Competitive Edge News July 2021 Online Newsletter

Southern California Black Chambers of Commerce

The Competitive Edge News

Hollywood Cities: Long Beach: San Gabriel Valley: Pomona Valley:
Inland Cities West: Inland Cities East: Inland Valley: Riverside Cities:
Palm Springs Cities: Moreno Valley: High Desert: Barstow: International

From the Desert to the Sea August 2021

Federal Government Awards Record-Breaking $145.7
Billion in Contracting to Small Businesses

New portal, will streamline applications for loans $150K or less for over 6.5 million
businesses

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is launching a streamlined application portal
to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans $150,000 or less through participating
lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA.

“The SBA’s new streamlined application portal will simplify forgiveness for millions of our smallest businesses
-- including many sole proprietors -- who used funds from our Paycheck Protection Program loans to survive
the pandemic,” said Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman.

“The vast majority of businesses waiting for forgiveness have loans under $150,000.

These entrepreneurs are busy running their businesses and are challenged by an overly complicated for-
giveness process. We need to deliver forgiveness more efficiently so they can get back to enlivening our Main
Streets, sustaining our neighborhoods and fueling our nation’s economy.”

• Overall, the SBA and lenders have worked to originate over 11.7 million loans totaling nearly $800 billion
in relief to over 8.5 million small businesses.

• SBA approved over 6.5M loans totaling over $275B
• The average loan size was ~$42 thousand (compared to $101 thousand in 2020)
• 96% of loans went to businesses with fewer than 20 employees (compared to just 87% in 2020.)
• 32% of loans went to businesses in LMI communities (compared to just 24% in 2020)
• Over 600 banks have opted in to direct forgiveness, enabling over 2.17mm borrowers to apply through

the portal (This represents 30% of loans $150,000 or less that have not yet submitted for forgiveness)

“This initiative will allow PPP borrowers to put their concerns of achieving full forgiveness behind them and
focus on operating and growing their businesses again,” said Patrick Kelley, Associate Administrator for
SBA’s Office of Capital Access.

Cont.: on PG 2

1

THE COMPETITIVE EDGE “We are pleased to be able to assist financial
institutions across the U.S. in processing
PUBLISHER forgiveness applications for small business
Richard Wallace owners.”
Paycheck Protection Program Summary
EDITOR “As one of the leading PPP lenders in the nation,
Leona Wallace Customers Bank is proud to partner with SBA to
deliver responsive digital loan forgiveness
Nikisha Bond service to the small business borrowers,” said Sam
Dee Goins Sidhu, President & CEO of the bank.
Lue Dowdy “The streamlined and efficient SBA PPP loan
forgiveness portal will help borrowers and lenders
PRODUCTION move forward with economic growth and job
Levi Williams creation following the pandemic.
We encourage other lenders to join Customers
Southern California Black Chambers of Commerce Bank and opt-in to the SBA portal.”
Established by the CARES Act in 2020, the PPP
President was among the first COVID-19 small business
Richard Wallace economic aid programs and provided more
Ambassadors to the Chamber than $798 billion in economic relief to small
businesses and nonprofits across the nation,
Sherrie Curry keeping employees working, and helping
Catherine Francis businesses come back stronger than ever.
Direct Forgiveness Summary
Willie Ellison View the Interim Final Rule on PPP
Vice President of Membership Forgiveness.
Other programs include Economic Injury
Anissa Gaston. Disaster Loan (EIDL), EIDL Advance,
Information Officer/ Secretary Targeted EIDL Advance, Supplemental EIDL
Advance, Restaurant Revitalization Fund,
La Trici Thomas Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, and SBA Debt
Director of Media Relief program.
To learn more about these programs, please
KeJohnna Owens visit www.sba.gov/relief.
San Gabriel Valley BCC

Kimberly Perry

Pasadena, Monrovia, Duarte, El Monte, Arcadia,
Glendora, West Covina, Azusa

Inland Cities BCC
Dee Goins

Fontana, Colton, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino

Inland Cities East BCC
Marvin Williams

Rialto, Highland, San Bernardino, Redlands,
Loma Linda Beaumont, Big Bear, Arrowhead

