Business TIPS

Sales - The Key to Success

2012-02-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day, amazing how time flies. Unfortunately we are still hearing over and over that either the economy is improving or not. In my mind when things get tough the tough get tougher and one way to toughen up in the business environment is to become more focused on sales and your sales team.

To begin with it is important to instill in your sales team that sales is a numbers game i.e. the more people you see or present to the better chance you have in succeeding. The general formula is for every ten calls you make three will show interest and one will actually buy your product that is why persistence is so important.

Many in the retail market will complain that the customers are not coming through the door. These are hard times and it is important to be a bit more creative and reach out in lieu of waiting for people to simply walk through the door.

An important thing to remember when working with the public is that your self-esteem

does not depend on anything outside of yourself and do not let your customers effect your attitude.

Some ideas to remember:

Salespeople are not born they are developed through training and incentives.

Remember: A good attitude is good for business. Have your salespeople read positive materials each day. Don't be afraid to include them in the process and have them provide marketing ideas.

Staff meetings are important, have one on a regular basis. Include in your meetings some information or guidelines on sales. During these challenging times this is extremely important. It both informs and keeps your sales team motivated.

Salespeople love acknowledgement – Find ways to praise them on a regular basis.

Hints when owners/sales staff attends meetings – put ten business cards in your pocket. Introduce yourself to ten strangers, give them your business card and then meet up with your friends.

It helps to attend Chamber Events, networking is more important now then it has ever been. Let members know about you and your business and remember to invite them down.

Keep track of your customers; make sure you have their information so you can send out notices of specials or events you are attending.

To keep your sales staff motivated have reading material available that inspires and do not forget to say “thank you for doing a good job.” All of this helps your bottom line.

Look around you and see what types of businesses are close at hand. Walk in and introduce yourself and see if you can support one another i.e. distribute flyers or make referrals. By getting to know one another you can help one another with their business.

One thing that I do when attending meetings is to put five business cards in my pocket (ten for bigger meetings) and do not socialize with my friends until I have met five new people and have their card as well as making sure they have mine

Get your name out there. Some ideas are attend Chamber Meetings, donate a raffle prize, bring flyers and ask the facilitator if you can announce what is happening in your business and talk with a minimum of ten people a week you do not know and make sure you give them a business card.

Putting on your creative hat can be lots of fun and remember each new person you meet can become your next customer or source for a referral.

Happy Sales!!

Respectfully Submitted by Elaine B. Holtz

NortonHoltz Business Solutions

Happy New Year

2012-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year. I can hardly believe it is 2012. Last year felt like it simply flew right by. At the beginning of the year it is time to set your goals for growth in 2012. Often times when we look at doing New Year’s Resolutions we tend to write them for the whole year. To help you achieve your goals I suggest is that one makes monthly resolutions (goals) in addition to whole years goals.

One of the problems with New Year’s Resolutions is that sometimes we are not always realistic when we set them. Unfortunately when we set unrealistic goals we set ourselves up for failure that is why monthly goals are more practical, have a better chance of being achieved and if you miss the mark can evaluate and make improvements the following months.

It is also a good idea at the beginning of the year, prior to setting your goals that you take time to sit down with your staff and evaluate your businesses success and disappointments during the past year. This helps give the business professional an opportunity to see what was realistic and what was a fantasy. Remember to give yourself a pat on the back for your successes and to recognize that when you fail at something that it is an opportunity to get more information and set a more realistic goal in that area.

Some questions you might ask yourself when doing an evaluation of your business i.e.

· How many new customers did you get?
· Was your marketing successful? What could you have done better?
· Did you have cash on hand to weather the slow periods?
· Are you poised for new growth in 2012?

Out of the above questions you can see whether or not you were satisfied with the results. If you were not satisfied the next question would be. “Why not?” It is the why not that will help you write your goals for the year.

Increasing sales is always a good goal. It is helpful when setting goals to make sure they are measurable and breaking them down into daily, weekly or monthly goals is a way to help achieve the goals that you have set.

