Author
How to Grow Business by Selling to and Serving People Not Like You
Wednesday, November 15 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
If you could grow your business simply by marketing to your existing customers and raking in more referrals, making money would be a cakewalk. But to generate new revenue, you have to win over the customers and prospects you’re not getting, but could be. Now, more than ever, it’s important to reach new prospects in different ways to grow your business.
You know how important it is to form a connection with your customers and prospects in order to close the sale. But how do you form a connection with someone who is completely different from you? Whether it’s gender, age, lifestage, background, or even communication preferences, you need to be able to break through barriers to connect in a meaningful way, build trust and differentiate yourself from your competition.
People spend money on what they care about. Show your customers and prospects how you fit into what they need and what they value, and they’ll show you the money. By recognizing people’s differences and tailoring your message and marketing efforts to reflect their values, you‘ll get the business.
This session will show how marketing to people’s values is the way to greater sales profits and customer loyalty.
This engaging and interactive session will show you how to create a deep, values-based connection between you and your clients and prospects.
Meet Kelly McDonald
Kelly McDonald is considered one of the nation’s top experts in leadership, marketing, the customer experience and consumer trends. Her client experience includes brands such as Toyota, State Farm, NASA, Kimberly-Clark, Nike, Harley-Davidson, Great Clips, Miller Beer and Sherwin-Williams. Kelly was named one of the “10 Most Booked Speakers in the U.S.” and ranked #1 on the list of “25 Hot Speakers” by Successful Meetings Magazine. She has been featured on CNBC, in Forbes, INC. Magazine, BusinessWeek, CEO World, Fast Company and more. She is the author of four bestselling books. Her newest, “It’s Time to Talk about Race at Work: Every Leader’s Guide to Making Progress on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” is one of the top Bestselling Business Books in the U.S. Kelly lives in Denver and when she’s not on the road speaking, she enjoys boxing (yes, boxing, not kickboxing) – and shopping for high heels. She’s also learning to play the cello.
Chief Operating Officer, Proton.ai
Making Artificial Intelligence a Competitive Advantage
Wednesday, November 15 | 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Artificial intelligence is a hot topic for distribution right now as distributors look to leverage AI in their businesses. According to Andrew Creamer, AI created the winners and losers in many B2C markets - fueling the rise of Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify. Proton's "Making AI Your Competitive Advantage" presentation delves into the ins and outs of AI and its potential for distributors. He will examine the AI strategies of industry leaders, and dive into specific lessons distributors can learn and apply to their businesses. Andrew will provide you with the knowledge you need to help educate distributors on the topic of AI and its impact on the distribution industry.
Meet Andrew Creamer
Andrew Creamer is the Chief Operating Officer of Proton.ai. Prior to joining Proton.ai, he was a consultant at Bain where he helped enterprises navigate their toughest business challenges, particularly in technology and supply chain. He holds a B.A. from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. When not immersed in optimizing distributors’ sales operations, Andrew can be found hiking with his dog, Rudy, and rooting for Boston sports teams.
ITR Economics
Economic Trends in Construction and Consumer Markets
Wednesday, November 15 | 1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Connor’s 2023 industry session will take a look at individual market drivers for the upcoming year for building materials and flooring products. Connor will cover current and expected growth trends in retail and wholesale channels for interior building and flooring products. Additionally, Connor will look at the split between residential and commercial construction segments and how they are diverging, offering different demand trajectories heading into 2024. Other topics will include a look at inflationary pressures specific to building materials and management objectives to best succeed in the year ahead.
Meet Connor Lokar
Few young economists present their insights with the authority, accuracy and humor that Connor Lokar brings to the stage. He delivers practical economic intelligence with charm and candor. Connor has been giving economic presentations to audiences of business owners and executives since he joined ITR Economics in 2014. Using his quick wit and knack for storytelling, he leverages his youthful appearance to upend expectations and successfully captivate and educate audiences. Thousands of business leaders have enjoyed his dynamic approach; Connor emphasizes the applicability of economic intelligence and calls his audience to action. When not on stage, Connor contributes his economic expertise in the role of trusted advisor, consulting directly with management teams of firms large and small. As ITR Economics’ senior forecaster, Connor has a particularly keen understanding of how forecasts are derived. The resulting insights enable audiences to make the most of their economic outlooks. Connor specializes in construction and industrial markets, helping them grow revenue and remain profitable through an ever-changing business cycle.
