Chamber Accreditation: Is this the year? - Accreditation Self-Analysis Survey for Local Chambers of Commerce; Greater Green Bay Chamber Announces 2018 Golden Apple Award Recipients; New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Community Map; Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce Double Decker Spring Run 2018 Sponsorship Information; Marion Chamber: Applications accepted for 2018 Sister City Cultural Exchange Program, 01-26-18 to 3-01-18; Birmingham Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide; #BestChamber practices: From Jill Cutler, Executive Director, Mercer County Chamber: 2nd Annual Scholarship Shoppe; Legislators Provide Updates from 2018 Legislative Session; #BestChamber practices: Greater Reston Chamber: Financially Bulletproofing Your Business; Midland Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Annual Report and Annual Meeting; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories, Maps and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

Happy Friday #Chamber World! Have a GREAT weekend!

Chamber Accreditation: Is this the year?


Accreditation Self-Analysis Survey for Local Chambers of Commerce


Please use the following checklist to determine if you're ready to apply for accreditation.

Governance

1. Does the chamber have an article of incorporation or a charter?

2. Is the chamber's mission statement clear and feasible?

3. Bylaws:

o Do they regulate the main areas of chamber management;

o Are they considered to be adequate for the laws of the state to the protection of both the chamber and its members; and

o Have they been shared with the board?

4. Organizational Structure: Is it clear and appropriate to the chamber's size and goals? Has the chamber developed an organization chart depicting flow of information and hierarchy?

5. Are there appropriate term limits and job descriptions in place for the board of directors?

6. Are board meetings held on a regular basis and are minutes kept on file?

7. Does a review process exist to evaluate the performance of officers and directors?

8. Are the proper committees in place for the chamber to meet goals?

Finance

1. Does the chamber meet generally accepted accounting practices? (GAAP)

2. Are the chamber's financial policies and procedures documented in a manual?

3. Is an annual operational budget in place (including costs for all programs, management and fundraising) and is it approved by the board?

4. Does the board of directors review and approve all financial statements?

5. Does the chamber maintain current financial statements?

6. Does the chamber maintain liability insurance or director and officer insurance?

7. Does the chamber meet the Accreditation standards for conducting an audit?

o Chambers with revenue below $500,000 must:

§ Conduct an annual review by a certified financial firm

§ Conduct an audit every three years

o Chambers with revenue of more than $500,000 must:

§ Conduct an annual review by a certified financial firm

§ Conduct an audit every other year

8. Does the chamber meet IRS and state filing requirements?

9. Does the chamber withhold and report taxes from employee paychecks to the IRS and state and local government?

Human Resources and Staff

1. Are there distinct roles and job descriptions set up for staff?

2. Does staff understand the chamber's mission and program of action?

3. Are personnel policies in place and current?

4. Does the chamber meet federal and state regulations regarding employees?

Government Affairs

1. Does the chamber have a systematic procedure in place to identify government affairs issues critical to the business community?