Another goal might be to add new products or services. Even the smallest companies need to grow and change. A question to ask yourself is, “which products or services are compatible with your business?”

Every company should evaluate its costs of doing business. The end of the year is a great time to review your company’s financials therefore giving you the opportunity to see where you might increase costs or reduce costs for the company year. A New Year is a natural time to re-evaluate your business and your entrepreneurial activities.

Two of the goals I have for my Chamber participation is to write more often in the blog and call all the members and introduce myself. The monthly goal will be one blog entry a month and to call on 12 members.

Happy New Year and Happy Goal Setting.

Respectfully submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz NortonHoltz Business Solutions

Elaine is also the Producer/Host of Women's Spaces www.womensspaces.com

Customer Service Reminder

2011-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

Over and over we hear how bad the economy is and businesses are going out of business. Continually we hear how important the holiday season is for shopping and giving. One of the best things a business owner can do is to remember that the big money isn’t as much in winning customers as in keeping customers. It is equally important to recognize that each individual customer’s perception of your company will determine how well you do this and that perception will depend on the level of customer service you provide.

Here are several things to remember that will help your business during these challenging times. I call them challenging because one can meet a challenge with planning, training of staff and willingness to try new things to attract and keep customers.

1. Remember there is no way that the quality of customer service can exceed the quality of the people who provide it. It is your employees that are serving your customer needs. Think of ways to reward good service i.e. Christmas Bonus, special acknowledgement when they make a sale and remember a "thank you" at the end of the day goes a long way.

2. Realize that your people will treat your customer the way they are treated. Employees take their cue from management. Be an example and remember rude customer service is a reflection of the company.

3. Are your customers greeted when they walk in the door All of us like to feel important; calling someone by name is a simple way to do it and lets them know you value them as customers. When an old or potential customer comes to your facility remind your staff to greet them by introducing themselves, asking for the person’s name and say, “welcome and let me know if you have any questions.” Often times when customers hear the words, “may I help you?”, their answer is generally “No.”

4. For good customer service, go the extra mile. Include a thank-you note in a customer's package; send a birthday card; clip the article when you see their name or photo in print; write a congratulatory note when they get a promotion. There are all sorts of ways for you to keep in touch with your customers and bring them closer to you. Remember to say thank you and wish them a joyous holiday season.

5. Are your customer service associates properly trained in how to handle a customer complaint or an irate person? Give them guidelines for what to say and do in every conceivable case. People on the frontline of a situation play the most critical role in your customer’s experience. Make sure they know what to do and say to make that customer’s experience a positive, pleasant one.

It is my hope that these five suggestions help you during this holiday season in increasing your sales and customer retention. Remember the owner, the employees and the customers are of equal importance and are needed for success. Wishing you a joyous holiday season, one filled with peace of mind, good health and continued prosperity.

Respectfully submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz Norton& Holtz Business Solutions

Trade Show Follow-up Tips

2011-10-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

A special thank you for all participants and attendees at the annual Mark West Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center Wine Country Harvest Fair & Business Showcase 2011.

To help you in maximizing your participation please read the following Trade Show Follow Up Ideas. Wishing you a successful follow-up and looking forward to seeing you next year on

Wednesday October 3, 2012.

Sincerely yours, Elaine B. Holtz – Vice President Business Services

Turning Leads into Buyers: Imperatives for Trade Show Follow up

The close of the trade show doesn't mean the work is over. Focused, aggressive follow up is how the sales are made, but follow up is where many trade show exhibitors fall short.

Trade shows can be both exciting and exhausting. Most of the effort goes into the planning: creating the right presentation, designing your booth, training your team, and promoting your message.

Staff is primed and ready to make contacts with the thousands of potential clients passing by your booth. By the time the show ends, they’ve collected contact information from prospects, and have engaged in many meaningful conversations, but they are tired and ready to get back to their jobs.Here are four of the most important trade show follow up rules.

