March 18th, 2010

AA-ISP Upper Mid-West Chapter Meeting to be held March 18, 2010

Come join us for the first meeting scheduled in 2010! The meeting promised to be an informative one for all members and guests that attend. Our speaker Brad Lelemsis, CIR, CDR, with Talent Matters, LLC is a Master’s level human resource professional with over twelve years of broad base experience on both the talent acquisition/recruiting and human resources generalist side. He will be speaking on Competency Modeling, Inside Sales Interviewing techniques and Assessments for sales aptitude and cognitive ability. Additionally, we will have a motivational speaker, Bob Klatt, who will share with us his thoughts on how " Individual approaches determine your outcome. How to stay up when conditions pin you down". He is a former minor league baseball umpire and professional bowler. Meeting location is the Mendakota Country Club and will run from 4:00 - 5:30 with networking and drinks immediately following.

April 14th, 2010

AA-ISP Atlanta Chapter meeting to be held April 14, 2010 - SAVE THE DATE

An invitation to join the newly launched Atlanta Chapter of the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals! The meeting promises to be an exciting one where members and guests will help set the direction for the future of the chapter and have the opportunity to listen to author Ardath Albee, eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale, a social media and eMail Marketing Specialist. The meeting is scheduled Thursday, April 14th from 7:00-9:30 a.m. and is being held at Roam Atlanta (5815 Windward Pkwy Suite 302, Alpharetta, GA 30005-4202). A complimentary breakfast of bagels, juice and coffee is being served and sponsored by RareAgent.

May 11th, 2010

Leadership Summit 2010

Details for Leadership Summit 2010. have been announced. Get more information or register today.

May 12th, 2010

AA-ISP Annual Awards

AA-ISP 2009 - 2010 Annual Member Awards

PROGRAM SUMMARY AND RECIPIENT ELIGIBILITY

The AA-ISP Annual Awards will recognize individuals, organizations and solution providers from 2009- 2010.
- Awards will be presented at the Leadership Summit in May. (Recipients do not have to attend the Summit to receive the award)
- Award recipients across all categories must be members in good standing with the AA-ISP.
- AA-ISP Sponsors are not eligible for the awards in the Inside Sales Professionals category.
- AA-ISP members may nominate individuals via the link posted below.
- All nominations will be reviewed by the Awards Committee which is comprised of the AA-ISP Leadership Team and select Advisory Board members.
- Final Award selections will be determined by the Awards Committee.


INSIDE SALES PROFESSIONALS CATEGORY

AA-ISP Spirit Award - Awarded to an Individual who displays the following characteristics:
- Shares a true passion for inside sales
- Selfless contribution to the industry of inside sales
- Enthusiasm in helping others with improving inside sales
- An advocate for advancing the profession of inside sales

AA-ISP Innovators Award - Awarded to an Individual who displays the following characteristics:
- Is a true "thought-leader" with respect to advancing inside sales
- Is unwilling to settle for "good-enough"... constantly pushes the envelope. Willing to take risks - Is often an early-adopter, implementing new ideas before others
- Viewed by peer groups as an person/organization with a "can do" attitude

AA-ISP Excellence in Execution Award - Awarded to an Organization and/or Individual who displays the following characteristics:
- Viewed by senior leaders and field peer groups as an organization which consistently
- Delivers outstanding results and value to the enterprise
- Maintains the highest standards for all operational and performance metrics
- Is results focused while building and supporting a "people first" culture
- Is highly regarded by external candidates as a top organization for prospective employment

AA-ISP Executive of the Year - Awarded to an Individual who displays the following characteristics:
- Recognized by internal and external peer group as an outstanding leader
- Consistently delivers outstanding organizational results
- Is a "student" of inside sales... maintains on-going learning, sharing and teaching
- Shares a passion for helping people succeed and advance in their careers
- Is an advocate for advancing the profession of inside sales

CAST YOUR AA-ISP AWARD NOMINATIONS NOW:
To nominate individuals for the AA-ISP 2009 Inside Sales Professionals Awards: CLICK HERE