2. Does the chamber create a legislative agenda and share it with the membership?

3. Does the chamber communicate its positions on priority issues with elected officials?

4. Does the chamber actively share state/U.S. Chamber information with its members?

5. Has the chamber established a grassroots network?

Program Development

1. Does the chamber understand issues and needs important to all segments of the membership?

2. Does the chamber collect member feedback at least annually?

3. Does the chamber provide an annual report to its members?

4. Has the chamber developed a strategic plan or business plan for the current year?

5. Does the chamber understand the impending factors that will affect the chamber?

Technology

1. Does the chamber have functioning telephone, computer, and mailing systems?

2. Does the chamber keep its computer systems current and secure?

3. Does the chamber use anti-virus software?

4. Does the chamber have a membership database that can track membership information, dues, participation?

5. Does the chamber back up data regularly?

6. Has the chamber developed a data protection and privacy policy?

7. Does the chamber have a Web site that is updated regularly?

8. Is the chamber's Web site registered on Web site search engines?

Communications

1. Has the chamber developed a written communications and marketing plan with clear annual goals?

2. Does the chamber use diverse forms of media to promote the chamber?

3. Does the chamber contact members at least monthly?

4. Does the chamber's Web site communicate general information about the chamber?

5. Can the chamber communicate with members using mass-distribution e-mails?

6. Does the chamber comply with federal CAN-SPAM requirements?

7. Does the chamber issue press releases to local and regional media outlets?

Facilities

1. Does the chamber's facility project an appropriate business image, and is the facility accessible by the public?

2. Does the chambers facility support the chamber’s communications and technology capabilities?

3. Is the workplace kept neat, clean and free of potential safety hazards

4. Is the workplace inspected annually by a safety professional?

5. Does the chamber facility meet accepted OSHA regulations?

6. Is a crisis plan in place?

7. Are employees trained or educated about the crisis plan?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you are not ready to apply for accreditation.

Source: U.S. Chamber


Greater Green Bay Chamber Announces 2018 Golden Apple Award Recipients

Please see attached this year’s Golden Apple Awards recipients.

Each year, the Golden Apple Awards program improves community awareness of the quality of education in the Greater Green Bay area by recognizing high standards of professionalism, leadership and innovation in teaching with the Golden Apple Awards. Seven recipients (individuals and/or teams) are selected annually through a multi-level screening of anonymous applications and personal interviews. Selection criteria are based on the National Board of Professional Teaching standards, which identify the essential knowledge, skills and dispositions expected of experienced, quality teachers.

This year’s stats:

• Nearly 5,000 teachers were eligible for nomination
• 1,695 teachers were nominated
• 135 schools were eligible to have their teachers nominated

Here is a link to the surprise visits video https://youtu.be/tQ73Xj3Ocb4

New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Community Map 

New Castle-Henry County Chamber map

The New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Map is available at the New Castle-Henry County Chamber today! Thanks to Missy Modesitt, Mary Campbell and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Town SquarePublications  (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community guide or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633. 

Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce Double Decker Spring Run 2018 Sponsorship Information

Plans are underway for the 23rd Annual Double Decker Spring Run, sponsored by the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce.  This year's 10K Run, 5K Run, and Kids Fun Run are scheduled for April 28th, and we want you to be involved!  

The Double Decker Spring Run is proud to partner with Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi as our title sponsor for the 23rd year in a row!  Our race has grown to nearly 1,600 racers last year who came to Oxford from all around the region, and we expect that number to continue to climb this year.   

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is excited to once again partner with Start2Finish to bring you this year's race.   Start2Finish is the premier health-oriented event management company in the Mid-South. S2F takes pride in producing events that allow Mid-South residents and area visitors the opportunity to challenge themselves, achieve goals and most importantly have fun!  With their assistance, and our ready team of volunteers, this year's Double Decker Spring Run is sure to be fun for the whole family. For more information on the race or to register go to www.doubledeckerspringrun.com now! 

If you are interested in getting involved on any of the following levels, please contact Pam Swain by March 15th at pam@oxfordms.com  However, please note the earlier your sponsorship is confirmed, the sooner your benefits and promotion will begin.  So to get the most out of your sponsorship dollars - commit early! :) 



Marion Chamber: Applications accepted for 2018 Sister City Cultural Exchange Program, 01-26-18 to 3-01-18

The City of Marion in partnership with the Marion Chamber of Commerce will be selecting adults and students to participate in a weeklong trip to Kanie, Japan, August 2 - 7. The estimated cost of the trip will be approximately $2,000 for airfare plus spending money for students and $2,500 for airfare, hotel and spending money for adults. Application deadline is March 1, 2018. Should you need additional time for getting your application submitted, please contact Jared Garrison at (618) 993-2657 or  Jared@ThePavilionEvents.com . Application should include a $250 deposit toward travel expenses. Your deposit of $250 is tax exempt and is non-refundable. Please make checks payable to the Marion Chamber of Commerce Foundation. An informational meeting is set for March 5 at 5:30 p.m. at The Pavilion. Please RSVP through The Pavilion. 

