Conferences & Education

Business Development 
& Sales Forum

Solutions for Tough Times
    Engaging Customers and Building Relationships   

2009 Conference Home | Schedule | Program

Click the links below (where available) to view and print speaker handouts
Click here to view complimentary presentation playback files.

Program

Pre-Forum Workshop

Thursday, September 24 – 8:30 am-Noon

Customer Retention on a Shoe String Budget
Shawn Greene, Owner, Savage & Greene

We know why customers usually leave – they get a better deal or something happens that really annoys them. But the key question isn’t why customers leave, it’s why do they stay? We’ll discuss a simple, inexpensive way to implement and maintain an effective customer retention program. We’ll also demystify important concepts including customer “loyalty ” and look at whether incentive plans are worth it, tapping into the brilliance in the room, sharing best practices, helping others avoid learning things the hard way and how to use the least-expensive and most-effective tools to retain customers. 

Optional Fees Apply: $135 – Member     $185 – Nonmember

General Sessions

How to Handle Hidden Objections
Shawn Greene, Owner, Savage & Greene

Handout

“We don’t think your bank can meet our needs.” “We don’t pay those fees with our current bank.” “It’s too much hassle to change banks.” “I don’t want to keep my eggs in one basket.” These statements probably look like objections but they’re not. The real objections are hidden beneath those statements. This session will show you how to uncover the real concerns and how to defuse and handle them and convert them into closed sales.

Six Assumptions All Sellers Must Now Question
John Golden, President & CEO, Huthwaite

Handout

It’s not what you don’t know that gets you into trouble, it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. In these turbulent times, every seller must take an honest look in the mirror and seriously question some basic sales talent and selling environment assumptions that are often at best incomplete, and at worst wrong.

Creating a World Class Compensation Plan on a Community Bank Budget
Bart Penfold, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, DHR International
Gayle Appelbaum, Managing Director & Founder, Amalfi Consulting, LLC

Handout

We all know that compensation programs are challenging in today’s down market. Our industry experts, an industry executive recruiter and a bank compensation consultant, join forces to share with you what it takes to create a world-class compensation program to recruit, retain and reward top performers at your bank!  

Best Practices: Attracting & Retaining Business Customers
Steve Brown, President & CEO, Pacific Coast Banker’s Bank

Handout

What’s in and what’s not on the business development front? Our engaging speaker shows you what big banks are doing to attract and retain customers and will provide information to turn their shortcomings into your advantage.

Developing Loyal Small Business Customers
Martie Woods, Chief Experience Officer, Deluxe Corporation

Handout

Small business customers mean big business to your bottom line. And yet, research says many small business customers aren’t happy or loyal to their financial institution. Even more, small business owners feel ignored, they don’t think their banker understands them and they don’t look to financial institutions for advice. Can you change that? Absolutely!  This session will uncover what the current banking experience is like for today’s small business owners and will help you identity the service gaps exist; What small business owners really want from their financial institution; the seven key needs of small business owners and how you can incorporate them into an effective strategy and, Ways to create loyal small business customers who DO look to you for advice.

An Economic Overview – What in the Heck Happened?
Brian Pretti, SVP Wealth Management, Mechanics Bank

Handout

Since Brian’s original presentation last year, the economic marketplace has been turned even more upside down. His overview of the economy will give you clues about what’s to come and what you, as both an investor and a banker, should be thinking about for your personal portfolio and your bank’s lending focus. Leave this session with a better understanding of the economy, industry and economic outlook.

Leveraging Social Networks to Drive Business Development Results
Christopher Dworin, Vice President, Business Development, GoLightly

Handout

Social networking sites are now part of mainstream America. If you’re not using this channel to create and sustain business relationships, you’re missing out. Learn how to interact with a large segment of your existing and potential customer base and get concrete examples of how social networks can engage your customers and support your business development efforts.

Peer Exchange Sessions

Consistently receiving high marks, WIB Peer Exchange Sessions are a source of highly actionable solutions and insights through first-hand experience from industry-leading peers and experts.