Moreno Valley BCC
Janie Williams

Pomona Valley BCC
Maurice Autrey

Pomona, Diamond Bar, Montclair, Chino, Upland, San Dimas, La Verne

Riverside City BCC
Russell Ward

Corona, Norco, Jurupa Valley, Mead Valley, Good Hope,

Palm Spring BCC
Julia Moody

Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, LaQuinta, Indio

Long Beach BCC
Sharifah Hardie

Lakewood, Cerritos, Bellflower, Carson,
Torrance, Downey, Lynwood, Norwalk

Hollywood BCC
Linda Lewis

Hollywood, North Hollywood, Culver City, Inglewood, Baldwin Hills

Inland Valley BCC
Nikisha Bond

Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta, Perris, Menifee, Canyon Lake

High Desert BCC
Terrance Stone
Barstow BCC
DeShawn Phillips

International BCC
Jeff McCoy

2

Getting competitors’ satisfied customers to switch to you

Establish the right conditions looking to woo customers away from the competition?
While reps are tempted to go after unhappy customers, the best payoff comes from winning over the

competition’s “satisfied” customers.
WIhsayb‘eslaWtiislkfeiersdo’ncustomers are best

They’re the best prospects for the same reason they’re your competitor’s loyal customers.
Satisfied Customers: don’t make capricious changes, respect those who call on them,

appreciate the benefits of continuing relationships, and count on sales reps to come through in emergen-
cies.

Dissatisfied customers, however, often create problems. Let the smallest thing go wrong and they look for a
new vendor. So the prize is selling the satisfied customers even through they can be toughest sell.
Price-cutting doesn’t work

Cutting price, however, won’t do the trick. Loyal customers normally aren’t seduced by simple
price ploys. They’re more astute.
They know the game of taking a loss to get the business and then increasing prices. Selling the satisfied
customer begins with the rep appreciating what it means to be a satisfied customer.
Building credibility pays

The key is creating a list of companies you want to do business with and cultivating them over a sus-
tained period of time. This is not a short-term project. Happy customers don’t make abrupt or dramatic
changes, rather than attempting to sell product or service, reps need to sell themselves, their knowledge and
the company.
The first goal is to become familiar to prospects – discovering everything about them. Then, offering helpful
suggestions, new ideas or beneficial comments helps these key prospect from a positive impression of the
rep’s capabilities.

The second goal is to have competitors’ “satisfied customers” develop a feeling for your
commitment, manner of doing business and credibility. The shaping of this image is your investment in the
prospect. Throughout this process, reps deliberately and carefully separate themselves from the
competition. Be ready when they are.

Selling a competitor’s satisfied customers is a
matter of establishing the right conditions so that the
business comes to you. No one knows when they will
emerge into a live prospect.
But, at some point, there will usually be an
opportunity - something will go wrong, a problem
will arise, a new need will come up, there will
an emergency.
That’s when they’ll be open to you.
There’ll be a vacuum. And you’ll be asked to fill it.

3

About the Black Chamber Mission

The Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce (SCBCC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) business
organization dedicated to improving the economic environment for the minority business
community, and fostering business development and prosperity. The SCBCC focuses its efforts on
four major areas:
 Economic Development
 Community Development
 Public Policy and
 Membership Services
The SCBCC invests financial and other resources to implement relevant programs for members and
which affect the orderly growth and development of the community. It is the catalytic agency that
brings together all of the forces, public and private, through which common goals can be
resolved. The fundamental mission of the SCBCC is to create and promote a climate where
minority businesses can operate in a productive and profitable manner. The SCBCC has served
member businesses since 1993, and they are enabling them to prosper through mutual cooperation
and support.

Financial Strength and Stability

As in any business a sound financial base is essential for a Chamber of Commerce to perform its
mission. A portion of the SCBCC’s finances are received on a voluntary basis from chamber mem-
bership, through an annual dues investment. The amount a member pays to the chamber may be
based on a fee formula, business classification, special negotiation or averaging. Increasingly over
the last 10 years, dues make up a smaller percentage of chamber budgets, with the average being
about 50 percent. The remaining portion of the budget is dependent upon income received through
the sales of publications, charges for services, special projects and foundations. A well developed
product and services program is the current trend for successful chambers of today.