Birmingham Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide 

The Birmingham-Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide is available at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Joe Bauman and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together! 


Birmingham-Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide

Town Square Publications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.

#BestChamber practices: From Jill Cutler, Executive Director, Mercer County Chamber: 2nd Annual Scholarship Shoppe

Good day,John!  We have had a special event with our chamber we are hoping to see replicated.  We just had our 2^nd Scholarship Shoppe.  This is an event for seniors in high school in our area to come and “shop” their money for college, job skill or even to start a business.  We had 140 students this year which included 3 local high schools and homeschoolers and some from other high schools who came on their own.  We hold this with 2 other sponsors: Mercer Extension Office (our location) and the Mercer Co. Community Endowment.  I had had trouble getting good advertising for the Endowment as most folks are unfamiliar with such entities, so by making them a sponsor (they work it and provide lunch for all the presenters) we see a good understanding being developed.  We had 20 presenters which included 3 colleges that are within 40 miles.

More information: Jill Cutler - Mercer Chamber of Commerce <info@mercerchamber.com>

859-734-2365 - www.mercerchamber.com





Legislators Provide Updates from 2018 Legislative Session

(Hamilton County, IN)  The Hamilton County Legislative Breakfast, scheduled for Friday, February 16 at Conner Prairie, welcomes a panel of local legislators to provide updates on the session and respond to questions from attendees.

What:               Legislative Breakfast
Topic:              Session Updates from Local Legislators 
Date:                Friday, February 16, 2018
Time:               7:30 to 9 a.m.
Location:          Conner Prairie – 13400 Allisonville Road – Fishers
Cost:                $20 for members of any Hamilton County chamber; $30 for non-members

Reservations:   Required by noon on Wednesday, February 14 and can be made online at www.onezonecommerce.com or by calling 317.436.4653.

The Legislative Breakfast Series is presented by the Hamilton County Business Issues Committee and includes representation from the four chambers of commerce in Hamilton County. Breakfast events will also be held with local legislators on March 9, with a session wrap-up on April 13.   

Contact: Lisa Wirthwein
317.436.4653lisa@onezonecommerce.com

#BestChamber practices: Greater Reston Chamber: Financially Bulletproofing Your Business

Financially Bulletproofing Your Business
Wednesday, March 14
8:30 - 10:00 am

Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce

No Business Owner should feel like they are in a fight for the life of their business! Join the Reston Chamber's Business Education Series for a 55 minute session that will address:
Creating Scaleable Cash Flow,
P&L/Balance Sheets that Banks want,
Strategies for Retirement Planning and,
Most importantly... 2018 TAX Changes!

Our Panel of experts will not only share best practices but also answer the questions that most Business Owners have been waiting to ask! Learn More or Register

Midland Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Annual Report and Annual Meeting




Last night, the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its 79th Annual Meeting. Here is what you missed if you didn't attend!

Awards & Recognition 

Business Award Winners

Entrepreneur of the Year
Midland Burger Company

Business of the Year - Small Business
Ieuter Insurance Group

Business of the Year - Large Business
Northwood University

Heritage Award
LaLonde’s Market

Other Honorees

ATHENA® Award
Sharon Mortensen

J. Kermit Campbell Partnership Award
William Gagliardi

Chairman’s Award
Thomas Matonican

Ambassador of the Year
Roger Thornton

2017 Leader of the Year
Wendy D. Kanar

30-Year Members
· Huntington Bank
· The Handlon Eastman Law Firm
· NBS Commercial Interiors
· D & D Asphalt Specialists
· WCMU Public Media
· Rider Type & Design
· Midland Cogeneration Venture
· Mackinac Center for Public Policy



Thank you for making 2017 a successful year!
We look forward to a great 2018.

Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories, Maps and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.

Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications

Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your chamber publication or map proposal, contact Town Square Chamber Proposal

Northern Virginia Chamber Announces Partnership with Fort Belvoir Wounded Warrior Golf Program; The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Schaumburg Business Association proudly present the 2016 Cybersecurity Conference on Tuesday, July 12 at the Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, IL.; Chamber dialogue: Future Wisconsin Project; Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan City Area Chamber of Commerce and Purdue University Northwest will host the Spring Economic Briefing; Welcome Home! Southaven Chamber to move from City Hall; Michigan Chamber Foundation Awards Lansing Area High School Students $5,000 In Startup Funding; Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory; Chamber news: Campbellsville University - Harrodsburg Education Center receives major property gift for permanent location; Importance of Motivation – Four Proven Principles to Motivate Your Team; Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-Location Guides and Custom Maps

Happy Monday, Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT week!

Northern Virginia Chamber Announces Partnership with Fort Belvoir Wounded Warrior Golf Program

Northern Virginia Chamber will donate a portion of proceeds from Annual Golf Tournament to WWGP

Jim Corcoran, Northern Virginia Chamber

Tysons, Va. – The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber), formerly the Fairfax Chamber, has announced a partnership with Fort Belvoir Wounded Warrior Golf Program (WWGP). Started by Steve Greiner, PGA, in 2008, WWGP assists in the physical and mental rehabilitation of service personnel severely wounded, or injured while on active duty.
The Northern Virginia Chamber’s partnership with WWGP will enable one wounded service member to play with each foursome at the Annual NOVABizLinks Golf Tournament. Additionally, a portion of all proceeds raised by this Tournament will benefit this tremendous organization.
“We are thrilled to welcome Fort Belvoir Wounded Warrior Golf Program to this year’s Golf Tournament,” said Jim Corcoran, Northern Virginia Chamber President and CEO. “We are proud to honor these American heroes through this partnership.”
“The golf community should be proud of the amazing rehabilitative benefits golf provides to its wounded, ill, and injured service members,” said Steve Greiner, PGA. “The Fort Belvoir Wounded Warrior Golf Program has helped over 1,000 people since its inception in 2008. This tournament will help us continue the important work of family healing well into the future.”
This year’s NOVABizLinks Golf Tournament will be held on the afternoon of May 24, 2016 at the Fort Belvoir Golf Club. participants include more than 100 C-level executives from Northern Virginia’s most prestigious businesses, innovative start-ups and largest headquarters hubs.

To learn more about the NOVABizLinks Annual Golf Tournament, please visit the website. 



The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Schaumburg Business Association proudly present the 2016 Cybersecurity Conference on Tuesday, July 12 at the Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, IL.

This conference was designed with both small and large businesses in mind.  The event will bring together top experts from government, law enforcement and the private sector to help businesses navigate the cybersecurity framework released by the White House.  Get best practices, tips and tools for strengthening a cybersecurity program and more. We are currently finalizing the speakers and agenda.  Mark your calendar to attend this very important conference. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to contact us.

Agenda & More Information

More information: Laurie Silvey
U.S. Chamber of Commerce - Illinois Chamber of Commerce - Schaumburg Business Association
217-522-5512 ext. 223  --- lsilvey@ilchamber.org


Chamber dialogue: Future Wisconsin Project

What will Wisconsin look like in 20 years? What will our workforce look like? What sort of businesses will thrive in our economy? How will our tech colleges and universities stack up to those in other states? What sort of jobs will be available? Will we be able to grow our economy if we can’t find the labor to fill the jobs?

WMC, in partnership with the following partners, is embarking on a process to help us identify, answer and be prepared for the outcome of questions like that.

• University of Wisconsin System
• Wisconsin Technical College System
• Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
• Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

The six Competitive Quality Indicators to focus on include:

• Talent Development, Attraction and Retention
• Business Competitiveness
• Global Engagement
• Government Effectiveness
• Life Quality
• Entrepreneurial Spirit

The Future Wisconsin Project set four goals for 2015.