Follow up according to Needs

Not all leads are created equal. Prioritize your leads. Which need specific information and which need more general information such as a fact sheet? Hot leads need an immediate follow up—the next day—with either a phone call or email.

This is the time to provide the quote they asked for, or to answers questions, the real reason for your follow up. If you were asked to provide information to someone who has decision-making authority, do so the next day.

Follow up Immediately

Studies show that most trade show leads are never re-contacted or activated, which wastes the time and money you spend, according to Joanna Krotz, co-author of the Microsoft Small Business Kit. Timing is critical. Don't let a hot prospect become a cold lead because too much time has passed before you've made contact.

Your post-show strategy should be fairly simple: call the most serious prospects within two days. Then follow up with all your leads within five business days, either by email or phone. The longer you take to make contact with the customer, the more chance there is of another exhibitor getting their business.

What about the contacts that aren’t considered good prospect or leads? Email all attendees who provided their contact information. Thank them for stopping by your booth and repeat the message, sales point or offer you were promoting at the show.

Prospect Your "Turn Downs"

Obviously not all your leads will be interested in buying your product or service. This doesn’t mean that warm or even cold leads should be ignored. Give them an alternative to purchase and offer a way to keep in touch.

This can include putting them on your newsletter mailing list, inviting them to participate in web casts, or sending them articles or white papers about your industry.

The goal is to cultivate these leads and keep actively engaged with your company until they are ready to purchase.

Evaluate Your Performance:

One of the most important post show activities is to evaluate your performance to help you plan future events.

"Trade shows are experimental marketing," says Powerful Exhibit Marketing author Barry Siskind. That’s why it’s important to find out what went wrong and what went right.

Therefore, ask your staff the following questions.

Was it the right trade show for your business?
Was the booth functional and did it suit the venue?
Was your booth in the right location to attract enough traffic?
Did you meet the right people or prospects?
Was your literature and handouts effective?
Was your sales force able to handle the number of prospects?
What did your biggest competitors do differently? How did they fare?

In all trade show follow up activities, don't assume that potential customers will take the time to contact you for more information. Remember that your hot leads also talked to your competition at the same show and they will most likely respond to whoever does the best follow-up.

Respectfully submitted by Elaine B. Holtz Norton & Holtz Business Solutions

It's Getting Closer

2011-08-31T15:14:00.000-07:00

It’s getting closer - only one month to go until the 21st Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire & Business Showcase 2009 happening Wednesday October 5, 2011 4:00pm – 8:00pm at the

Wells Fargo Center for the Arts,
50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa

. Time to start planning your booth and presentation. Here are some suggestions to start the process.

Start planning who is going to staff your booth and what their hours are. Prepare an outline of what your expectations are while they are at the booth i.e. hours, giveaways and collections of leads via signup sheet or collecting of business cards. Make sure everyone understands what the goals for the event are. Get your staff involved in the planning of the booth, this helps develop teamwork and excitement. Will they need badges?

            If you plan to use giveaways in your booth, what's your strategy? An effective promotional giveaway should reinforce your company's image and message in addition to supporting your communications goals at the show. With budgets tight, no one can afford to waste money on a gift that doesn't fulfill objectives. So before you order those coffee cups, pens or key change, a quick review of the desired results might be in order.
            1. Do you have a new product or service and you want everyone in attendance to know about it? Choose a giveaway you can give to visitors you come in contact with.

            2. Want to pull your primary prospects to your booth? Try sending a post card inviting them to your booth. Let them know there are discounts if you buy onsite.

            3. Want prospects to buy on site? Provide a show special for on-site orders with discounts.

            4. How about lead cards? Offer a giveaway for those visitors who fill them out or sit through a presentation or demonstration. A sign always helps announcing show specials.