Structure

The SCBCC is governed by Officers and a Board of Directors. The President of the Board
appoints Committee Chairs to meet the needs of the Chamber. The staff is headed by the Executive
Director.

Programs

The SCBCC’s primary programs are created to provide the maximum benefit to business owners and
professionals in Southern California. These programs include:
 Contacts to Contracts – The SCBCC actively engages in facilitating government and corporate
contracts for minority businesses.
 Business Development and Training – Minority business owners, operators and their staff are
provided a range of workshops, one-on-one training, peer mentoring, resources and referrals.
 Networking and Professional Development – The SCBCC provides local and regional
networking for all who wish to participate. Monthly mixers, local business conferences, seminars
and workshops are provided for the purpose of unifying and connecting minority businesses with
the resources, contacts and training needed to grow their businesses.

4

Lue Dowdy Vice Increased pricing authority boosted Marvin Williams
company sales 18% President
President Inland
Cities East Deals that we should’ve had were getting away from us. Black Chamber of
Prospects would want to negotiate price and reps would come Commerce
SCBCC Director to us for approval.
of Events But by the time reps got back to them, they’d signed with a Inland Cities East
competitor.
We were reluctant to give reps pricing authority. That would be
like letting the fox guard the hen house. But we didn’t want to
lose business either. We had to fund a way to give reps some
pricing authority yet maintain control of the process.

Cuts went into their pockets

We began to look at past negotiations and the amount of business generated.
Then we made a sliding scale-based on potential volume – for reps to use when negotiating with prospects.
Occasionally, we knew it made sense for reps to go even further to get the deal.

We solved that too. Anytime reps needed to drop below our limit, their commissions were reduced accord-
ingly. Reps liked the plan.

After all, some accounts were worth them giving up some omission early on, because of the repeat sales po-
tential. The change has boosted slaw 18% and reps negotiate responsibly since they know it comes from
their pocket.

Networking @Black Chamber Inland Cities Est Mixer last Monday of every month

5

AT&T Creates New Hotline To Assist With Mental Simone Biles Becomes First
Health Female Athlete To Receive ‘GOAT’

Emoji on Twitter for the Tokyo
Olympics

The United States is experiencing a crisis, and Reigning all-around champion Simone Biles is
AT&T wants to be a part of the solution. heading to her second consecutive Olympics in
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Tokyo, where she is the touted early favorite on
Prevention (CDC), symptoms of anxiety disorder most of the apparatuses and poised to add more
and depressive disorder increased considerably gold medals to her trophy case.
in the United States during April–June of 2020, To help celebrate Biles’ career and to show her
compared with the same period in 2019. support throughout the Summer Games, Twitter
As such, AT&T is supporting the three-digit has created a new hashtag feature befitting her
emergency hotline code, 988, for suicide dominance in gymnastics.
prevention and mental health crisis services.
Voice calls to 988 will be directed to the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) to
help individuals in crisis.

6

QVC and HSN Owner’s New Chief Brings Ranks of Paving Your Road
Black Fortune 500 CEOs to 5 to Success with
Caltrans
Qurate Retail, the parent
company of QVC and HSN, A series of contracting and
said on Tuesday that its next procurement training courses
chief will be David Rawlinson II,
an executive who will bring Are you interested in working with Caltrans?
the number of Black CEOs in The California Department of Transportation
the Fortune 500 back up to five. (Caltrans) is launching a new series of contracting
and procurement training courses called “Paving
Rawlinson, an executive at market research company Your Road to Success with Caltrans”.
Nielsen IQ and before that at industrial parts These courses have been developed and will be
maker W.W. Grainger, will take the helm on presented by the District Small Business Liaisons.
October 1 after a two-month stint during which will “Paving Your Road to Success with Caltrans” will
be president and CEO-Elect. With his move, help businesses navigate through the certification,
contracting, procurement, documentation, and
Rawlinson will join the chiefs of Walgreens Boots compliance processes of working with
Alliance' Roz Brewer, Lowe's Marvin Ellison, Caltrans. Through this series businesses will be
guided through each step of the process.
M&T Bank's René Jones, and TI- To launch this series, Caltrans will be showcasing
AA's Thasunda Brown Duckett in the ranks of each presentation over a 10-week period beginning
Black CEOs in the Fortune 500. August 4, 2021 – October 6, 2021.
You are invited join us!
Merck's Ken Frazier stepped down at the end of Webinar topics are as follows:
June. Rawlinson's mandate will be to accelerate
Qurate's shift to e-commerce and adaptation to new An Introduction to the Small Business
shopping behaviors. Program

