MEETING MINUTES
 Friday, August 6, 2010
Volume 17; Issue 26

Leads & Introductions
Members introduced themselves and announced leads and thank you's. 

Member Spotlight
This week's spotlight is Guy Sawyer.  Please keep this member top of mind this week for referrals. 

Odds & Ends

  • Happy shark week to Joe Zingale and the lawyers in the group. 

  • Turn off your cell phones!

  • When a guest comes be on your best behavior, welcome them and don't leave them hanging at the end.

Membership
The board met after last week's meeting to discuss the two applicants up for the insurance category.  After much discussion they decided to invite Nick Carr of Legacy Insurance Group to join our group.

Board Elections
Erin LaGrassa will go off the board.  Don Ellis will move into the Historian position.  This leaves two vacant spots to fill. 

Election Schedule
Nominations:  August 6th and 13th
Speeches: August 20
Elections:  August 27
New board begins:  September 3

Today's nominations included: Stacy Hyder, Mark Menasci, Jim Bache and Ryan Bohlander.

Meeting Schedule
August 13 - Small Table Topics
Coming Soon - Mark Dreher, City Development Update

Just a reminder that there will not be a meeting on September 3rd due to the Labor Day weekend.

Today's Program:  Discussion on Leads
What is your definition of a lead?

  • New business vs. repeat

  • Inside vs. outside lead

  • When you say thank you, is that a lead?

  • Defining leads is irrelevant

  • A lead is 3rd-party business

  • If we want to market MABE to new members we need to be able to measure leads.

  • It's not a requirement of MABE that you have to do this.  If it becomes a requirement, make people accountable.

  • This group works in generating leads but it takes time.  My employees ask if a MABE member provides a service before they look elsewhere.

  • If someone uses my business, I am going to work harder to get them business.

  • Quit being cheap butts!  Be proud of this group.

  • I don't like the pressure of having to announce a lead.  I left other groups because of it.

  • Buddy lunches, etc. are as valuable of a lead.

  • To record how many leads a particular member gave is counterproductive.

  • It is better to record the type of leads being generated.

  • I would like to see how much money is generated by leads rather than the number of leads.

  • It can be done with a leads slip, online or via email.

  • What is the value of your MABE seat?

  • Do you know everyone in this group?

  • Do you know how to generate leads for particular disciplines?  We don't always know the different areas that other members can help us with.