Monday, March 29, 2010

Find Out How Your Response To Rejection Can Affect Your Business Success

If you are an entrepreneur, a business owner, an independent professional, you have faced it. We all have. I’m referring to the often dreaded “R” word: Rejection – business rejection.

It comes in different forms, doesn’t it? From the high quality lead that you’ve been working with for a while, you know, the one you’re “sure” will hire you for your services, but decides differently; to the prospect that says “no” to meeting with you even for a quick conversation. How about the one that has made a “commitment” to follow up with you, but doesn’t “for whatever reason,” or the one that simply will not respond to your messages and communications?

Does any of this sound familiar? Click here to read more from George Haralampopoulos, Strategist, Speaker, Author

Monday, March 22, 2010

Exciting Chamber News


We are moving to a new location as of the end of April. Please look for more details to come about our new space including a Ribbon Cutting event shortly. Of course you can still contact us at (248) 644-1700 or www.bbcc.com.

We would like to thank the Astrein family for their support in our downtown Birmingham location where we have been located for more than 15 years. For information on renting the space located at 124 W. Maple please click here.

Also, after careful consideration I have decided to leave the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber for the opportunity to raise my family effective mid-June. A Selection Committee has been assembeled to identify my replacement and is currently accepting resumes through April 9. Please click here to view the position posting, including information on how to apply. I encourage those interested and appropriate to submit your materials for consideration.

I have greatly enjoyed serving as your Chamber President over the past three years and wish you all continued success in your business.

The Chamber staff is committed to seamlessly support your business through these exciting changes. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Competitive analysis: How does your business stack up?


You know your product or service inside and out and have crossed the t's and dotted the i's on your marketing materials. Next step is to sell, sell, sell, right? Not quite. Have you done your homework on what your current and potential competition is up to? Having a firm grasp on the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors helps provide strategic framework through which to identify opportunities and threats for your own business.

As business strategist, Joan Florian of TTX Ingenuity, shared with members of the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber at a recent Professional Edge workshop, it all starts with a solid understanding of your market. Many market research tools exist including those readily available at public or university libraries to assist in identifying the target market size and geographic area your business is striving to acquire a share of.

Doug Fertuck of Fertuck Enterprise Directions helped participants frame their response to their competitors' products and services platforms with a variety of decision-making tools.

To read the complete article, click here.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Entrepreneurial Spirit Blooms in Birmingham

Article by: John Heiney, executive ddirector of the Birmingham Principal Shopping District

This time of year we are all waiting for the weather to finally break, bringing us that first warm day when we can all rediscover outdoors. The thought of spring is something we look forward to with much anticipation. In Birmingham's shopping district, every new business announcement is a similar, much anticipated event.

This spring, along with the warmer days, we will welcome a variety of new businesses to the shopping district that will add to Birmingham's variety and vibrancy.

I am pleased to be the first to formally announce the planned opening of Backcountry North at 284 W. Maple (in the former Smith and Hawken space). Backcountry North will be a specialty sporting goods retailer for hiking, camping and kayaking enthusiasts. They will carry major name brands including The North Face, Patagonia, Nau, Prana and Smartwool to name a few.

This will be the third location for owner Tracy Mayer who resides in Ann Arbor. She owns two successful Backcountry locations in the Traverse City area, which she purchased over eight years ago. “We felt that the time was right to open a third store, and Birmingham seemed like the right place to do it,” she said. “Southeast Michigan is under-retailed in specialty sporting goods, so we believe the demand will be strong.” Mayer was educated as an attorney at Wayne State, but has retail in her blood. “My father managed the Sportsman here in Birmingham for several years,” she said. He left the Sportsman in the late ‘70s to enter the wholesale specialty sports business.

Backcountry North is expected to open in the spring, and will no doubt bring a breath of fresh outdoor air to West Maple. We are also pleased to report that Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro opened up this past week as well at 155 Bates St., featuring wine by the glass and bottle, farm to table cuisine, weekend breakfast, Sunday suppers, wine tasting events, retail wines, liquors and more. For more information or reservations call (248) 731-7066 or go to www.tallulahwine.com

To read more visit: http://tinyurl.com/yc2a4p7