"QVC and HSN pioneered home shopping and are Overview of Caltrans Minor Program
now set to define a new world of seamless (Small Construction Contracts)
shopping," Rawlinson said in a statement.
It will be up to him to figure out exactly how. Know Your Small Business Resources
Bonding, Estimating, and Labor

Compliance for Subcontractors
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

(DBE) Certification Overview
Selling Goods and Services to Caltrans
Understanding Small Business Program

Codes
Understanding Caltrans Procurement

and Service Contracts
How To make your Certification Work

for You
How to Market Your Firm to Construction Primes

HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/CTSUCCESS21

7

A Small budget adjustment Extended selling cycling
gained more referrals bumped sales 25%

Our numbers were below projections. We had set aggressive sales goals for the quarter
So we pulled out the sales reports and sat down and it was clear we were going to miss them.
with reps. It was obvious reps were tackling the goal with
We reviewed their most recent sales and zeal, but we were getting fewer closes.
discovered a pattern. So we had to take a closer look.
The majority of them were from cold calls, After going on a few sales calls with reps, we
and very few from referrals. It didn’t make discovered the problem.
sense. Reps were so aggressive they were skipping
Their closing percentages were much higher steps in the selling process.
when they sold to referrals. Their hard work was actually having the opposite
The quick fix, of course, was to give bonuses effect on their numbers.
for referral sales.
But with our budget that wasn’t an option. Gave reps a tune-up
That’s when we noticed an interesting trend.
Went back to wining and dining We created an outline to keep reps on track
Most expenses were based on new sales costs. during the selling process.
Spending on relationships building tools, such It required reps to enter competitor information,
as dining and entertainment was minimal. the prospect’s buying timeline and other
Since relationships are the key to gaining information obtained on sales calls.
referrals, we started shifting dollars there. Sure, our reps knew most of this stuff. And we
Now we didn’t cut new sales costs altogether, could have just held a refresher training session.
we just lowered them a bit. But the forms made reps stick to the process.
And we moved those funds to dining and enter- The reps were encouraged by how well it kept
tainment. Reps began spending more time with them focused. Within the month, our closing
customers and began getting referrals. ratio increased 25%. Now rep-s don’t leave out
Now sales are where we projected, and any steps in the selling process.
referrals sales are up. unit Executive, Flynn Media, ew York

Stucker,
Account Executive,
Paychex,,

8

9

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

Moreno Valley Mixer the 2nd Monday
Barstow Mixer the 1st Tuesday

Pomona Valley Mixer the 1st Monday
Montclair, Chino, Upland, Pomona,

Diamond Bar, West Covina, Chino Hill, Claremont, San Dimas, La Verne
Palm Springs Mixer the 2nd Tuesday

Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Laquinta, Indio
High Desert Valley Mixer the 3rd Monday
Pasadena, Monrovia, Duarte, El Monte,
Arcadia, Glendora, Covina, Azusa,
Inland Cities West Mixer the 3rd Tuesday
Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga,
Long Beach Mixer the 3rd Wednesday
Lakewood, Cerritos, Bellflower, Carson,
Torrance, Downey, Lynwood, Norwalk
Hollywood Mixer the 3rd Thursday
Culver City, North Hollywood, Inglewood
Last Week of Month
Inland Cities East Mixer the Last Monday

Highland, San Bernardino, Redland, Loma Linda, Beaumont, Big Bear, Arrowhead
Inland Valley Mixer Last Tuesday

Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Perris, Menifee and Canyon Lake
San Gabriel Valley Mixer the Last Wednesday

Pasadena, Monrovia, Duarte, El Monte, Arcadia, Glendora, Covina, Azusa,
Riverside Cities Mixer the Last Thursday

