Sold on Selling Seminar- August 24th 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Take the Fears Out of Selling

I first had a chance to hear our speaker for this event at a Midwest Chamber Conference and I’m very excited for his presentation here in Siouxland. Pat McGaughey speaks all over the country on business topics including showing employees how to increase their effectiveness when selling. We are lucky to have him speak to our Siouxland Chamber of Commerce members and guests.

His presentation will cover a wide variety of sales topics which are here. If you only attend one seminar this year, put this on your calendar.  Hope to see you there!

Details of the Event

Beth Trejo, Director of Investor Relations, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce

On November 10^th at noon, Siouxland Industrial Roundtable will host a guest speaker: Richard Baehr.

Baehr is chief political correspondent for the American Thinker and is a management consultant in the health care field. At the Industrial Roundtable, Baehr will address the effect of health care on businesses with regards to the result of the general election.

Richard is also the president of Richard A Baehr & Associates, frequently serves as an expert witness in health care litigation cases, and often speaks on topics involving the Middle East and American politics.

This informative Industrial Roundtable is set to be held at Bev’s on the River on November 10^th, with lunch costing $25. Any and all industrial businesses are encouraged to attend and learn about how health care may be impacting their business.

Kaitlin Tow
Social Media Intern

Structured and fast paced, speed networking allows participants to interact with other professionals one-on-one, for a set period of time.  You’ll walk away with more new contacts in one lunch hour than some make in 6 months.

We’ll be hosting our speed networking event on August 30th at noon right here at Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. This event will be Free for Chamber Members. Cost for Non-members is $40.

Speed networking only requires a little preparation. When you arrive, be ready to describe yourself to the group. You will have approximately 3 minutes with each person (each person should get approximately 1 minute to talk) before you move onto the next contact.  Be sure to have plenty of business cards handy.  This hour goes fast.

Other good things to be prepared for during the speed networking session:
-Think about 1 or 2 needs you or your organization has.
-Think about contacts you need within an organization.
-You want to generate publicity for an event.
-Make it easy for someone to help you.  The more concise you are in descriptions of yourself and your goals…the better your odds for success.
-Come with the goal of helping at least one person.  You will meet several people so don’t feel compelled to help everyone you connect with. Remember, people are more interested in helping someone who has helped them.
-If you are planning to attend this Speed Networking event, be sure to register right away! It fills up very quickly, as we are limited to 30 participants.

Things to bring with you:
-Bring plenty of business cards.  If you don’t have business cards, 3×5 note cards with your contact info (name, e-mail, phone, occupation, etc.) will work just fine.
-Bring a pen to take notes on the back of business cards you gather in order to remember details.

Lunch will be served for those who request ($7). Note in the “comments” when registering. Please request at least 24 hours in advance.

To Register:
Please contact Nicole Thompson.
712-255-7903
nthompson@siouxlandchamber.com
101 Pierce Street Sioux City, IA

Hope to see you there!

Kaitlin Tow
Social Media Intern

This month’s Business Roundtable is focused on Historic Pearl District: The Next Cultural and Entertainment Hub in Siouxland.

Prepare for takeoff! Come to Business Roundtable this month to get informed on the upcoming changes happening in downtown Sioux City.

Jill Wanderscheid, City of Sioux City Transportation Planner, will present on Thursday the plans for the west end of downtown and how different it will look in the future. Lily Higman will also update the group on the much anticipated Children’s Museum and what to expect in the upcoming months and years.

When: Thursday, July 29th, 2010 from 12pm to 1pm

Where:  Siouxland Chamber (101 Pierece St. Sioux City)

This event is (as always!) free for Chamber Members. Cost for Non-members to attend is $40. Also, don’t miss a chance to eat while you’re listening, because lunch will be served for those who request it ($7). But please keep in mind, if you request lunch and do not attend, you will still be charged for the meal.

To get involved and learn about the upcoming plans for downtown Sioux City, you can register for the Business Roundtable by talking to our Events & Communications Specialist, Nicole Thompson. You can get a hold of her by emailing nthompson@siouxlandchamber.com or by phone at (712) 255-7903.  Please request a reservation at least 24 hours in advance.

Kaitlin Tow
Social Media Intern

 Ever wonder how or why the chamber gets involved in certain community issues and not others? From working on city recycling to meeting with local and national politicians, the staff and volunteers at the Chamber are playing a role in fighting for Siouxland and trying to make this a great place to live and do business. On June 25^th, 2010, Debi Durham, President of Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, will speak to the Chamber members on the changes in Siouxland and how the Chamber is involved. Attend the next business roundtable and gets a better idea of some of the projects the Chamber is involved in and why they are important to our community as a whole.  

The Business Roundtable is a monthly event hosted by Siouxland Chamber of Commerce. At each committee meeting, a guest presents on different topics which vary each month. 

