WXW Forum 10 – Now We’re Talking

Debra Power and Carrie Hensel, Co-Founders and Co-Presidents of WXW were recently awarded  the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Michigan Women in Business Champion of the Year for 2010 award. They attended a ceremony with over 1,000 people including the Governor who Carrie and Debra had an opportunity to meet. Come and participate in the May event and experience why the WXW received this award and how we help you and your business.

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WXW is hosting its dynamic, fun-filled, all-day forum for women business leaders. The day-long event provides an interactive and lively experience with regional speakers, workshops, breakout sessions, and networking activities. Our mission is to engage the business community and work through the common issues women business leaders face in their efforts to grow and improve their companies.

This year we are offering our third annual conference.  After feedback at last year’s May conference, WXW attendees told us they wanted “more, more, more!” So this year we are doubling the number of workshops you can attend. In the morning, we’ll host intensive and interactive 2-hour workshops facilitated by amazing local business leaders, who are prepared for your burning business questions. Then, we’ll hear from a panel of the region’s leading business women. After lunch attendees will then have the opportunity to choose another workshop and one of eight different breakout sessions. And finally we’ll wrap up with a happy hour that includes wine, food, music, and the best networking opportunities in the state.  We expect 300 attendees from the Ann Arbor area, Southeast Michigan, and Northeast Ohio.

WXW Forum 10 Agenda
8:00-8:30am Registration & mingling
8:30am Welcome
9-10:45am Jump Start! Morning Workshops
11-12:15pm Panel of Women Business Leaders
12:30-1pm Lunch & Announcements
1:15-3:15pm Keep It Going! Afternoon Workshops
3:30-4:30pm Exchange Sessions 4:30pm Wrap-up
5-7pm Happy Hour

Panelists include: (for biographies go to www.wxwbusiness.com)

• Dr. Ora Pescovitz, CEO, University of Michigan Health System
• Kristi Mailloux, President, Molly Maids
• Diane E. Ward, Chief Executive Officer SE Michigan Red Cross Blood Services
• Moderator – Mary Morgan, Publisher of the Ann Arbor Chronicle

MORNING WORKSHOPS - (Choose 1 while registering)

CREATING YOUR DREAM BUSINESS: REACHING FOR THE SKY WITH YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND
By: Debra Christein, SpiralSynthesis & Ellen Abramson, Uof M Dept of Orthopedic Surgery
Did you ever get excited about a vision for your company and then watch it get lost in the distractions of everyday life?  Or  lose its luster and become "just more work"?  At this workshop, you will explore how to keep your vision alive and create a pathway of concrete steps to bring it to fruition.  You will leave the session with a draft of your personal vision, clear metrics to define success in reaching it, and the steps you'll take on the pathway to manifest your dreams.

CHARTING YOUR CAREER PATH: FLIGHT PLANS NOT FAIRY TALES
By: Michelle Seyfarth, Seyfarth Diversified Strategies,  Lynda Meeks, Girls With Wings & Theresa Whiting

Just where do you think you’re going? And how are you going to get there? In this session, participants will engage in an interactive exercise of charting your career: from the past, to the present and into the future. Connect with and hear from three women with non-traditional perspectives of navigating the highs and lows of piloting your own true course. Participants will leave with a renewed vision and plan for their individual career choices.

CONNECTIONS THAT WORK: STRATEGIC NETWORKING AND PARTNERING
By: Shannon Beeman, MI-SBTDC & Megan Crosbie, Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce
Networking can help you to find the right employee, partner, or otherwise expand your business horizons. But in a room full of likely looking people, how do you focus your efforts and make your precious time more valuable? And what do you say to “the one” contact you need to make? The key to networking is taking the initiative and refining your conversational skills. Participants will leave this session with a list of steps they can follow to network like a pro and build their bank of business relationships.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY? USING YOUR STORIES TO INFLUENCE AND CONNECT
By: Beth Stoner, Delta Possibilities, LLC  & Lorri Johnson, Monarch Consulting Group, LLC
You have been moved, inspired, informed and influenced by the stories of amazing people. With rapt attention you drink in the details, ride waves of emotion, discover common truths and when the story ends find yourself changed. And thinking perhaps, I could never do that. Yes you can. In this workshop, you will explore the art and practice of organizational storytelling including two types of powerful leadership stories that can help you to build trust, credibility and influence with your audience of one or one thousand. You will leave with a fully developed “who I am” or “who we are” story, the tools to identify, develop and position a suite of stories, and the confidence to wield this ancient leadership tool from boardroom to blog.

GETTING OFF THE GROUND WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
By: Denise Murray, Briarwood Mall  & Ashley Lewis, Briarwood Mall
You hear it everywhere you go: you’ve got to be in social networking and social media! So why haven’t you taken the plunge? It’s ok! Come on in, the water’s warm. We’ll take you on a tour of the major social sites, learn what to get out of each one, and avoid the pitfalls. Sure, it is time consuming and often one can get side tracked, but if you want to be proactive in the hunt for new clients, maintain current clients and rebuild relationships with past clients, social media is a great, free, easy way to network with people already engaged with your product or service. Participants will leave the session with a completed workbook to use as a guide as they set up and use their social media profiles.