Corona, Norco, Jurupa Valley, Mead Valley, Good Hope,
International Chapter Webinar Chambers & Business Affiliates
A/A Chamber Commerce of San Joaquin, Antelope Valley AACC, L.A. Black Business Association,
Carson Black Chamber of Commerce, Central San Diego Black Chamber, Contra Costa Black Chamber
Crenshaw Chamber of Commerce, IAAAACAME, Inc., Kern County Black Chamber, Fresno Metro Black
Chamber, Greater Los Angeles A/A COC, Greater Watts-Willow Brook Chamber of Commerce, Monterey
County A/A COC, Moreno Valley Black Chamber, North Bay Black Chamber, Oakland AA Chamber of
Commerce, Regional Black Chamber SFV, San Francisco A/A Chamber, Silicon Valley Black Chamber,
Solano County Black Chamber, U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc, Latin Business Association, Black
Women's Network, The Hollywood Jewish Chamber of Commerce, The Asian Business Association, The
Los Angles Urban League

10

Show Stoppers Packing your credentials kit

The best trade show freebies not only draw a crowd Prospects want proof that you, your product and
but also hold prospects long enough for them to hear your service can help them solve problems or gain
your presentation. profits. So prepare and offer a kit to reassure them.
One smart exec at Allied Van Lines hired a hand- Include these key items:
writing expert to analyze booth visitors’ signatures –
while salespeople qualified them as prospects. Other Your business card and a card for their
ideas: Chair massages and caricature artist Rolodex.

Clean up your trade show act with these tips: Biographies of key individuals in your compa-
ny.
Remove from your booth all graphics and text
that don’t relate to your product/service and Article reprints written by and about you/your
its benefits company.

Think up new ways to open conversations be- Your company newsletter.
sides “Having fun?” or those generic weather Price sheets or fee schedules.
questions. Better: Testimonial sheets and reference letters.
Business organization and trade association
Ask a targeted question that spotlights a common
industry need or highlights your benefits. affiliations.
Expert or celebrity endorsements
Before and after photos and charts
A menu of your services
Guarantees and warranties.

You’ve probably already decided how to identify

prospects at the trade show.
But many visitors aren't interested in buying. So how
do you handle the nonprospects?
As you greet them, quickly determine the
information they're seeking and direct them to the
appropriate source.
Examples: Put a marketing person in charge of
handing out press kits.
Assign certain people to answer questions, others to
demonstrate products, and still others to visit with
current customers.
Establishing this sort of plan ensures you'll always
have a salesperson free to do what he’s there to do:
make contact with qualified prospects.

11

Are day-long training Selecting the right show is
sessions really worth it? key to success.

Instead of holding day-long training Quick tips for choosing the right events to attend
classes, you may want to consider breaking the Trade shows need to be qualified as through as
sessions into 30-to-60-minute chunks. prospects.
Consider these when deciding whether or not to do
Test done in a Research Institute of America study a show:
showed that people remember 58% of what is
taught in a 30-minute class. Location. Since studies show that 40-60% of
attendees are within a 200-mile radius of
Classes which ran for one hour saw the the show, be sure your target audience is
attendees’ memory of material fall to 44%. located within the geographical area.

When sessions last for one day, retention of Timing. Verify other events – both industry
material drops to 34%. Note: and non-industry related – aren’t scheduled
for the same date which may have a
Try to incorporate visual aids into training class. negative impact on the show’s attendance.
Studies repeatedly show that they increase
retention of material. Visit. To eliminate the risk of lost time and
dollars, avoid attending trade shows which
It takes a great sales rep you have not visited, or aren’t strongly
to know a great referred by a frequent attendees.
sales rep
Focus. When choosing trade shows, try to
Looking for ideas to build retention? attend the ones which are most popular
Here’s one: Have reps sit in on hiring interviews. with your target market, not your competi-
Why? tors.

A Recent study found that 81% of candidates who Homework. Ask Show organizers to supply
are a strong match with company culture will stay you with a list of past attendees and
on the job at least one year. exhibitors to verify that the claims of show
sponsors are correct.
And who better understands the company – and
industry – culture than one of your reps? Space. Review the floor plan in advance to be
sure your location will receive heavy
traffic, proper lighting, is not to close to
loading areas and obstructing columns.

12

I enjoy using the analogy:
"jumping in the pool."

