In today’s marketplace, most people start their search for products and services on the Internet. Are they finding you or your competition?

We’re going to talk about how to successfully move your business into the online environment. If you’re already online, you’ll get some tips on driving traffic to your site and improving your search engine rankings. Whether you’re looking for direct sales or qualified leads for your consulting business, the Internet can help you achieve your objectives. The unfortunate reality is that most small businesses and independent consultants fail on the Internet. They make a fatal mistake by focusing on making money rather than on building a relationship with their visitors.

Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of building a site that doesn’t attract visitors. Find out how to get your business on the first page of Google results…even if you don’t have any programming skills. No web designer required! We’ll show you how.

Successful Web entrepreneur and instructor, Cindy McGeever has been on line since 2005, with the initial launch of www.top-sales-jobs.com. As a niche job board for sales professionals, Top Sales Jobs provides job seekers with thousands of job opportunities, along with content geared toward sharpening their resume and interview skills. Employers can search an online resume database and find tips on hiring, checking references and similar talent acquisition strategies.

Using smart tools that require virtually no programming knowledge, Cindy has developed extensive hands-on knowledge of search engine optimization and web site monetization strategies. She shares this knowledge in a classroom environment to guide participants through the often confusing maze of online business start-up choices.

Cindy teaches course at Penn State Brandywine on Building a Successful Business Using the Internet.

The objective of the panel will be to present some thoughts on how to phase out of an independent consulting practice and still have a revenue stream. We may not have an answer for everyone, but the thought process of the panel members and strong audience participation may well provide some interesting alternatives.

Rick Schilling will chair the session. Each panelist will have 6 minutes to share his thoughts on the topic. Audience questions, comments and discussion will follow.

Panelists:

Bill Hyczka founded WSH & Associates in 1990. Bill has been a business broker for 23 years and has 40 years experience in accounting, finance, M&A, business plans, valuations and consulting. Bill is a founding member of the Pennsylvania Business Brokers Association and currently serves as a PBBA Board member and Treasurer.

Barry Meyers is a co-founder of Definiti Business Solutions, a strategic advisory firm specializing in bottom line improvement for small and mid-sized companies. He has over 30 years experience in IT in textiles, paper, printing, newspaper, apparel, manufacturing and distribution. Barry has held director and manager positions for small to medium sized companies and management positions for start-ups and a Fortune 500 company.

Jan Stefanski co-founded Janus Consulting and has over 30 years experience in planning, design and implementation of various business solutions. He makes “fuzzy things clear”, assisting clients from “idea crystallization to internalization”. Jan consults to a wide range of domestic and international industries including pharmaceuticals, chemical, education, newspapers, non-profits and financial.

Rick Schilling established his staffing firm in 1992 after a 19-year career in commercial banking and 4 years in the construction equipment leasing industry. Clients use his cadre of experienced professionals to complete specialized projects and to fill interim and full time staff vacancies in middle management and senior positions.

We hear about social marketing tools like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. We have also learned that these can take up a lot of our valuable time. What is the right course for a consultant to consider moving forward with social media? It is not a black box; it is also not about having the latest shiny object. We will look at the importance of an overall social media strategy – things to consider when formulating a social media strategy, what should you consider first before taking up a lot of your valuable time. That being said, there is a place for these social marketing tools and we need to know how to embrace them. Bring your questions – if you have a specific question please submit it ahead of time to Rick@DinkumInteractive.com.

Rick Simmons is a principal at Dinkum Interactive.  With over 30 years of experience in advertising and marketing, and over 10 years working with the Internet, Rick brings an ideal combination of talents to the technology firm.  For the past 8 years, he has incorporated his marketing expertise with his Internet knowledge through his work with Search Engine Optimization and many other Internet Marketing strategies.  As a result of dozens of speaking engagements all over the East Coast, Rick has been touted as one of the best speakers for deciphering the Internet, Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Marketing for all levels of listeners.

Monday, May 10th at 724 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA. 7:30am to 9:00am. The cost is free. For information and directions, please visit the MACN website at www.maconsultants.com.

The Mid-Atlantic Consultants Network (MACN) is an open association of independent consultants in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. We meet regularly to learn how to grow our consulting practices, improve our skills as consultants, and strive to serve our clients more effectively.

He will be joined in his discussion by Bruce Govan, Founder and President of Govan Consulting, LLC. Bruce Govan’s experience includes management roles in Reliance Insurance Company, EDS, and Genesis Health Ventures before founding Govan Consulting, LLC in 2002. Govan Consulting, LLC offers consulting, speaking, and training in business process management and project management to a wide range of clients.

