Illinois Excellence Award 2013

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Melissa Whitaker International receives 2013 Illinois Excellence Award 

February 20th 2014 – Melissa Whitaker & Melissa Whitaker International has been selected for the 2013 Illinois Excellence Award amongst all its peers and competitors by the US Institute for Excellence in Commerce (USIEC).

Each year the USIEC conducts business surveys and industry research to identify companies that have achieved demonstrable success in their local business environment and industry category. They are recognized as having enhanced the commitment and contribution of small businesses through service to their customers and community. Small businesses of this caliber enhance the consumer driven stature that Illinois is renowned for.

Melissa Whitaker has consistently demonstrated a high regard for upholding business ethics and company values. This recognition by USIEC marks a significant achievement as an emerging leader within various competitors and is setting benchmarks that the industry should follow.

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Are You Mentally Strong?

In my experience the most successful people are what some people call “Mentally Strong.”  I was sent an article today called “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do” by Amy Morin, and I know by personal experience this is right on.  So the question is, where do you measure yourself in these 13 points?  Are there areas of your life that you can stretch yourself to be better?  To do better? By applying some of these key points in your life you will be happier and more successful in whatever you do.  Take a moment to read the article (link below) and give yourself a “self evaluation.”  Life is too short!

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/13-things-mentally-strong-people-dont.html

13-Things-Mentally-Strong-People-Dont-Do

Melissa Whitaker needs your help to win a GRANT!

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Chase is giving away $250,000 to 12 small businesses.  

We want to be able to help your business grow more!

Help us create more jobs and create growth for you. . . .

What would MWI do with $250,000 dollars?

Melissa Whitaker International would take the funds and invest in additional staff and technology that would lead to continued financial growth.  Additional staff allows for more classes offered.  Each business we are able to assist sees increased revenue after training and coaching of their staff.  Growth for us has an exponential affect as we work to grow other businesses, plus personal growth of participants as a life-long career investment.  The $250,000 investment will result in millions of revenue and jobs to our communities.

We need your help to win a $250,000 grant!  We need 250 votes in 2 weeks!!!

Please take one moment of your time to help us be eligible for the grant.

3 Easy Steps:

1.       Click here:  https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/26226

2.       Click the “Vote” button.

3.       *Sign into Facebook to confirm identity.

*You will get a pop-up that clarifies that Chase and/or Google (proud sponsor) will not be sharing that information or using it to contact you.

Thank you so much for your help!

Melissa D. Whitaker

How do you handle feeling powerless?

Everyone needs to watch the YouTube video link below:  “Look at yourself after watching this”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE

Sometimes we each feel powerless.  Kind of like the guy with no arms and legs in the video link above.  He is awkward to look at and most people look at him and think that he would not amount to much.  But he took what little was given to him and made it big.  Those are decisions that we have to make inside ourselves.  Only ourselves.

We take the constraints that the company we work for (or life) puts on us and we act like we have no arms and legs.  However, this guy chose to see it as opportunity to see how much he could do without arms and legs.  So instead flip it around and say, “How much can I do despite all these decisions the company is making that seem to cut me off?”

So often we want to be angry at some of the decisions and actions of our company and people around us for what is going on.  But maybe we need to think outside the box – who says that you could not think of better ways of doing something?  Take what you don’t like and say, “How can I make this better?”

I hope this adds some inspiration and perspective for you today — “Be an inspiration to Others”

MWI Becomes Authorized Distributor of DiSC Personality Profiles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Melissa Whitaker International becomes Authorized Distributor for International Training Company (DiSC Personality Profiles)

Schaumburg, IL – August 23, 2013 – Melissa D. Whitaker of Melissa Whitaker International in Schaumburg Illinois announced today that she has successfully completed the application process with Inscape Publishing, Inc. to become an Inscape Authorized Distributor. Melissa Whitaker is now among more than 2,500 independent trainers, coaches and consultants in North America authorized to use Inscape’s industry-leading DiSC® learning instrument along with a host of assessments dealing with leadership, teamwork, sales, management, communication and more, to augment their training and development solutions.

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Register Now: Need Help Training Your New Sales People?

Top Gun Sales Training2

Melissa Whitaker International (MWI) and Pros Elite Group have been asked many times over the past couple of years for a “New Hire” Sales training class that can be instructor led  – but webinar based.  So if you have new hires and need help training them to hit the ground running, please click on the link below to read more about (and register) the upcoming MWI’S ELITE SALES ACADEMY class being held August 12th – 16th 8:30am – 12:30pm CDT.  A sales workbook will be sent to each registered attendee before the class starts.

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e7vy8eq282ffb735&llr=wtluzdmab

Some testimonials from the June class:

“Melissa Whitaker expertly walked us through all of the key steps to making successful
prospecting calls.  The various role playing scenarios combined with
constructive group feedback helped to sharpen my pitch and cater each call to
who I am speaking with.  She was thorough, professional and knew how to
keep things entertaining in a sometimes difficult webinar environment.”
– Ben Pearson, Account Manager. Rival Office Solutions.

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Productive Sales Calls

Are your sales calls as productive as you’d like them to be? Ever wonder why you make so many calls with nothing to show for it?  Sales people are always asking me what are the “best practices” they should implement to be successful. While I go over with them how to create good habits and best practices, I also go over avoiding pitfalls.  I recently came across a good slide show presentation that talks about the “10 Mistakes that Kill Sales Calls” by Sales Benchmark Index.  This presentation has some good things to remember on what NOT to do.  Take a look by clicking on the link below.

http://www.slideshare.net/salesbenchmarkindex/10-mistakes-that-kill-sales-calls?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_content=579402

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The Ripple Effect You Create as a Manager

What kind of Manager are you?  How well is your team performing?

Monique Valcour wrote an interesting article in the Harvard Business Review called “The Ripple Effect You Create as a Manager.”  I agree with Monique that who we are as a person and our personal beliefs permeate how we manage others.  This can have positive effects and /or negative consequences when managing and building a winning team of people.

Take a look at the article below and see what you relate to.  Also take a look at Monique’s 5 ways you can radiate positive, productive energy through employees at your workplace and out through their work-life networks.  By doing this you will increase overall effectiveness, build camaraderie and ultimately have better results.

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/05/the_ripple_effects_you_create.html

The Lost Art of Handwritten “Thank You” Notes

I find today that we are so caught up in high technology through emails, texting & social media that we have forgotten the weight that handwritten letters and notes have with each of us as human beings.  I came across this article that articulates this message very well.  Take a moment to see what John Coleman wrote in the Harvard Business Review (HBR):

“Handwritten notes are a rare commodity”

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/04/handwritten_notes_are_a_rare_c.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=linkedin