Instead of standing by the side of the pool…
Dipping your feet in...
Or slowly descending down the ladder, feeling
the cold and climbing back up the ladder...

Just jump in.

Clark Construction is now recruiting potential candidates for This brings up a question for you.
the upcoming Fall session of their When you go swimming, do you turn to your
nationally renowned small business training - The Strategic friends and ask: "Can I jump in the pool?"
Partnership Training Program. The No! You just do it.
executive MBA Style Program is designed to supplement and So what does all this talk of swimming have to do
enhance the capabilities of local, with Networking and Business ?
small, disadvantaged, minority, women, veteran-owned and Here's something that took me a long time to
diverse businesses in the learn.
construction industry. You DO NOT need permission just do it
The program: (You will probably need permits, location , and
• Provides core construction management and business skills planed agreements, and a bunch of other paper-
• Is taught by Clark and local industry experts work... But I'm not talking about that stuff.)
• Includes virtual classroom learning, team projects, and I'm talking about overcoming your excuses.
presentations by the trainees I'm taking about taking action.
• Is free of charge to small businesses/trainees You just do it. Nobody needs to give you
The program will start with an orientation in September and permission. Your time is now.
end in May. Applications are So what would it take to get you to take action?
being accepted at www.clarkspp.com. The deadline for the ** Blackchamberofcommerce.org **
program application is August 6.
And the best part about jumping in the network-
The classes will be held virtually again this year. Clark Con- ing pool is the feeling you get after.
struction will consider holding select Think back to those times you jumped into a pool
activities/classes in-person depending on guidance from the on a hot summer day.
CDC and COVID-19 safety Maybe you were a little nervous at first.
guidelines. Maybe the water felt cold at first.
For questions contact Pam Morris at (510) 917-5318 But then you jumped in, and you felt GREAT.
or [email protected] Same thing here...

Thanks, - Tom Malloy

13

Juneteenth Golf Classic Bid-Whist Tournament

14

Help reps develop a follow-up program that leads to more sales:

Six ideas to build business after the sale
Whether the customers your reps sell to are repeat buyers, or unlikely to make another purchase, it’s im-
portant to have a solid customer follow-up plan. Here are some ideas to make sure your follow-up plan
leads to sales.

Establish a system to verify all orders. When orders are late or incorrect, some customers let you
know by switching to competitors. Try to determine a method (phone, email or visits) for reps to
verify that customers have received the product they purchased and meets their needs.

Verify proper use of product. Improper product use hurts the success of your customers and the
reputation of your company. When reps verify delivery and/or installation, they can offer custom-
ers a training class to make sure the product is used to its full potential.

Prepare to adjust to specific needs. Whether it’s reorders or special service needs, reps must be pre-
pared for any adjustments that customers need to make. You could have reps check buying pat-
terns and busy seasons of customers to prevent surprises.

Get referrals from customers. Encourage reps to ask for referrals while customers are happy and
willing to discuss the purchase with others. Reps should also try to get letters form customers that
name specific results they’ve achieved while using products your reps sold.

Keep in touch. A follow-up call may present an opportunity to sell customers an upgrade or other
products you have available. Follow-up call backs also present reps with the opportunity to pick up
more referrals from the customer.

Building relationships. If appropriate, reps should ask customers about their career goals and past
employment history. Information gathered could obtain more sales and create accounts which are
competitor-proof.

15

SBA Certificates: 8(a), Most sales forces Give them gifts
HUBZone, and WOSB aren’t growing in that they can wear
Informational Webinar
size Have you begun to
The U.S. Small Business Administration will review think of what gifts
the three certification programs within Federal con- It appears that you’ll for loyal
tracting. lest may be more when customers this year?
This includes the Woman-Owned Small Business it comes to sales forces.
Set-Aside Program, the 8(a) Business In a survey done by The annual state of the
Development Program, and the HUBZone Selling Power maga- industry survey, done
Program. zine, total sales of sur- by The Counselor
Join as the SBA discusses the eligibility criteria; the veyed companies in- magazine, revealed the
programmatic benefits for participants; and the creased, despite a drop top selling product
process to pursue the certification. in sales professionals of category during the
Pre-registration is required. 4%. year 2000.
Webinar login instructions will be sent to all A further breakdown The winner? Wearable
registrants 48 hours prior to the webinar. shows that sales items, like jackets, hats,
Contact: Sandra Anguiano, 714.560.7446, forces: shirts, and other logoed
[email protected] apparel.
Have questions about SBA Small Business increased their size
Certifications: 8(a), HUBZone, and WOSB Infor- (35%) When customers use
mational Webinar? Contact SBA Orange County/ these gifts, there’s a
Inland Empire District Office remained the same bonus for you, free
(47%), and advertising.

experienced cut-
backs (18%).

