2nd Annual ShowBiz'97

A stimulating quartet of seminars share center stage at ShowBiz'97.

Attendees at the Greater BCC Chamber's business expo can learn skills and valuable ideas to benefit their businesses from four informative and inspiring sessions held during the day-long event and coordinated by ShowBiz'97 Seminar Chair Neil Waldman (S afeguard Business Systems).

Morning Seminars 10-11:00 am Old Georgetown & Congressional Rooms Hyatt Regency Bethesda

* Increase Your Sales Without Making Cold Calls - Create An Unlimited Supply of High-Quality Referrals - Bill Cates, Author & Referral Sales Expert

When you prospect for new business with a cold call, you usually get a cold shoulder. By contrast, when you prospect from referrals, at the very least you get a conversation.

From Cates, you will learn:

• What are three sources for unlimited referrals
• to get referrals without even asking
• When to ask for referrals
• How to ask for referrals in a way that really works
• to turn your customers into word-of-mouth machines

Who Should Attend? Any business owner or sales person who wants to bring in more new business and put more fun into prospecting - from beginner to seasoned pro.

Who Is Cates? Known as America's "Referral Coach", Cates is the author of the best selling book and audio cassette programs on "Unlimited Referrals", is a contributing expert of "Selling Power" magazine and has been featured in USA Today, Wall Street J ournal and Washington Post.

Advertising Copy & Design Workshop - Free Lance Writer Marilyn Bagel & Graphic Designer Stephanie Comella (Comella Design Group)

You only have three seconds to capture a prospective customer's attention as they look at your advertising or marketing material.

From Bagel and Comella, you will learn what works now and what can work better through their professional assessment of your ads, brochures, annual reports, direct mail sheets, newsletters, business cards. Just bring samples with you to the workshop fo r a free but price-less critique.

Who Should Attend? Any business owner, marketing or graphics person responsible for company marketing materials.

Who Are Bagel and Comella? An award-winning free lance copywriter, scriptwriter and author, Bagel creates ad campaigns, brochures, direct mail, promotions, TV and radio commercials and web pages. President of an awardwinning design firm, Comella has a portfolio of work from corporate identity programs and publications to specialty invitations and print advertisements.

Afternoon Seminars 2-3:30 pm Old Georgetown & Congressional Rooms Hyatt Regency Bethesda

• Business Development & Marketing - Business Development Consultant C. Nelson Hoy (C. Nelson Hoy & Company)

For the very largest or the very smallest enterprise, successful marketing and sales isn't an accident. A company achieves prosperous and profitable sales as a result of the effective and efficient management of the marketing and sales process.

From Hoy, you will learn:

• What are 25 critical areas of strategic concern in business development and marketing for service-based companies
• What you're doing now that is being done right
• Where you've got weaknesses in the marketing and sales process
• What actions to take the next day for better marketing results
• How your concept of what "Business Development & Marketing" means for you as a professional and for your company will be changed forever

Who Should Attend? Business owners, marketing and sales managers

Who Is Hoy? Founder of his own consulting firm serving small business throughout the eastern United States, Hoy has helped more than 250 enterprises boost their sales and improve their bottom line.

Saving Money on Computer Maintenance & Making Money on the Internet - John Gilroy, "Ask The Computer Guy" Washington Post Columnist & National Public Radio personality

With computer technology bringing dramatically increased potential for virtually every business, you are faced with critical decisions on what is best for your company, how much to pay for it, how to use it, how to maintain it and what can it do that y ou don't even realize.

From Gilroy, you learn:

• What computer maintenance is essential and how to spend the minimum possible to do it
• What business are and can do to make money on the Internet and what can work best for your company

Who Should Attend? Any semi-computer literate business person seeking objective, practical computer-related guidance.

Who Is Gilroy? Known as the "Ask The Computer Guy", Gilroy uses in a humorous and folksy style his regular column in the Washington Post and his syndicated radio program heard locally on WAMU-FM to help thousands of business people minimize their fear of computers and learn how technology can optimize their operations.