James Chan, Ph.D., founder and president of Asia Marketing and Management, has 25 years of consulting experience advising U.S. firms in exporting American-made products and services to China. He is the author of Spare Room Tycoon, a book on 70 lessons of 40 men and women, including many members of the Mid-Atlantic Consultants Network, and James Chan himself, who turned their personal passions into profitable businesses.

Monday, March 8th at 724 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA. 7:30am to 9:00am. The cost is free. For information and directions, please visit the MACN website at www.maconsultants.com.

The Mid-Atlantic Consultants Network (MACN) is an open association of independent consultants in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. We meet regularly to learn how to grow our consulting practices, improve our skills as consultants, and strive to serve our clients more effectively.

• Why experience doesn’t mean success in sales
• What does assure success in sales
• The simple sales truths of sales
• The difference between “prospects” and “real” prospects”
• How to use the technology of today to get results in sales.
• How to be more effective with your sales time

You will enjoy and learn from this informative, 45 minute, session conducted at the February 8th meeting.

Presenter: Michael McGrail; President, The McGrail Group

Mike McGrail’s Corporate experience includes Sales and Marketing Management roles in divisions of IBM, EXXON & M&M Mars before founding The McGrail Group (TMG) in 1990. TMG is focused on results, offering consulting programs in Strategic Management, Sales Development, as well as Personal Productivity.

His consulting clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small entrepreneurial companies. He has assessed thousands of individuals for job fit in sales and management.

Chuck Cutshall is a CFP® and Senior Financial Advisor who joined Merrill Lynch in 1997. Chuck graduated from Shippensburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. Additionally, Chuck also graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware and he has 12 years of previous employment experience as a commercial loan officer at a regional money center bank. Chuck provides full wealth management guidance for individuals and small businesses.

• You had a great year and are grateful for things you did differently in 2009 from the prior year that helped you thrive and prosper.
• You had an OK year and you plan to continue on in much the same fashion in 2010, maybe making some small changes and adjustments.
• You had a lousy year and are unhappy with your results across a number of metrics and know you have to do some things differently next year….but may not be totally clear of what to do.

On December 14th, we will devote the first half of the Mid Atlantic Consultants Network (MACN) monthly meeting at Merrill Lynch office in Wayne to a review of the One Page Business Plan process for consultants. Skip Torresson (The Stewardship Group) will facilitate the process. You will leave with a template that you should find useful for 2010.

We also will invite consultants to share what they did differently in 2009 that really produced good results for them OR what they plan to do differently in 2010 that they believe will produce better results next year.

MACN members who made some changes that worked well for them in 2009 will share them with the group. A number of you made significant changes to your business as the result of 2008 results you weren’t satisfied with. The changes, and the process you went through, could be invaluable to others. The learning from planning is what this meeting is all about! Come share and learn!

We will start promptly at 7:30 AM. See you then!

Richard (“Rich”) Whitfield is Producer of “Money Matters TV” whose shows, shown on Comcast cable networks in suburban regions in Greater Philadelphia, reach 900,000 viewers.

Rich will speak on the use of videos in marketing ideas, changes in the digital media, use of the Internet to improve creative thinking and plan for changes in our consulting business.

Rich received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh, a Masters degree in education from Duquesne University, a second Masters degree in educational media from West Chester University, and an Educational Administration Certification from Villanova University. He was with the U.S. Navy before he built a long career as media specialist and a researcher in the bond department of Vanguard Group. Rich is married with three children.

Go to Google Videos and search under “Money Matters TV” and you’ll see many of the shows that Rich Whitfield has created, including two MACN members, namely, Paul Mitchell of Mitchell Capital Corp. and James Chan of Asia Marketing and Management.

Bruce Govan’s experience includes management roles in Reliance Insurance Company, EDS, and Genesis Health Ventures before founding Govan Consulting, LLC in 2002. Govan Consulting, LLC offers consulting, speaking, and training in business process management and project management to a wide range of clients.

Monday, October 19th at 724 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA. 7:30am to 9:00am. The cost is free. For information and directions, please visit the MACN website at www.maconsultants.com.

The Mid-Atlantic Consultants Network (MACN) is an open association of independent consultants in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. We meet regularly to learn how to grow our consulting practices, improve our skills as consultants, and strive to serve our clients more effectively.

• First One Remembered
• First One Called
• First One Referred

Dale Power is the creative engine behind Big Shoes:

• Entrepreneur
• Strategist
• Author
• Humorist
• Partner
• Speaker

Join us Monday, September 14th, 2009 7:30am