16

McDonald’s Commits to
Major Boost in Supplier
Diversity Efforts Over Next 4 Years

Greater diversity and inclusion is now part of
the menu at McDonald’s, especially when it
comes to the suppliers the massive fast-food
chain is committed to working with.
The change in corporate policy was driven in
large part by the murder of George Floyd by
the Minneapolis Police, which has impacted
the ongoing push for social reform and
awareness of diversity efforts within the
general public as a whole

17

Closing sales the Triumph over voice-mail
low-pressure way blockades

Professional salespeople rely on persuasion, not A Sales trainer had a problem. When a
pressure, to close the sale. important prospect wouldn’t return his calls.
For that reason, you should avoid words like: now,
today, this afternoon or right away. The account’s potential was enormous,
They can turn your simple, low-key request for a so he decided to commit to the long haul.
decision into a high-pressure sales technique.
After researched the company, scouring
Here are examples of high-pressure, industry trade magazines for related articles and
low-response closes – what not to say: studying their new franchisee information kit.

“Can you think of any reason we shouldn’t And calling several established franchisors
finish the paperwork now?” and received candid answers to his well-thought-out
questions.
“Can you think of any reason we shouldn’t
start this service for you immediately?” As it turned out, he uncovered a major
problem: Finding new leads.
“Can you think of any reason we shouldn’t
order this equipment right away?” Combined that information with voice-mail
technology. “I knew the VP would only return my
Now, notice how easy, conversational and message if there was a strong benefit to him.
nonthreatening (I.e., low-pressure) the
same questions are without the “loaded” My message needed a “hook” to grab his
words: attention. And it had to be brief and direct-no fluff.”

“Can you think of any reason we shouldn’t For 34 consecutive months, he left the same
finish the paperwork?” message: “Mr. X, we must talk. I'm a professional
sales trainer located in Orlando, FL.
“Can you think of any reason we shouldn’t
start this service for you?” I'm familiar with your company. I have the
solution to the number-one problem facing your
“Can you think of any reason we shouldn’t new franchisees. Call me at (38 words, 20 seconds)
order this equipment?”
Results: As I prepared to repeat message
number 35, the prospect intercepted the call.

After two phone calls, he agreed on a
seminar date and fee. He told the sales trainer:

“I'm a tough SOB to reach. No one has ever
called me 34 times.

Do you think you can run some of your
persistence off on my salespeople?”

18

Nominations are now being accepted Reps need to give decision
for the 2021 Spirit of the Entrepreneur makers long-term valve
Awards which will be held live and in-person
at the Fox Theater Riverside on November If your reps sell to high level executive,
10th, 2021. it may be best to show product or service valve
You have the exciting opportunity to nomi- over a five-year period.
nate an entrepreneur for consideration for
the Top Entrepreneurs of the Year awards. A recent CFO magazine survey showed
Eligible businesses include businesses that 56% of high-level decision makers are
founded within the Inland Empire California concerned or pessimistic about the economic
metropolitan area including San Bernardino situation over the next year.
County, Riverside County, and select adja-
cent cities such as Claremont, Chino Hills, however, using a five-year period,
and Pomona Valley. go to: the same group is confident about the economic
https://spiritawardsie.com/easyNomination.php future over the next fie years.

Reps may want to show the positive re-
sults that current customers have experienced
over a five-year period to increase buyer
confidence.