1. Support the state’s Academic and Career Plans through the Future Wisconsin Communities
2. Develop better labor market data to support career planning and counseling
3. Establish a set of benchmarks for the state
4. Evaluate the feasibility of branding Wisconsin. Read more: WMC

Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan City Area Chamber of Commerce and Purdue University Northwest will host the Spring Economic Briefing

The Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan City Area Chamber of Commerce and Purdue University Northwest will host the Spring Economic Briefing on Tuesday, April 12. The event will take place at PNW North Central campus in the LSF Building, Room 144. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. with breakfast and the program at 7:30 a.m. This program will feature the current and future economic outlook for La Porte County presented by Anthony Sindone, Director of CEDaR and Continuing Lecturer. A question and answer period will follow with a lively discussion of the morning's topics and more. The cost is $20 for Chamber members. Continental breakfast and refreshments included. Registration is encouraged and can be done by visiting www.lpchamber.com, by calling the La Porte Chamber office at 219.362.3178, or by clicking the link below. Welcome Home! Southaven Chamber to move from City Hall After years of holding a “corner office” inside the City Hall Municipal Building, the organization representing the business community in the third-largest city in Mississippi can finally say, “Welcome home!” Southaven Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Carmen Kyle announced Thursday morning the non-profit organization promoting business in the city has purchased the old Trustmark Bank building at 500 Stateline Road West, just east of I-55. Plans are to vacate its current spot inside City Hall and move into the new location by the end of May. “I think it gives our members a place to be proud of and to use because it’s going to be part of a business center,” Kyle said about the new location. “It will be an iconic place and says that, ‘We’re open for business.’” A business center area that members will be able to use for business-related activities is part of the plans for the new building, in addition to offices, a conference room and patio at a facility that is about 3,600 square feet in size. Jim Brown of Brown Properties of Southaven represented the Chamber in the transaction and Arthur Malkin of Malkin Management & Investment Company represented the seller. F&F Construction will handle the renovation work. Purchase price was listed as $357,000, Kyle said. Cash reserves the Chamber had saved over time is the source of the funding for the purchase.  Read more: De Soto Times Michigan Chamber Foundation Awards Lansing Area High School Students $5,000 In Startup Funding Twelve Lansing, Michigan area high school students were awarded $5,000 to launch their businesses this spring and summer after pitching their startup ideas to Michigan business leaders at an event hosted last week by the Michigan Chamber Foundation. Local businesses who participated in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Investor Panel included DBI Office Interiors, Granger, and Dean Transportation. “The students really impressed the judges,” said Anita Lindsay, YEA! Program Manager. “Each student came prepared with their business plans, financial projections—even samples and prototypes—to earn their startup funds.” Representing 10 new Lansing-area businesses, the students, aged 14-18 years old, had six minutes to pitch their plans for a share of the $5,000. Based on the appeal and merit of their presentations, judges allocated funds. Forrest Gillespie, an East Lansing High School junior, won the top prize – and $875 in startup funds – for his new cottage candle maker business, Flames by Forest. Judges chose Gillespie’s business to advance to the Young Entrepreneurs Academy Saunders Scholars National College Scholarship competition, where students will compete for hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarships, a fast-track application pass to apply to be on ABC’s Shark Tank, and an all-expenses paid trip to attend America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, DC, courtesy of the US Chamber of Commerce. read more: Michigan Chamber

Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory

The Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory is available at the Rapid City Chamber today! Thanks to Linda Rabe, Kristina Simmons and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Town SquarePublications  (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.

Chamber news: Campbellsville University - Harrodsburg Education Center receives major property gift for permanent location

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -- President Michael V. Carter has announced receiving the largest regional development gift ever at Campbellsville University.

Harrodsburg attorney Michael Conover donated a prominent office building located at 1150 Danville Road, Harrodsburg, Ky., for the new CU Harrodsburg Education Center location.