            The Harvest Faire and Business Showcase is an opportunity to see your customers and to meet new customers along with gathering leads.   It is also a time to have fun, to show off new products and to be part of our business community. One never knows who they might meet or how many new customers will be generated unless they are part of the faire. If you have not secured your booth I suggest you do it now. Don’t miss out on the FUN.

Suggestion: Send out a special invitation to your friends and clients to see you at the Trade Show. The personal touch always helps business.

Looking to seeing everyone at the Trade Show. For all those participating at the end of the show you will be getting a special handout on Trade Show Followup Techniques.

Respectfully submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz - Norton & Holtz Business Solutions

Why Attend the Mark West Springs Chamber of Commerce Trade Show

2011-08-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

People, the Mark West Springs Chamber of Commerce 22^nd Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire and Business Showcase will be happening on October 05, 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. Times goes by so fast and it is almost here.

Often times when business owners hear the word Business Showcase there could be some resistance or hesitation. I believe it is important to plan to participate.

Why is this event important? Here are several reasons to consider:

1. They are a great place to Personally introduce yourself and the products and services you are offering.

2. Face to face contact is extremely important – remember one of the golden rules of selling, people tend to purchase products from individuals and companies they know.

3. It is a great place to network and make friends.

4. An opportunity to get business cards and leads.

5. These types of events are a place to meet and talk with potential clients.

6. From a supplier standpoint you get to meet fellow suppliers and your customers.

7. An opportunity to market new ideas.

8. The participants who attend or exhibit are interested in learning and sharing about the businesses that are there.

9. It’s FUN and remember; all expenses are considered a business expense and are tax deductible.

10. It’s great advertising and less expensive than a talking advertisement.

With today’s economic challenges it is important to let people know that you exist and are there to say hello and answer any questions they might have. A business showcase is a social event and it brings people from the community together. Those who are participating are letting the attendees know that you are part of the community and are looking for business and referrals.

Lots to think about and to help you prepare for the showcase review the blog that was about what to put in Your Toolbox for Success for Trade Shows. Who could ask for anything more?

Respectfully submitted by,

Elaine B. Holtz

Norton & Holtz Business Solutions

A Wonderful Time

2011-08-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

A wonderful time was had at the Spaghetti Western Installation Dinner at Cloverleaf Ranch. A special Congratulations to all of our Board Members. It was great hearing all of us with our right hands raised high making the pledge to be of service to our Chamber. The pledge was lead by Supervisor Mike McGuire who as always was engaging, charming and informative, this was in addition to the great presentation he did. Can you think of a better combination.

A special thank you to Shawna DeGrange and her wonderful staff at Cloverleaf Ranch for making this event a success. There is nothing like having a beautiful young person greeting you with a smile. In my mind this set the tone for the event which included great food, wine and music. Oops do not want to forget that all atendees had an opportunity to ride the Polar Bear. What a great addition to the event.

A special thank you to all the Ambassadors organized by Kimberly Anderson of Asset Insurance and Investments and Susan Lindstrom of Guardian Caregivers Connections for all the great baskets that were given away. I was in awe of how great those baskets looked.

Congratulations to our Board Members of the Year John Essman and Katleen Palmer, our Volunteer of the Year Patricia Dearmin a special Life Time Award went to Don and Barbara Wilson. It is individuals like these that make our Chamber such a success. The Business of the Year was Airport Express the award was accepted by Tony Geraldi and his beautiful niece. Tony's beloved wife Suzie Geraldi passed away last month and all of us were happy to see him and offer our love and friendship.

For me the highlight of the evening was seeing people dressed up in cowboy attire, smiles on their faces, talking with one another and dancing. It was wonderful seeing Beverly Graham of GRP Wealth Strategies Group, LLC who looked as beautiful as ever attending. Beverly's beloved husband Skip Graham passed away last month and it was great to see her and be able to offer her our love and friendship. Being part of this Chamber is truly a wonderous experience.

For those of you not attending check out the great pictures taken by our Photographer John Essman on Facebook. I never saw a group of photos with so many smiles.