19

Take credit for relationship builders

If you have some negotiating advantage-but you
choose not to use it-be sure to let your customers
know about it.
Perhaps you’re willing to let the customers
“take advantage” of you by offering them special
terms or some huge concession.
Strategy: Make the most of it. Explain all your
options before you show you’re not going to
exercise them.
Example: Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie once
made a mistake and undercharged financier
J.P. Morgan by almost $10,000.
Morgan caught the error and showed up at
Carnegie's office with two checks – one for the
agreed-upon amount and the second in the amount
of Carnegie’s error.
Carnegie tried to refuse the second check, but
Morgan wouldn’t hear of it. Result: Andrew
Carnegie got his money – and J.P. Morgan got cred-
it toward their future relationships.

20

Site Visits Important advertising, reinvented

Make sure reps don’t allow Outdoor Advertising, Reloaded
customer surveys to determine who Aware of people shutting down their laptops and
get all the attention. putting their phones away as they run outside,
advertising firms have already pivoted:
Researchers have found that 44% of They are bringing outdoor campaigns back.
satisfied customers still switch But gone are the days when a company could
suppliers. simply pay someone to wear a sandwich board
and stand on the street corner.
A schedule of routine site visits The post-COVID-19 street advertising world
could prevent the surprise departure promises expanded digital and interactive
of happy customers. offerings and will even employ facial
recognition technology so the content on
billboards can match the demographics of on-
lookers. Do you see what I see

Join our art show every Saturday in
the Montclair Plaza

21

The Official Newsletter of the Black Chamber of Commerce

ADVERTISING RATE CARD

Circulation: San Gabriel Valley, Inland Cities West, Inland Cities East Riverside Cities

Moreno Valley, Pomona Valley Palm Spring , Hollywood Cities, Inland Valley, Barstow
High Desert International BCC

Blackchamberofcommerce.org 888-466-7408

PO. Box 1722, Duarte, CA 91009

Readership: 10,000+

Content: Information for small to medium size businesses, professionals and
entrepreneurs. Local cultural events, as well as state and Federal
political and economic news of importance are shared with our
readership.

Cultural Political Local

Distribution: Drop distribution to prominent firms businesses, bookstands and
mailed to members and others on our mailing list.

Full Page 10 x 7 $675
Half Page 5 x 7 $370
$225
3x9
1/4 Page 3 x 4

Business Card $175 The Edge is printed on recycle paper in four colors.
Your ad should be camera-ready.

If you want help with your ad, the Chamber’s
graphic designer can expertly assist you.

22

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Please complete this form, print and return with your membership fee to the
Black Chamber of Commerce

Business Name State/Zip
Owner’s Name
State/Zip
Address Date of Membership
City

E- Mail Address
2nd E-mail
Phone

Sole Proprietorship Partnership Corporation Non-Profit

Type of Business or Profession (please check ) one ):

Automotive Retail/Wholesale/Distributor Civic/Social Organization
Public Utilities Healthcare Publisher/Printer Entertainment/
Amusement Transportation Financial Radio/TV/Media, Public
Relations/ Advertising Insurance Real Estate Construction
Manufacturer/ Processor /Restaurant/Food Service Legal

Other: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Networking Business Development Marketing New technology
Minority Certification Business Start-Up Information

Annual Membership Dues Amount Enclosed: $__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
Non-profit $150
Small Business $200 Southern California Black
Partnerships $350 Chamber of Commerce
Silver Corporate $1,000
Corporate Business $2,500 P.O. Box 1722
Major/Gold Partner $5,000 Duarte Ca 91009
Blackchamberofcommerce.org

888-466-7408

Chapter: Inland Cities West Inland Cities East Inland Valley
Moreno Valley Hollywood Cities San Gabriel Valley
Pomona Valley Barstow Palm Springs High Dessert
Riverside International Long Beach

23

Southern California Black Chambers of Commerce
P.O. Box 1722 Duarte Ca, 91009

BLACKCHAMBEROFCOMMERCE.ORG

Hollywood
Black Chamber
Pomona Valley
Black Chamber
Inland Cities West
Black Chamber
Inland Valley
Black Chamber

Long Beach
Black Chamber
Inland Cities East
Black Chamber
Riverside/Corona
Black Chamber
San Gabriel Valley
Black Chamber
Palm Springs
Black Chamber

High Desert
Black Chamber

Barstow
Black Chamber
Moreno Valley
International Chapter

888-466-7408

24