            “The rapid movement from our alumni meeting to having a location within two weeks shows the seriousness of the people of Harrodsburg in making Christian higher education available immediately,” Carter said. “The Board of Trustees is equally serious, and the university process for creating the new center is underway.”

Mercer County community-minded churches, in partnership with Campbellsville University’s Church Outreach, first addressed the need for a permanent higher education center.

Community leaders in Harrodsburg suggested an alumni and friends meeting to present the idea to Harrodsburg supporters for the new center.  The Mercer County Chamber of Commerce hosted the event that brought together more than 120 interested people.

Dr. G. Ted Taylor, associate vice president for development and church outreach, and Wes Carter, assistant director of church outreach, are working directly with the community in formulating plans to raise scholarship funds for local students. The Harrodsburg City Commission voiced its support for the center and the effort to raise a $3 million endowment for students at its February meeting. A fundraising campaign is underway to support the building renovations necessary for classes slated to begin in fall 2016.
            “It was people in the local churches who first brought this vision to us,” said Taylor. “They knew of our Christian higher education mission and suggested that Harrodsburg could be a place for that mission.”

            The new center is cited as a 10,000 square-foot-facility situated on a five-acre track of land at the southern city limits of Harrodsburg along US 127 at the junction of the US 127 Bypass. The collegiate-looking structure will be housing administrative offices, degree-based academic programs and certificate programs. 

“We have been listening closely to the residents of the region,” said Wes Carter, the university liaison for the project. “Surveys for high school students, community members as well as business and industry are being circulated. Meetings are being held with focus groups. We cannot thank the Mercer County Chamber of Commerce enough for their leadership in this project.” 

The Chamber of Commerce surveyed the community and sponsored the community meeting which moved the project forward. 

“We have had several community leaders who have been seeking a greater presence of higher education opportunities in Mercer County,” Jill Cutler, executive director for the Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, said.  Source: MCCC

Importance of Motivation – Four Proven Principles to Motivate Your Team

A teacher once said that what counts most in life are the lessons learned by heart. The challenge lies on the importance of motivation to encourage students to ‘learn’ from the trivial and sometimes disconnected facts found in books.

These principles and proven strategies are very effective not just in motivating students, but your sales force, as well.

1. Link Learning to Life.

The importance of motivation is emphasized by relating a lesson to a real life situation. When such an approach is used, you may find that the majority of participants will have more than the average retention rate in conveying the important concepts of the meeting. By aligning lessons with true-to-life events, you can achieve success in helping your salespeople appreciate shared principles and strategies better than by simply flooding them with antiquated facts.

2. Exercise Positive Reinforcement.

To motivate participation, rewards and recognitions should be handed out to those who actively participate, or those who volunteer to share their best practices. On the other hand, always make sure that the less active get their share, as well, especially if there are significant improvements on their own. You’ll find your sales force more attentive and competitive, not to mention better performing. The importance of motivation is accentuated by using positive reinforcement to get positive results.

3. Engage Your Staff in Discussions.

Make it a point to give everyone in the meeting a chance to join major and minor discussions. Everyone will feel a sense of purpose; therefore, motivating them to do better in both in the field and in the conference room because they felt that they belong, that they were part of something great. The importance of motivation is displayed by getting your staff involved in every opportunity possible to boost confidence.

4. Practice Interactive Activities.

Holding an active discussion – a debate, even – often proves essential to motivate participants. They exchange intelligent ideas that are unusual in common day-to-day discussions. They become active participants in charge of their own growth. They exert their best efforts to express themselves, taking what they absorb to a much higher level.

The importance of motivation allows deeper understanding and realization of the lessons acquired in school, in the conference room, in the field, and in life, in general. Here, it is reflected that motivation is the springboard of learning. Read more: ProfessionBiz

Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-Location Guides and Custom Maps 

Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.

Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications

Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your publication proposal, Click here