60-Second Marketer
The Science of Persuasion: How to Get What You Want (Without Being a Jerk)
Wednesday, November 15 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Would you like to improve your communication skills? Do you want to learn how to connect with your teammates? Would you like to learn science-based techniques you can use to manage employees and work smarter, not harder? The world’s top executives understand the science behind effective persuasion and communication skills. If you’d like to become a more effective manager or leader, then don’t miss this interactive, fast-paced workshop by internationally recognized author, professor, and TV news contributor Jamie Turner.
Key Learning Objectives:
- New Science: Why what you’ve been taught about persuasion is wrong – and how to use new research to fix your approach
- Better Communication Skills: How to use the Communications Matrix to improve the effectiveness of your conversations
- MindMapping: Why using MindMapping can make you more productive and help improve team morale
- Improved Persuasion: How to use the But Eraser and the Because Technique to improve the impact of your conversations
- Insider Techniques: How to manage conversations so that you, your company, and your employees learn to work smarter, not harder
Meet Jamie Turner
Jamie Turner is an internationally-recognized author, professor, speaker, and TV news contributor who has helped global brands tackle complex business problems. Jamie is an expert in leadership, productivity, and communication. He travels the globe teaching executives how to improve their communication skills, how to be more productive, and how to do a better job leading themselves and leading others. He is also a regular guest on network TV news on the topics of business, leadership, and marketing. Jamie is the co-author of "Go Mobile," which was the #1 best-selling mobile marketing book on Amazon when it was first released, and "How to Make Money with Social Media." He is also an adjunct instructor at Emory University and The University of Texas.
CEO, ITR Economics
Piercing Through the Noise
Thursday, November 16 | 8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
There is an extraordinary amount of noise concerning the status of the economy today and what the future will look like. ITR Economics will present a dispassionate look at the trends that define the economy and inform us about the future through 2025, and we will discuss how it will impact attendees. We will be looking into key industries to determine what phase of the business cycle they are in and what the future looks like for each. Some industries are faring better than others; it is important you know which industries/markets they are in order to potentially mitigate the impact of business cycle decline. Our assessment of labor costs and labor availability through 2025 will be presented, as these will have a prolonged impact on how we do business and what capital expenditures can help ameliorate the pressures. Inflation is currently waning. The rate of inflation will recede as the economy weakens, but it will not be gone. Global economic expansion later this decade will again push up prices of raw materials and then finished goods. Higher labor costs will once again contribute in a significant way to the upward pricing pressure. The discussion on inflation will flow into a discussion on interest rates through at least the near term. Management objectives consistent with our forecasts for inflation and interest rates will provide actionable takeaways for attendees. Attendees will leave the conference with the confidence that comes from an accurate, proven, analytical approach to the economy. We will provide attendees with clear direction regarding what will be and what must be done in order to maximize revenue and profit growth.
Meet Brian Beaulieu
Brian Beaulieu has served as CEO and Chief Economist of ITR Economics™ since 1987, where he researches the use of business cycle analysis and economic forecasting as tools for improving proftability. Brian has shared his highly valued research results via presentations, workshops, and seminars in numerous countries to hundreds of thousands of business owners and executives for the last 39 years. He is coauthor of Prosperity in the Age of Decline, a powerful look at how to make the most of the US and global trends over the next 20 years, as well as Make Your Move, a practical and insightful guide to increasing profits through inevitable business cycle changes. Brian also coauthored But I Want It!, ITR Economics’ frst children’s book. Brian serves on the board of directors for the Ariens Company, a leading global manufacturer of outdoor power equipment, as well as the board for Bellwether Wealth, an investment management and strategic wealth planning frm based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Brian has shared his expertise through various media outlets, including: USA Today, Knight Ridder, The Atlanta JournalConstitution, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, The Washington Post, Kudlow and Friends, First on Fox, Canadian television, and numerous other outlets.