MEETING MINUTES
Friday, November 21, 2008
Volume 15; Issue 41

Speaker Update
November 28th - Thanksgiving Break *No Meeting*
December 5th - Phyllis Prater
December 12th - Greg Stewart
December 19th - TBA

Treasurer Report
The next quarterly dues billing will be e-mailed on 12/1.  T Please contact Melissa Matthews if you do not receive your e-invoice.

Leads
28-23, 23-28, 56-15, 22-21, 15-56, 46-04.

Other Items
Average attendance at MABE over the last 6 weeks...31.  That's pretty good.  That may be partially a function of people coming prepared to speak and the fact that the content of our meetings have been good.   

Main Topic - Open Discussion on Marketing
Chris Curran - We got a lot of positive feedback about last week's meeting.  Today we will spend some time having a group discussion about what we heard and if it has stimulated any thoughts or actions.  I think of great things on Friday morning but it ends there.  I need to take action.  There is opportunity in this chaotic economy.  Roger did a good job of controlling the floor and directing the talk last week during his speech.  Some of the language he used reminded me of being in a room with MBAs.  I still don't know the meaning of some of the terms he used.  I am going to throw it out to the floor and ask people what they thought

Erin La Grassa - We actually met with Roger and he gave us a lot of amazing information.  I found it really helpful.  He gave us a lot of ideas.  He is a lot about web and driving traffic.  We wanted him to do our entire website but it would be about $50-60K.  His consulting fees are above average. 

James Clark - I am going to be working with a friend of ours that installs security and speaker systems.  We are going to cross-market.  There are a lot of people I can do that with.  I looked at putting my clients into clusters as Roger had recommended last week.  I have those the just call me to just clean spots, for example.  I am looking at how to cater to them.

Dave Lathrop - I joined the East Valley Estate Planners where there are cars that need to be disposed of.  You have to look at the market and see where the business is. 

Nick Mawrenko - I am finding a huge opportunity in my industry.  Independent insurance providers don't want to work with the large payroll services because they are taking business from them.  I would have never thought about it before.  Large providers are coming to me.

Greg Stewart - I talked to the vice president about marketing to the different clusters.  I suggested that we should be doing mailings to them.  They advised that during normal times, yes.  But these are not normal times and so you need to reach a broader group.  If people don't have money it doesn't matter what you send them.  The advertising I spend the most money on, I get the least return.

Guy Sawyer - Last week's speech changed my whole concept of how to market.  It has changed from what I have always know it to be like. 

Chuck Hultstrand - I found his talk very interesting but we have to remember that one size does not fit all.  Nothing he said would work in my industry and situation.  Listening to him talk was very much like conversations I've had with my son over the last year.  He has been telling me that some of the larger advertisers in the country are going from 5-10% to 50% digital, online advertising.  They want it to be interactive and focus on keywords.  I am doing a site for my golf club http://2centgolf.com/ just for fun to test the theories.

Denver Johnson - We targeted older communities with trees that need to be worked on.  The bulk of business is commercial anymore, including work for HOA's.  The business hasn't gone away but is has shrunk.  This is why we're going more direct to the home owners.

Dave Lathrop - We have a lot of different businesses in here with different approaches.  Is there interest in having a series of meetings where we split up into pods, self select or move around, to exchange ideas more meaningful to that group.  I get business from networking. 

Sandro Menasci - I think the key is to get people to want to do it now instead of waiting.

Mike Whalen - I feel like I am going backwards vs. forward in this economy.  Instead of being out there bringing business in, I am in the back screwing trophies together.

Lin Schmelzer - In my industry, we are very directed and pinpointing to a specific market.  It goes against what Roger said last week but it works for us.  Newspaper is history but magazines are very strong.  But you have to pinpoint that market for your ad.  Consistency is the name of the game.

Nick Mawrenko - They said the same thing about radio, television, etc.  What we are talking about is a transformation.  An obvious one is reading your news on the internet or cell phone.  Even the book publishers are concerned because of the Amazon product.  We need to think of how to transform with them.

Jim Bache - I think what you want to do is set yourself apart from the competition and then put yourself out there and make a name for yourself. 

Joe Zingale - We know we are going to have to change the way we do things as jobs end and things start to slow down for us.  But with that said, the maintenance side of our business has taken off.  Last week's meeting was one of the best in MABE.

Carole Weishaar - We have traveled down this road before we just don't know how far that road will take us.  I think sometimes we get caught up in all the negativity.  How much of you are asking for referrals?  It is so simple and doesn't cost anything.  You would be surprised at what you glean.  Maintain your flexibility in this economy.   

Greg Stewart - I agree with everything you have said.  I think the difference this time is, no matter how clever your marketing is, it can fall on deaf ears.  This holiday season is expected to be the worst in 3 decades.  The media is scaring people. 

Chris Curran - We are all in this together.  I don't think that the percentage of people that think about MABE between meetings is not what it could be or should be.  We can benefit from each other.  I don't know another 37 people that know me this well and are willing to market my services.  We have a pool of resources right here that we can utilize for our mutual benefit. The board is working on some ideas.

Holiday Party Roster
The holiday party is on December 13th.  A room at the Landmark has been reserved for those that wish to dine before the Holiday Party.  Space is limited so it will be available on first come first, first serve.  Meals will be off the menu and dinners are responsible for their own bills.

A bus will be available to take members to the Holiday Party later that evening.

At the party there will be a White Elephant Exchange.  Please purchase one gift per couple valuing roughly $15 and bring it to the party! Please wrap it because it makes everything much more fun!

Please check the list below.  Contact Melissa at melissa@mabe-online.org with any updates (add or cancel attendance, dinner, bus ride).