Chamber Academy teaches vital marketing techniques

Mar. 7, 2007
By JOSEPH M. DELEON News-Post Staff
jdeleon@fredericknewspost.com

FREDERICK — A survey of about 20 students in a marketing class at Frederick Community College showed most didn't know how to introduce themselves effectively.
     But the students weren't recent high school graduates. They run private schools, businesses and government agencies.
     They're enrolled in the Chamber Academy — a corporate and professional training program designed to help participants increase business that covers topics such as leadership development, marketing and sales.
     The students met Tuesday for the third in a series of four business seminars offered through the academy. The fourth class, which covers sales-related topics, is scheduled in May.
     Samantha D. Servey, of Tyler-Donegan Real Estate, and Jon-Mikel Bailey, of Wood Street Inc., led the marketing presentation Tuesday.
     During one exercise, Servey role-played a scripted introduction with a participant.
     After a greeting, Servey asked the participant what she did for a living.
     “We sell corporate gift cards and promotional products,” the participant said.
     “Oh, that's nice,” Servey said, then pretended to lose interest in the conversation.
     She turned her attention to the students.
     “Is that the best way to present yourself?” she said. “When you make an introduction you need to answer two things: What do you do and what's in it for me.”
     Servey switched roles with the participant. Instead of describing her imaginary job with jargon, she used words that encouraged curiosity.
     “We make businesses' phones ring,” she said.
     Participants broke into groups of four and practiced clever intro ductions. Then one representative of each group demonstrated the improved greeting.
     Jackie Lamothe, a regional manager with Security Trust Co. in Hagerstown, said it was the best seminar of the three she attended.
     “There was a lot of useful content, and the presenters were very animated and really knew their content,” she said. “In my other life, my job is to teach, so I learned a new trick for my business.”
     Lamothe is also the area direc tor for Business Management International, a business consulting firm that helps companies with management and accounting tools.
     “Even if you think you're an expert marketer, and I really should be after 10 years with BMI, you can always learn something,” she said. “The most powerful thing was the website review.”
     Bailey demonstrated how to explain what services are provided and what makes the business different, show prospective clients who runs the business and address client needs.
     “Sometimes people get so bogged down in the detail we want to tell, tell, tell,” Lamothe said. “But if a client doesn't see what they want, they're going someplace else.”
     The chamber is planning a second series later in the year. Participants may choose to attend individual sessions or the entire series.
     The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce offers the series in partnership with Frederick Community College and the Small Business Development Center.
     Frederick Community College will keep student transcripts on file and provide a Continuing Education Certificate for participants who attend all four sessions.