SERVICE PROVIDER DIRECTORY AWARDS

In addition to individual awards, the AA-ISP will recognize Service Providers who provide outstanding products or services to our inside sales communities. Awards for AA-ISP Service Providers will follow the Service Provider Directory Recognition Program as described and outlined under the SPD section of the AA-ISP web site. Service Providers may be eligible to win “Service provider of the Year” awards across 7 categories including:

- Consulting Services
- Training and Education
- Books and Publications
- Recruitment Services & Hiring Tools
- SaaS, CRM and Productivity Tools
- Outsourcing, Lead Generation and Marketing
- Computer Hardware and Telephony

Award recipients are determined by you, the AA-ISP members through individual reviews and ratings via the SPD section of the web site. We (ask) encourage all current members to take a moment to rate and review any Solution provider who you have worked with or benefited from in the past year.

PROVIDE YOUR REVIEWS FOR SOLUTION PROVIDERS: To rate and review AA-ISP Solution Providers, please visit the Service Provider Directory of the AA-ISP web site. Only AA-ISP members may submit reviews. You must first log into the web site, and then go to the Service Provider Directory area to submit reviews. CLICK HERE to log-in and submit reviews.

March 16th, 2010

AA-ISP Webinar Series: Reduce Your “Sales Drag Coefficient” with Sales 2.0: 3 Keys to Increasing Sales in 2010

Learn how Sales 2.0 technologies and processes can help you:

• Prospect more efficiently and more effectively
• Have a “killer” opening
• Know your “sweet spot” and focus on leads that “fit”

The world almost ended in 2009…but the strong survived! As 2010 kicks into high gear, 85% of the companies are raising quotas and budgets are starting to come back, Inside Sales is taking on a greater significance and facing great challenges - a much smarter approach to sales is required to win as we come out of the worst down turn in decades.

Plan2Win CEO Steven Harper and Glance Networks Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Tom Scontras join Bob Perkins, VP of Sales at Merrill DataSite and Founder CEO of the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals (“AA-ISP” ) for what promises to be a very lively panel discussion on the topic: How to leverage sales intelligence tools and a revamped sales strategy to successfully engage Customer 2.0 with information that’s relevant to their current initiatives and urgent business challenges – and in the process increase sales rep performance, and of course that all important top line!

Let’s face it, if you’re in sales, you spend time on the phone – learn these proven 2.0 techniques and you’ll be better prepared to succeed in 2010.

Date: Tuesday, March. 16th
Time: 1:00-1:45 EST. 10:00-10:45 PST

This webinar free and open to all.

Presented and hosted by the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals.

February 10th, 2010

AA-ISP Webinar Series - How to Deliver Captivating Virtual Sales Presentations Using WebEx, GoToMeeting, and More…

The greatest challenge we face when selling and presenting online, whether using WebEx, Adobe Connect, GoToMeeting, or any comparable platform, is being able to effectively engage our prospect. This webinar will help you to significantly improve your ability to sell in the virtual environment, so that you can shorten your sales cycle, beat the competition and close more business.

Some of what you will learn includes:
• The number one most important strategy for selling online
• How to design a captivating virtual presentation
• Best practices from the top 5% of WebEx Sales people
• Strategies for creating interaction and gauging your audience
• How to make the most of your voice and other delivery skills
• Creating captivating visuals with photos, graphics and video
• The 5 most common mistakes sales people make and how to avoid them

How your sales people and managers will benefit:
• Learn how to fully engage your prospects and customers online
• Have a streamlined, standardized presentation design process
• Create a sense of urgency and shorten the sales cycle
• Sell on “VALUE” rather than features and functionality
• Set yourself apart from the competition and close more business

Who will benefit from this program:
This program will be of great value for inside sales people, outside sales people, sales managers, marketing teams, sales support staff, sales engineers and anyone else involved in the sales process.

When: February 10, 2010
Time: 12:00 - 12:45 EST

Webinar is free and open to all.