Making it Click: Attract New Customers With Pay Per Click Advertising 
By: Meaghan McCann, Search Ad Marketing  & Carol Kamm, iSold It on eBay
Disappointed that your website is nowhere to be found on search engines? Frustrated by blowing your profits on ineffective advertising?  Tired of feeling like a victim of traditional advertising methods?  It’s time to take control of your advertising!  In this fun, energetic and informative session we will cover the benefits of advertising on the Internet.  You will assess and determine if your website is ready for pay per click advertising.  You will learn how to create, organize and maintain a pay per click account.  You will gain understanding of how to measure your results, and you will leave the workshop armed with a campaign ready to implement on the Google AdWords program.  Bring your laptop!  (not required)

AFTERNOON WORKSHOP -(choose 1 while registering)

BEYOND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: EARNING CUSTOMER LOYALTY
By: Debra Power, Power Marketing and Research & Kandi Jurek, UMHS
Good customer service is the cornerstone of every business. But customer loyalty is the ultimate goal. During this workshop you’ll learn how to track customer service throughout your businesses at each customer touchpoint; discuss customer expectations and how to meet and exceed them; gain customer trust; and create customer loyalty. Participants will leave the session with a clear plan for implementing a customer service and loyalty plan for their business.

SELL LIKE A GIRL!
By: Carrie Hensel, Inner Circle Media & Denise Roberts, SalesPartners
For many women, selling is nearly as scary as skydiving; but if you don’t get comfortable with selling, your company won’t survive. Despite what you’ve been taught, you don’t have to be a “power seller” who delivers a convincing pitch. When you sell like a “girl,” you are friendly, open, truthful, and nurturing which encourages your prospective customers to bond with you and share the reasons why they may or may not need your product or service. In this workshop, you will learn to tap into your “girl power” and use it to your advantage in sales. You’ll learn a process or “script” to help you guide prospective customers through the sales qualification process. In pairs, you’ll practice asking probing questions to determine if your product or service is a good fit for your prospects needs. As a group, we will do a lot of role playing, so you can practice techniques and respond to real life sales situations. Participants will leave the session with a completed workbook to use as a guide for their future sales endeavors.

BECOMING A GURU: BE KNOWN AS THE EXPERT YOU ARE
By: Jenn Cornell, Jenn Cornell PR  & Diane Sheldon-Ku, Proquest
Have you ever wondered how people get picked for panels, interviews or how news outlets find their experts? No matter what kind of business you are in, your own expertise is a powerful marketing tool for you, your product, or your organization. You’ll leave this workshop with a plan for defining your area of expertise, sharing your expertise when and where it counts, and leveraging your new role as a guru to the max!

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS: TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
By: Marisa Smith, The Whole Brain Group & Nicole Burguess, MS&L Worldwide
If you’ve been using social media for a while, but want to learn more about how to use it to reach your business goals, this is the workshop for you! This advanced workshop is for people who are already familiar with popular tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter but don’t have the time to spend hours every day keeping things updated. Participants will learn how to maximize their efforts by using time-saving tools, developing a defined strategy, and coming up with metrics to measure their success.

RIGHT PEOPLE, RIGHT PLACE: BUILD A GREAT TEAM IN DIFFICULT TIMES
By: Kristen Storey, University of Michigan & Deb Clark, Tenneco
Successful teaming is important, but especially during economically challenging times like these when your group’s bench-strength (collective talents and contributions) matters most. The most savvy leaders invest in strengths and surround themselves with the right mix of people in realizing their organization’s success. In this session we’ll explore what a strengths-based approach to building teams is and what the four major domains are to building a strong team. You will work with the concepts, practical tools and strategies that can help begin to leverage and maximize each of your team member’s talents. You’ll leave this session with a stronger sense of your own strengths and the resources and tools for how to begin to build the bench-strength of your team.

TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF SO YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS
By: Wasentha Young, Peaceful Dragon School  & Denise Anne Taylor, Competitive Advantage, Inc.
Enrich your lifestyle by learning relaxing and revitalizing techniques for your mind and body. During this session, we will discuss the “Three Process Tools” that help us to change and regroup.  We will also experience several styles of gentle movement and stretches, meditation, and self-acupressure (light finger pressure and massage) techniques that promote the intrinsic vitality of peace and harmony.  Listen to top tips and strategies for finding balance from a woman who owns a business and juggles everyday family life and beyond.  Learn eating, fitness & stamina-building strategies that will help you reinvigorate yourself and be ready to take on whatever life throws your way!

Date:   Friday, May 21, 2010
Time:  8 am -7 pm
Location:
Kensington Court
610 Hilton Blvd
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

For more information: www.wxwbusiness.com