Now on to getting readiy for the Mark West Springs Chamber of Commerce 22nd Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire and Business Showcase will be happening on October 05, 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. Time sure flies, it is already August and I hope to see all of you at that event. Make sure you check out the suggestions for the Trade Show on the next Blog.

Respectfully Submitted by,
Elaine B. Holtz
Norton & Holtz Business Solutions

Trade Show Check List

2011-07-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

People are you getting ready? Some of you may be thinking it is too soon to think about the 22nd Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire & Business Showcase 2011 happening Wednesday, October 5, 2011 4:00pm – 8:00pm at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95403

A little bit of information, over 110 million people attend more than 4,000 trade shows in the United States and Canada every year. Why do people go? They are usually there to make contacts, find out information, see what is available and make purchases. Trade Show participation also influences the way people make buying decisions. Local Trade Shows are extremely important because of the Go Local movement that is happening across the country. People want to get to know the people who are local and can provide information and products to them.

In my mind tradeshows can be easier and fun by planning ahead. When you plan ahead you are planning to be successful and have fun. Suggestion: If cash flow is a challenge at this time, don’t let that stop you. Check with the Chamber about setting up a payment plan.

To begin with, having a tool box is essential. A tool box can be anything from a fancy tool box to a simple bag that has all the stuff in it you may need. First make a list of everything needed, such as decorations, name tags, promotional items, printed brochures etc. . Suggestion: Get yourself a bright colored tool box or bag that has room for all the goodies you will be putting into it. Have some fun, stick on a Happy Face or find some stickers that have some fun sayings or make a sticker or two and put it on the tool box.

Here is a simple check list to help you get started. These are just suggested things you might need.

Tool Box Check List:

o Scotch Tape

o Scissors

o Band-Aids

o Aspirin/Pain relievers

o Pens

o Pencils

o Note pads

o High Lighter

o Stapler

o Bowl to collect business cards

o Staple Remover

o Key staff business cards

o Paper Clips

o Rubber Bands

o Hooks for Banners

o Sewing kit

o Screwdrivers

o Shipping instructions

o Extra extension cord

o Facial Tissues

o Glass Cleaner

o Cloth or paper towels

o String

Remember the most important thing to put in your toolbox is a positive attitude. Affirm to yourself that you are going to have a great time, have an opportunity to share your business with other business owners and generate lots of leads for yourself. Our next article will be about presentations and follow up.

If you have not signed up you still have time. Remember participating gives you additional opportunities to present yourself and your business to our community. Need a payment plan, we are happy to help. Give the chamber a call at (707) 578-7975 and they will be happy to provide a plan to support you in attending,

Please feel free to make a comment or ask a question. When this happens we will credit you and your business for the comment or question.

Respectfully submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz - Norton & Holtz Business Solutions
If you have any ideas for a topic please email Elaine at - elaineholtz@sbcglobal.net

Chamberee Acknowlegements

2011-07-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

What a great time all had at the Chamberee at the Pacific Coast Air Museum on Thursday, June 16, 2011. The Chamberee was a fundraiser for the 9/11 “First Responder” F-15A Eagle historic and educational exhibit at the Pacific Coast Air Museum.

12 Sonoma County Chambers participated and special guest Supervisor Mike McGuire was there to greet and meet with people. Thank you to Supervisor Mike McGuire for all your support in helping make this event so successful. Special thank you to John Essman and Kathleen Palmer, the Chamberee was definitely an expression of their great community leadership and commitment to making things happen.

Thank you to all the Mark West Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center Ambassadors, the pirate theme of our booth made the Chamberee lots of fun for all of us. It was great being with all the volunteers at the booth. The basket was put together by Susan Lindstrom of Guardian Caregivers Connection. The following people contributed to the basket – thank you all for your generous participation.

