Thank you Prescott BNI Chapter

I wanted to share a great experience I had today with the Prescott Chapter of Business Network International.

I was dropping my son off to Embry Riddle University and called Lee Abrahams, the Director of BNI Southwest to ask if I could visit. I found his information at the BNI website.  He agreed and I joined them at the Prescott Community Center this morning. The meeting was like all other BNI meetings. Full of fun business people looking to help each other grow their businesses. Everyone was helpful in making me feed welcome and I enjoyed about their businesses and sharing some of my many stories from my past 13 years of BNI.

The chapter President in Lee Abrahams and the region’s web site is BNI Southwest. He is a Realtor for Realty Executives Northern Arizona in Prescott.  I was also able to spend time with Rebecca Finken who is a travel Consultant with World Ventures, Penny Pennington of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Laurel Frisby of Usana Health Services, Paris Otremba of Empress Custom Cleaning, a new member who is really taking off, Lawrence Zablocki of Xpedition Communications, he has offices in the US and Russia, Hector Moya of Clean-n-Brite Carpet and Upholstery, David Fickas of Avitar Video Productions, Jim Bacon of Pillar to Post Home Inspections, Andrea Norris of Zion Window Cleaning, Dale McDonald, the Prescott Handyman, Kathleen Wells of Foghara Advertising, Jay Lene Cornell of The Daily Courier, Michael Long of Elemental Building and Design, Amy Bently, CPA of Holdsworth and Larson, CPA,  Jody Miller of The PC MD, Elise Erro of Soma Exquisite Chocolate Truffles, Judith Joyce of Journey Beyond Belief, who gav her 10 minute presentation, and Michael Lesnick of AIM Mail Centers who was kind enough to drive me to the school to help my son. I know I missed a couple of you and I am sorry.

I had a wonderful meeting and am looking forward to referring all of you business. Thank for a memorable experience. Make sure to share your stories with me so I can post them here with our chapter’s successes.

Marketing with Free Gas? It works!

Imagine How Many New Prospects You Could Attract By Offering FREE GAS Certificates…

With the price of gas at all time highs and little relief in sight the economics of the situation is
pinching the budgets of both businesses and consumers. Now your business can be a hero and
offer your customers and prospects an opportunity to enjoy from $100 to $500 in free gas as a
value added premium when the sample your business or decide to become your preferred customer.

Visit this website to learn more, then register for a free tele-conference call on Thursday,
August 7th at 12noon Eastern time to get all the details as to how this program can work for you
and have all your questions answered:

www.WeismanSuccessResources.com/freegasprogram

Choosing a Health Insurance Advisor? Choose Breen!

Jeff Breen founded Breen Consulting in 2004. Breen Consulting provides consulting services for small and medium size businesses to help them save money and provide comprehensive employee health benefits for their employees.

Today’s insurance landscape is dramatically shifting and double-digit premium increases are forecast in the industries future. This type of uncertainty makes it increasingly difficult for small businesses to provide health insurance benefits to their employees. In addition, this makes it difficult for small businesses to compete with larger corporations for talented employees.

The key element offered by Breen Consulting is that they spend time getting to know your business and the make up of your employees. By digging a little deeper they can make recommendations for coverage that can help a small business save premium dollars. Additionally, the team at Breen Consulting remains in touch with the small business owner to make sure that changes in insurance coverage and the company does not create problems down the road. By remaining in touch and organized Breen Consulting can save your company many premium dollars.

To find out more about Breen Consulting and how they can enhance your benefit offerings, while saving you money, please contact Jeff Breen via email at JBreen@BreenCG.com.

Pencak & Company our featured business this week

Our featured business of the week is Pencak and Company of Port Jervis New York. The company is owned by Richard Pencak a licensed United States Customs Hosue Broker. As a Custom House Broker, Richard provides logistics services for the import and export of goods to and from the United States.

Pencak and Company is located at 30 Sussex Street in Port Jervis. From their location they are able to arrange for the import and export of goods to and from the United States. Additionally they offer tracking services to ensure you know where your shipment is at anytime. Their unique selling proposition is that you speak with a person who provides you with this information. They provide a tracking report to their clients, and will answer the phone when you have questions about the status of the shipment.

