm.  I’d love to meet you and give you an overview of the opportunity so you can see for yourself whether this would be a good match for you and your business.

The meeting will be held at the location of one of our neighbours, The Little Gym (for whom we are very grateful for offering us space while our space in under construction!). It is located at 355 Iroquois Shore Road, Unit 2B, in Oakville.  Please RSVP to our e-Spot™ Manager, Elaine Geroche at elaine@e-spot.ca or by calling 289-291-5304 by Wednesday, November 11th to secure a spot at this information event.

And please feel free to forward this to anyone you know who you think might be interested in coming.  In the meantime, you can check out our blogsite at www.e-spot.ca

We look forward to seeing you all there.

Warmly,
Grace Yvonne Attard, Creator of the e-Spotâ„¢

I am so so grateful for the overwhelming generosity of this group.  Wow – talk about a group with a GIVERS philosophy.  Thank you to all of you who have agreed to make a donation for the silent auction of the Oakville Children’s Choir Gala, which is on Thursday Feb 12th.

Please remember to bring your donation, gift certificate, promotional material etc. to the meeting this Friday.  Unfortunately, I will not be there as I am in Toronto attending a two day workshop called “The Bigger Game” – www.thebiggergame.com.  Boris has kindly offered to help me collect donations and I will pick it up from him over the weekend.  If by any chance, you are not able to make the meeting on Friday also, just drop me a quick line at 416 909 7251 and I’ll find a way to pick it up from you.

Thank you all again so much.  On behalf of the choir and personally, this means a lot.

With appreciation, Grace

p.s. if you feel like coming to a fun dance, there are still tickets for the event – see here.  I’ll be on the dance floor….