Contributors to the Gift Basket are: Sonoma County Airport Express, Tony Geraldi; Best Western Wine Country Inn & Suites, Todd Anderson; Anytime Fitness, Eric Nelson; Healdsburg Tribune/Windsor Times, Lacey Burdette; Health Are We, Jeanne Haddorff; PromosOnCall/GraphicsOnCall, Monavie Distributors, Will and Denise Brodt; California American Water, Tony Lindstrom; Molsberry Markets, Inc., Brian Molsberry; Guardian Caregivers Connection, Susan Lindstrom; and Manzanita Creek Winery (wine).

Congratulations to our business card drawing winner Lynnette Shaul of the Sonoma West Publishers in Sebastopol. I personally delivered the book "Einstein and the Poet, Inc Search of the Cosmic Man" to her. The prize was donated by Ken Norton of Norton Holtz Business Solutions.

Events like this provide opportunities to network along with demonstrating what a vibrant community Sonoma County truly is.

A special thank you for all the Chambers that participated - Cloverdale, Cotati, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Hispanic, Mark West, North Bay Black, Rohnert Park, Russian River, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol & Windsor.

Respectfully submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz

Trade Show Tips

2011-05-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

People, get ready he Mark West Springs Chamber of Commerce 20th Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire and Business Showcase will be happening on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

Often times when business owners hear the word Business Showcase there could be some resistance or hesitation. I believe it is important to plan to participate.

Why is this event important? Here are several reasons to consider:
1. They are a great place to Personally introduce yourself and the products and services you are offering.
2. Face to face contact is extremely important – remember one of the golden rules of selling, people tend to purchase products from individuals and companies they know.
3. It is a great place to network and make friends.
4. An opportunity to get business cards and leads.
5. These types of events are a place to meet and talk with potential clients.
6. From a supplier standpoint you get to meet fellow suppliers and your customers.
7. An opportunity to market new ideas.
8. The participants who attend or exhibit are interested in learning and sharing about the businesses that are there.
9. It’s FUN and remember; all expenses are considered a business expense and are tax deductible.
10. It’s great advertising and less expensive than a talking advertisement.

With today’s economic challenges it is important to let people know that you exist and are there to say hello and answer any questions they might have. A business showcase is a social event and it brings people from the community together. Those who are participating are letting the attendees know that you are part of the community and are looking for business and referrals.

Lots to think about and to help you prepare for the showcase our next article will be about what to put in Your Toolbox for Success. Who could ask for anything more?

Retail Sales Tips - 10 Common Mistakes Retail Salespeople Make

2011-05-09T08:52:00.001-07:00

Retail Sales Tips - 10 Common Mistakes Retail Salespeople Make

During times of economic challenges one of the most important things to do is help improve the performance of your sales team. Here is an overview of ten of the most common mistakes retail salespeople make.

Remember: When exploring these ideas with your sales staff remember a mistake is only a miss take that can be both evaluated and corrected.

10 Common Mistakes Retail Salespeople Make:

1. Failing to build a rapport with the customer. From a simple greeting to a little chat about niceties, non-sales directed small talk go a long way in developing an easier and more open mood in the customers.

2. Failing to find out customer's requirements.

3. Focusing on their own agenda instead of customers.

4. Not giving customers the majority of the air time.

5. Confusing "telling" with "selling". Not listening or not hearing what customer is saying.

6. Not knowing the prevailing promotions, specials and regular pricing.

7. Not differentiating the product/service/store/company enough to create additional value in the mind of the customer.

8. Selling too fast, trying to close before the customer is ready to buy.

9. Fail to address objections properly not realizing that satisfactory resolution of the objections is the shortest distance to purchase.

10. Not taking advantage of add-on sales, as soon as the main purchase is done, which is when customer is most ready to entertain them.

Happy Sales, and let us know what you think about this Blog and the suggestions made. If you have any suggestions for topics please let me know.