Richard has authored two books on the subject of importing and exporting goods. The second book, published in 1999, “Pencak’s Complete Yet Concise Guide to Importing Purchases into the USA” is sold out. It can be purchased on e-Bay and Amazon. His next book “Pencak’s Guide to Importing” is being completed and will be published in the coming months. It will provide new features and updates to information provided in the previous book.

An ideal client for Pencak and Company is a manufacturer or distributor looking to ship or receive large amounts of goods internationally. Richard Pencak has developed many relationships throughout his career to facilitate the transport of your good.

For more information on shipping and Pencak and Company, please go to Import Book online.

If you are tired of color….Go Grey..Printing that is.

Grey Printing is located at 37 Chestnut Street in Cold Spring New York and provides high quality printing and marketing services to their clients. I have known Grey for over 6 years and he has provided excellent advice for the many marketing plans I use. I interviewed Grey to share his expertise with you.

John Klassen: “What’s new at Grey Printing?”

Grey Zeien: “We just installed the latest high-speed full color Konica Minolta digital press in our newly expanded Cold Spring facility.”

John: “How does this help you help your customers?”

Grey: “This makes it possible to offer 24 hour turn-around to our customers over 80% of the time. In our increasingly fast-paced world, people need everything faster and printing is no exception. We often fill orders for people going to meetings the same day and they need business cards or promotional materials. In the old days, you’d have to wait 3 to 5 days. Now, with this addition to our digital line-up, we’re able to service more people, more quickly, with offset quality results. Isn’t science wonderful?”

John: “Do the additional requirements for speed make life more stressful?”

Grey: “It can. We have a great team of people who work hard and enjoy getting the orders out on time.”

John: “What else do we need to know about your business?”

Grey: “Grey Printing is a full service print provider. We print everything from business cards to brochures, stationery to catalogs, invitations and labels as well as large format posters and signs. Our specialty is high-end color postcards and direct mail marketing fulfillment. With the addition of the new digital color press, this small, service-oriented, privately owned printer is more than price competitive with, and offers quicker service than on-line printers in this very competitive color postcard market.”

John: “How important is color?”

Grey: “Affordable color printing is where it’s at these days. When a color card comes to you in the mail, you look at it. Postcards require no opening and they mail for less, so they are a really efficient way to market goods and services.”

John: “So the color is an important part of the marketing?”

Grey: “If you receive an envelope with attractive full color graphics and offers printed on it, you’re much more likely to see it and react to it than you would with a one color piece. Many people don’t realize that the envelope itself is a great marketing piece. You can print on a large portion of the envelope without interfering with postal regulations. Hence you have a mini billboard arriving in the mail, enticing the receiver to open it and find out more about you and your company.

John: What other benefits are available as a result of your technology improvements?”

Grey: “With new advances in digital color, the customer pays about the same for full color as he’s used to paying for two color printing.”

If you need your materials designed, the graphics professionals at Grey Printing can work with you. Zeien himself is a veteran of over 25 years in the advertising business. Together with you, the company can help your company realize your marketing goals efficiently and affordably. You can contact Grey for ideas and marketing help. He can also show you how to achieve your marketing goals. Contact Grey at info@greyprinting.com or call his office at 845-265-4510

Like their slogan says: “Courteous, Professional Service, from Concept through Finished Printed Product”.

“Grey Printing has provided excellent service for our company and our customers for many years.”
                                                                 Marshall Mermell,
                                                                 President, Marketing Works Now

Tips to Protect Your Identity

With identity theft and other white-collar crimes gaining attention, many companies are offering a wide variety of products to help with Fraud and Theft Protection. These are valuable services and depending on the level of protection and guarantees involved, they could be come expensive.

It is important to protect your good name. It can save you thousands of dollars in fees and fraudulent charges. There are some ways to protect your self and your business from these crimes.