The event will starts at noon and will be free for all Siouxland Chamber members. If you are not a member, the cost is $40 to attend. Lunch will be served for those who request. ($7 per person)

Jaci Huang

Social Media Intern

During her presentation, Newton will discuss several topics, the first being the simple question, “How can businesses benefit from events in the area?”  Then she will explain how businesses can stay in the loop on what events are going on around town.  Newton also notes that it’s not only downtown businesses that should be interested in Siouxland events because businesses not centrally located can also support and benefit from travelers to the area.  Along with these tips and ideas, she will also enlighten the group with  numbers and stats of how many people come to the area for the special events.

If you’re looking for more ways to stay connected to what is going on, stop by the business roundtable on April 26th! The event is FREE to all Siouxland Chamber members.

RSVP your attendance to nthompson@siouxlandchamber.com.

Chelsey Meyer/ Social Media Intern

Luckily, in order to let our hearts take a few minutes to calm down, Jeff changed the subject back to tracking information from surveys using Google Docs. This is a useful tool for any business because it shows results and allows the audience to comment without repercussions. He has provided several links that you can visit to see how to set these up and utilize them. Just when I think my blood pressure is normal and I’m looking forward to trying out some of his techniques he drops a bomb and shows us a cute picture of his grandson in front of a house. He clicks a few buttons and suddenly we’re viewing a satellite image of the house and a few clicks later and we’re practically driving down the street! Technology has been a great tool but it makes one wonder what’s coming next!

Here is a link from the presentation highlighting the many social media tools outlined at our presentation.

http://jeffsstuffscchamber.blogspot.com/2010/01/helpful-links-about-facebook-twitter.html

Chelsey/ Social Media Intern

There are many tips and tricks for protecting yourself online and we are excited present an expert on this topic to present at the January Business Roundtable. On January 20th, Jeff Sypersma Supervisor of Technology Support with the Northwest Area Education Agency (AEA), will speak to Chamber members and their guests on practical ways to protect yourself on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and others. He will also be talking about what NOT to do on theses applications as well as how to avoid getting your account hacked. Decided not to use Twitter or Facebook? Not a problem, he will also be informing the group on business uses for Google Docs, Polleverywhere, and Skype. You never know when you may be able to learn a little, save a little and enjoy yourself.

This presentation will be held at the Siouxland Chamber on Jan, 20th from 11:30-1:30 and is free to all chamber members. There is a charge of $75 for non chamber members. Lunch will be available for $7. Please RSVP  to nthompson@siouxlandchamber.com  as seating is limited. Hope to see you there!

 -Beth Trejo, Director of Investor Relations, Siouxland Chamber

Expanding Cultural Diversity: How your business can reach out

As a business owner it is essential to know your market, not just who you are targeting but how.  Siouxland has long been a melting pot of nationalities, but that mix has changed significantly over time and especially during the past few years.  Do you still know your market and how to reach it?  Join us for a Business Roundtable discussion with community leaders from some of the various cultures represented in Siouxland to hear about their needs, customs, and where your business can reach out.

With an enthusiastic demeanor, Matt taught the crowd how the first step in relationship building is to have a genuinely positive attitude. Not only does that attract others to you, but you become approachable and someone pleasant to be around. It’s important to constantly check your attitude so it becomes a habit to stay positive, just as routine as brushing your teeth.

Matt also gave the group some worthwhile tips on networking and communicating effectively. Below are just some of the valuable tools he shared with our group.

Business Cards: Use the Name people call you on your business card-When you introduce yourself to people, do you use your full name ie: Jonathan A Doe III? Your middle initial? Then why include that on your business card. Use the name that you introduce yourself as so people know who you are know how to address you when making contact.

The internet is prime real estate-Purchase the domain to your name so when contacts google your name (c’mon you know you do it), you can rest assured they are finding accurate information. Domain names are cheap (some less than $10 per year) so why not give this as a gift to friends, family or youngsters BEFORE they become motivational speakers or CEO’s.

Smile!- One of the best ways to make people like you is to smile. It can be said in any language and is rarely misunderstood. This is an easy improvement to make when networking and building relationships.

Look ‘um in the eye- Who ever said that had it right. One of the quickest and most effective ways to build a beneficial relationship is to gain trust. Eye contact is a wonderful tool to develop that trust. Focus on just one eye and maintain that contact. Try it, you’ll soon find out how powerful one-eye contact can be.

Use the FORD technique to get people to like you- No I don’t mean using the topic of cars, I’m talking about questions to ask people in regards to their Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams. Don’t forget to LISTEN to the answers, networking doesn’t work as a one-way street.

Overall, Matt Booth shared some great tips and advice on how to be an effective communicator. Please remember, the business roundtable committee is open to all chamber members and a great place to develop current relationships and make new contacts. Best of all, its included in your chamber membership so there is no additional charge! You might even learn something in the process.

Did you miss this business roundtable but want to join in next month? Not a problem, feel free to contact myself or Nicole at nthompson@siouxlandchamber.com and we’d be happy to put you on the list.

-Beth Trejo, Director of Investor Relations- Siouxland Chamber of Commerce