Respectfully submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz, Norton Holtz Business Solutions

The Joy of Public Speaking

2011-02-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

How exciting it is to have your own business or being part of a business that requires you to do presentations. One of the most important skills you can develop is the art of public speaking. Let us explore Several Areas I call Public Speaking:

1. When you go to a meeting or party and speak with people.

2. In front of an audience

3. Then there is media public speaking.

4. If you are in sales contacting clients via phone is a form of public speaking or attending meetings or trade shows.

5. Retail – Meeting and greeting customers, providing product information.

6. Returning phone calls.

Some guidelines for presentations:

1. Always arrive ½ hr. to 45 minutes before your presentation. This gives you a chance to get comfortable with the room and to make sure all the equipment you will need is available.

2. Get to know your audience. Don’t hesitate to walk up and talk with one or two people. This will actually be a warm up for your presentation.

3. Be prepared. Know your material.

4. Prior to presentation meditate. Pay attention to your body. Are you anxious, nervous, not sure you can pull it off? Breathe into those feelings and let yourself know that this is normal. Most people are nervous before they have to go on stage; even seasoned actors have stage fright.

5. Become friends with your nervousness. Turn it into excitement and then energy. Some Hints: why people are nervous: Often times it is because they think they will not do a good job or the people listening to them will be bored. Remember: you are there to provide a service or important information. Recognize: Most people want to listen to you and support you in doing a good job. Turn your nervous energy into a friend. Important: Be in the moment, this helps with nervousness.

6. Focus on your topic and not what others are thinking of you. You have no control over what people are thinking but you do have control over the material you are presenting. If you feel like your nervousness is causing you to lose control on some levels bring yourself back to the now, the moment. This helps a great deal.

7. Use your audience: Make eye contact with several people in the audience. This will make it a bit easier talking to a few in lieu of the whole audience. This helps. If you feel brave you might even go out into the audience and pick people to talk with.

8. Don’t apologize if you feel nervous. Guess what – unless you are shaking like a leaf and then fall on the ground most of us listening hardly notice if you are nervous.

9. Remember to pause and wait every once in a while. This gives people a chance to reflect on what you are saying.

10. There are some things that might give you away that you need to be aware of i.e. laughing nervously, saying to may ummmm and of course using the phrase “you know” over and over definitely give the audience a sense that you are nervous.

11. There are so many how to; my best suggestion is Practice, Practice, and Practice. You might even join Toastmasters. This is a great place to improve and get feedback on your speaking style.

12. Hints when attending sales meetings – put ten business cards in your pocket. Introduce yourself to ten strangers, give them your business card and then meet up with your friends.

Remember: What is being presented is the opinion of the presenter. Public Speaking is a skill that can be developed if this is something you truly want to do.

Thank you for reading this information. I want to wish you all the best life has to offer.

Submitted by: Elaine B. Holtz
Norton and Holtz Business Solutions

Knowing Your Customer

2011-02-03T13:15:00.001-08:00

Business Tips:

In business one of the most important things to understand is your customer and what motivates them to do business with you. After all is said and done where do your revenues actually come from? Right, from your customer/client base.

I believe it is important from time to time to explore what it is like to be a customer and why your work with or purchase products from someone. Your own personal experience can give you insight into how to motivate and treat your customer base. Try this simple exercise.

Exercise: I Am a Customer

Personal experiences and observations can help you understand techniques to adopt when dealing with people and to understand what works and what doesn’t when working with clients and/or customers.

Write in your own words, a personal response in each of the following sections:

Positive Experience when purchasing a product or talking with a salesperson:

Negative Experiences when purchasing a product or talking with a salesperson:

What caused you to buy a product or to shop at a particular store?

Write a sentence or two about what you learned doing this exercise and how you will integrate this knowledge when you are working with your next customer.

Let me know if this is helpful to you. Email me at elaineholtz@sbcglobal.net

Benefits of Being a Member

2011-01-06T22:28:00.000-08:00

2011 - Hard to believe so much time has passed. I look forward to the next year and my primary goal for the Blog is to educate and inspire members to be more active in the chamber and to utilize each other’s businesses

For beginners I thought I would remind everyone of our Mission. This is important as it gives us a new look at what motivated us to join the chamber and how we can utilize the events, the newsletter, the blog, the membership directory along with our tradeshow.