Here are some ways to protect your identity:

1. Safeguard your Social Security Number. Know your number, but don’t carry your card with you.
2. Be careful with information over the phone. Phishing scams often use the telephone posing as your bank to get vital information. If you bank is calling, they should have it. This also occurs via email. When in doubt, ask for a number and call them back. Clever schemes will clone a number similar to your banks number to fool caller id.
3. Shred Private Information: Watch out what you throw away. Make sure you shred bank statements or anything that may contain valuable information. If you are looking to protect your business, shredding services are available in most areas.
4. Protect your Mail: Pick up mail promptly. If you are going to be away, have it held at the post office.
5. Reconcile bank accounts and audit credit card bills. This is a first line of defense in detecting problems. If you have a bookkeeper, audit their work as well.
6. Check your credit report. Periodically run your credit to make sure you don’t have accounts that you are unaware of.
7.  End Free Credit Offers. Junk mail left in your mailbox or thrown out can be used by thieves to steal your identity. You may opt out of these offers by calling 888-567-8688. This will allow you to remove your name from credit bureau marketing lists.
8. Ask questions. If someone is asking you questions that don’t seem pertinent to the transaction, stoop and ask why they need this information and how they will use it. Also ask about the privacy policy and how to opt out if necessary.
9. Protect your passwords. Use passwords that are unique and not easily guessed. Don’t leave t hem on a post-it note on the computer screen. Don’t share them with co-workers either. This will protect you from harm and them from false accusation.

 There are many other ways to protect your identity and other valuable information. Many times your bank will have a program that will help you protect your accounts and other information. Email me at JKlassen@mtb.com for more information about this important subject or programs offered by M&T Bank. Additional information can be found on line at http://www.ftc.gov. You can also download their brochure by clicking here.

Having a Good Time at the Dentist

I recently had an excellent experience, at the Dentist. I switched from a small practice near my home to Windsor Dental near my office. Windsor Dental is a client, so I thought I should become their client.

My experience was excellent. The flow of the office moved very smoothly, prior to my appointment I received the medical questionnaire so that I could complete it more accurately and save time on my arrival. I also received a phone call the day before reminding me of the appointment time and requiring that I call to confirm. I liked this very much. I am used to waiting in an office being ignored and seen late. Not here. I was in the chair at 12:15pm being examined, the exact time of the appointment. The hygienist was friendly, helpful and thorough. When she was finished I was examined by Dr. Stern and got a quick tour of the office. It is not often that people report great trips to the dentist.

This had me thinking that there must be some kind of consulting group or place where medical practices could share tips to help the flow of their practice. There must be relatively simple things that can be done. After a little research I found and on-line magazine “Medical Economics“. On this site Medical Practice Managers, Doctors and consults can research ideas and seek help. This week and article was written by Tammy Worth called “Improve Scheduling to Eliminate Patient Backups“. The article discusses many of the problems facing medical practices and how to streamline operations and staff to meet the challenges of the patient load.

In the article she discusses making a plan by mapping the flow of the office. Determine what takes the most time and how to best improve the flow in each step. The Doctor or Medical Practice Manager should walk through each step and record the amount of time it takes. This will take a different amount of time depending on the number of patients on different days.

Staffing properly is also important. They mentioned that many times back-ups start at the beginning of the day because the staff arrives with the first patients to open the door. This means your 9:00am appointment is seen late automatically. The article mentions have some staff arrive 30 minutes early and leave 30 minutes early and have another part of the staff arrive 30 minutes later and leave 30 minutes later. This ensures the office is ready to go when the first patient arrives.
 
Another good idea is the one I mentioned earlier in my experience with Windsor Dental, send out preliminary paper work early so the patient doesn’t have to fill it out in front of you. If you are able to email this to the patient you can reduce your paper costs as you have transferred the printing to the client.

In all I thought the article had excellent ideas. Please let me know if you liked it, I have included the links to the article in the text. If there is siome way that I can assist you, please let me know.

M & R Energy Resources…Our Business of the Week

M & R Energy Resources Inc. is my “Business Banking Blog” Business of the Week. M & R Energy Resources is a fully licensed ESCO (Energy Services Company) approved in 2002 by the New York State Public Service Commission. They serve residential commercial and industrial clients within the Con Edison Company of New York, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Public Service Electric and Gas and Central Hudson Electric and Gas operating areas. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council certified M & R Energy Resources in 2005 as a Women/Minority Owned company. They are headquartered in Cornwall, New York

Consumers no longer have to purchase electricity and natural gas from the local utility company. New York State Utilities provide their consumers the freedom to choose to purchase their natural gas and electricity from an approved Energy Services Company (ESCO). This freedom of choice can save you a significant amount of money.

