Bright Ideas Conference
The inaugural Bright Ideas Conference is an information-packed half-day event that will provide participants with a host of opportunities to increase their knowledge and grow their businesses. The conference features a keynote speaker with attendees also participating in two of the four workshops being offered.
WHEN: October 15, 2009 | 7:30 - 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Siena College Sarazen Student Union
COST: Chamber Members: $55 | Non-members: $75
Register Online
Keynote Speaker
How to Build a Word of Mouth Movement
Spike Jones | Brains on Fire
Build a profitable, meaningful movement to grow your business.
How? Spike Jones, from identity company Brains on Fire, will explain how word of mouth marketing works and how it doesn’t.
He’ll provide techniques on how your business can start to identify movement-building opportunities for your brand, with authenticity and clear measurement results in mind.
Jones will discuss the basics of WOM marketing; how WOM and buzz building strategies can work for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands; and why WOM can impact your business’ bottom line more so than other marketing techniques.
Read 6 Reasons I Love Brains on Fire by Fast Company.
Workshops 8:10 am
Attendees select one
Listening to Your Customers: Seven Steps to Help You be More Successful
Peter Coombs | FRONTLINE Training & Consulting
No one can afford to miss business opportunities these days. You need to be sharp and attentive with every customer. But listening can sometimes be a real challenge. It’s time to pay attention to how you are listening! Peter Coombs of FRONTLINE Training & Consulting will lead a highly interactive and engaging session. You will learn: how to use questions as a listening skill; how to listen for results; how to be active in the listening process; and the two biggest myths about listening.
Business Development in a Strained Economy
Bob Frare, CSP | Business Growth Expert
Nationally recognized business development expert Bob Frare, an author of three books on sales leadership, will show you practical concepts that you can implement immediately with your organization. In his upbeat, entertaining session you will learn how to lead a business development effort in a strained marketplace and understand the elements of a high performing sales organization and leadership strategies that are needed when sales are slow.
Workshops 9:20 am
Attendees select one
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes are High
Mike Cook | Vitalwork, Inc.
This workshop, specially designed for organizational leaders, will provide you with the tools to identify and hold the conversations that are crucial to resolving fiscal challenges. If you’re not achieving desired results, a crucial conversation may be the reason why. Gain insight on how to conduct a business discussion to increase your sales, improve the quality of your product or service and overcome the internal and external obstacles to financial strength.
Blending Multiple Generations in the Workplace
Bill Meeker | GE Infrastructure-Energy
Meeker, chief learning officer at GE Infrastructure-Energy, will lead a highly interactive workshop that will help you better understand the learning preferences of the many different generations in the workplace. Build stronger self awareness through an assessment and interactive exercise. Discuss and develop practical ideas for managing millennials and understand the work environments that attract and retain the newest generation to enter the workforce.