Mission Statement

The Mark West Area Chamber of Commerce is organized to advance the economic well-being and uniqueness of the Mark West Area so that its citizens and all areas of its business community shall prosper. To help achieve the mission for both ourselves and the Chamber As a member you can...

Be listed free on the Chamber's Website.
Showcase your business with a Business-After-Hours Networking Social.
Participate in the Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire and Business Showcase and Silent Auction at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Christmas Tree Lighting, Annual Installation Dinner, and other events.
Advertise in the Monthly Newsletter (The LARK) with ads and flyers.
Be listed free in the Chamber Directory.
Order Chamber member mailing labels.
Promote your business free through a Member Profile in The LARK.
Utilize the Chamber Office Resource Center.

Wow there in itself is a lot of ways to get your name out there and let other members know that you want to know about their business as well as telling them about your business. An old fashioned idea, you will do business with individuals that you know and trust. How do you get to know and trust others or get others to trust you, my suggestion is picking at least three of the items on the list and participate in that way.

Getting to know about other businesses can be difficult and I thought it might be useful if a member utilizes the services of another member they will let me know and I can mention them and their opinion in the Blog. What does this accomplish? 1. Members reading this get to know about other members and their experience. 2. Your name gets mentioned so members become aware of you and your services.

Here we go: Special acknowledgment to Benjamin Tires. They provided four brand new tires for my Toyota. I was given the most thorough service i.e. when I came to the facility they greeted me and Mrs. Benjamin was there so I got to met the owner. A quote was provided and after checking around found them to be very competitive, in fact I got top of the line tires, I was taken care of in a timely fashion and this Christmas as I ran from store to store felt very safe because of those tires. Thank you Benjamin Tires.

Also Molsberry Market, for those who are not aware they have the best pricing and products of organic vegetables and have found they are the only store in town that I could find that carries traditional Halvah. For those who do not know what Halvah I suggest you stop at Molsberry and try some. Does anyone know Brian’s training techniques, I find he has the friendliest employees who are always willing to help and answer any questions you might have.

Being a Chamber Member

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I am so excited about being able to present ideas via this blog to the members of the Mark West Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. My name is Elaine B. Holtz and I am your Vice President of Business Services for our Chamber and am honored to have this opportunity.

As I began to write the blog I asked myself the question, "Why am I a member?" In asking myself that question I recognized there was a lot more opportunities involved that would potentially generate leads and sales.

The following are some reasons I came up with.
1. Opportunity to meet other business owners.
2. Going to events and being able to network.
3. Growing your business happens through the power of relationships and being part of a Chamber gives one access to interacting and building relations with others.
4. It also provides a vehicle for service, such as being on the board, volunteering to be an Ambassador, sending in a business tip to help others enhance their business.
5. Inexpensive advertising opportunities, such as putting an ad in the newsletter and/or membership directory.
6. Unlike a referral networking group, professional society or trade association, a chamber does not limit the number of people who can join from any one profession or industry. The local membership may include, for example, several commercial interior designers. Membership in this chamber of commerce would thus give you an opportunity too meet more than one prospect for your word-of-mouth marketing team.

Looking at the list is inspiring to me, however I am aware that none of this happens unless members participate. One way to participate is to send me a business tip that worked for you and share it via the blog. Both the idea and credit to you and your businesses will be given. Email me at elaineholtz@sbcglobal.net Along with your ideas please feel free to let me know any topic that is of interest to you. Looking forward to your comments.

Showcase TIPS

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Planning to participate in our 22nd Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire & Business Showcase? It's happening Wednesday, October 5, 2010, 4:00pm – 8:00pm. Look for a special promotion and download our Showcase TIPS to prepare for success!

Welcome to the Mark West Chamber blog!

2010-11-23T09:19:00.001-08:00