There are two parts to your natural gas and electric bills. These parts are supply and delivery. Consumers have a choice to shop for the supply. The local utility will provide the delivery.

Electric supply represents about 50% of your electric bill. This is where M&R Energy competes. If you receive a $100 bill from the electric company, $50 is for the supply the rest is for the delivery of the electricity.

Gas Supply represents 75% of your natural gas bill. This is where M&R Energy can help. The rest of the bill is for the delivery of the gas.

To help you manage the electric and gas supply portions of you bills, M&R Energy offers two pricing options to meet your purchasing requirements.

The Fixed Price Option allows you the choice to purchase your electric or gas at a fixed price for an agreed term. The supply cost from the electric company changes monthly. By purchasing sing a fixed rate option you are choosing a fixed rate for electric or gas over a period of time. This period can be for as little as three months or for up to 2 years. This option will protect you from a rate increase and assist you in setting a budget for your energy cost.

The Guaranteed Monthly Savings Option allows you to purchase your electric or gas at a guaranteed savings rate off the utility company’s supply charge. It is a variable rate that will change monthly, but your rate will not be higher than the utility company’s rate.

To find out more about these programs and how M&R Energy Resources, Inc can help you save on your fuel bill you can call them at 866-610-SAVE or visit them on-line through this link, http://www.mandrenergy.com

The Fastest, Least Expensive and Most Effective Marketing Strategy Few Small Business Owners Know, Understand and Use

Imagine a marketing strategy that would allow small businesses to automatically increase the
prospects introduced to their business exponentially. Imagine what such a strategy could do
to your revenues and profits.

There is such a strategy that is around us everywhere but few small business owners make the
connection to their own business.

Every time a new, hot Hollywood movie is released from a major production house the marketing
efforts involves a joint venture with other products, services and companies which target a
similar demographic. For example, Disney movies always join forces with fast food restaurants to
offer food, drink and toys related to the movie’s theme and characters. This approach drives ticket sales for the movie while driving traffic from families into the restaurant.

In my previous career in professional baseball our sponsorship program always included at least a three-way joint venture between our ballclub, a paid corporate sponsor and a media outlet. Each of the three of us brought something to the alliance of value to the other. The ballclub brought the venue with a guaranteed captive audience attractive to the paid corporate sponsor and the media outlet. the media outlet brought promotional exposure and branding opportunities to the ballclub and the corporate sponsor. The corporate sponsor provided value by subsidizing premium items given out to fans that attended the game and guaranteed ticket sales for that game to their employees, customers and prospects. It was truly a win-win-win situation.

What about your business? What other businesses target the same market with a non-competitive, complimentary product? Make a list of prospective businesses with the value they could bring to the alliance. Then write down the value you can offer and look for ways to leverage your efforts with another company to inexpensively explode both of your company’s marketing efforts.

This is just one strategy that Champion Businesses use to achieve success. Skip Weisman and Weisman Success Resources, Inc. works with small-to-medium sized businesses to improve the Personnel, Productivity and Profits to create Champion Businesses With Champion Work Environments.
For more Champion Business Strategies and assessments visit, www.WeismanSuccessResources.com

Small Business Assistance from the Small Business Administration

Many business owners are aware of the US Small Business Administration and many have taken advantage of their loan programs to start or expand their businesses. Most business owners and many lenders are unaware that there is additional assistance offered in the form of online courses through the SBA.

Recently the SBA has added two new courses to their menu of over 26 online courses. The new courses are Finance Primer: Guide to SBA’s Loan Guaranty Programs and How to Prepare a Loan Package. Finance Primer provides an overview of the different financial resources and programs avaialble to business owners. It is not limited to just those provided by the SBA.  You can follow this link to the course,  http://app1.SBA.gov/sbtn/registration/index.cfm?CourseId=29. The course will help you avoid common mistakes that business owners make such as not obtaining enough financing or applying for the wrong type of financing.

How to Prepare a Loan Package walks the business owner through the loan process including how to prepare a loan package and what lenders look for when they review a loan package. It also provides links for related information and provides referrals for assistance in the preparation of a loan package, This course can be found at http://app1.sba.gov/sbtn/registration/index.cfm?CourseId=28

For more information on these and other course offerings you can go to the SBA’s online campus at the Small Business Training Network at http://www.sba.gov/training .