Tom Drews
Tom Drews, the CEO of What Works! Communications, is considered to be a leading expert on designing and delivering captivating online sales presentations. He trained the vast majority of the WebEx sales and marketing teams during the past five years. Tom has also delivered his programs for companies including Google, Symantec, CLIF Bar, Riverbed, McKesson, and Cisco.

February 3rd, 2010

AA-ISP Chicago Chapter Meeting to be held February 3rd

DATE: Wednesday, Feb 3, 2010 TIME: 12:00 noon - 2:00 PM LOCATION: Grainger Facility 14441 W Il Route 60 Lake Forest, IL 60045-5201 Agenda: Lunch, Networking, Hot Topic discussion around Hiring practices and identifying the best candidates. Come join us for a productive Inside Sales Session!

January 21st, 2010

AA-ISP Boston Chapter Q1 FY10 Meeting

AA-ISP Boston Chapter Q1 FY10 Meeting scheduled for January 21, 2010 and will be held at Papa-Razzi in Burlington, MA. The meeting scheduled from 4:00-5:30 will be sponsored by Green Leads and promises to be a robust session for those in attendance. Following the meeting, there will be a cash bar and networking with Green Leads providing appetizers for members and quests.

January 20th, 2010

AA-ISP Webinar Series: Social Media - How to Actually Win Business with It!

Harnessing the power of social media is a challenge facing many inside sales professionals. Hear insight from well known inside sales expert Anneke Seley and view an in-depth "how to" session led by social media training guru Steve Richard.

You'll hear...
- Success stories of real business wins
- Real world examples on managing social media activities
- Tips on how, when & why to use social media
- And more...

You'll experience...
- A detailed demonstration of "how to" use LinkedIn to help win business
- Learn helpful tips you never knew before about this powerful tool

If you're an individual contributor looking for "how to" tips, a front line manager looking to increase sales, or a senior executive trying to understand if/how social media fits into your sales strategy, you will benefit from this enlightening, quick moving webinar.   

Date:   Wednesday, Jan. 20th
Time:   12:00-12:45 EST. 9:00-9:45 PST

December 25th, 2009

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays from all of us at the AA-ISP!

December 16th, 2009

AA-ISP Webinar - Seven Steps for Success in 2010

Hear four long time Inside Sales Leaders share proven, practical procedures that will help strategically position your Inside Sales Organization for “Success in 2010”. Whether you’re an individual contributor or responsible for the entire organization, you’ll benefit from this enlightening, quick moving webinar.

Presented and hosted by the AA-ISP

This is a complementary Webinar. Everyone is welcomed.

Date: Wednesday, Dec 16th
Time: 12:00 – 12:45 EST. 9:00 – 9:45 PST

December 10th, 2009

AA-ISP Advisory Board Meeting

The Advisory Board will be meeting to discuss focus and activities for 2010 and beyond.

November 26th, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving to all from your AA-ISP Team!!

November 12th, 2009

Upper Mid-West Chapter Meeting

Join us for the first Upper Mid-West Chapter Meeting. Network, Learn, and Share. For more information contact us at info@aa-isp.org or visit the UMW Chapter Forum

Date: Thursday, November 12, 2009
Location: Mendakota Country Club
Time: 4:00PM - 6:30PM
Register Now!

October 28th, 2009

Webinar
Hunting for New Opportunities in a Down Economy:
The Importance of a Solid Pre-Sales Process for your Sales Team

October 14th, 2009

Boston AA-ISP Chapter Meeting

Join us for the first Boston Chapter Meeting. Network, Learn, and Share.

For more information contact us at info@aa-isp.org or visit the Boston Chapter Forum

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 AM
Location: ZoomInfo, 307 Waverley Oaks Road | Waltham, MA | 02452 Phone: 781.693.7500

To Register: Click Here

October 13th, 2009

Western New York AA-ISP Chapter Meeting

Join us for the first WNY Chapter Meeting. Network, Learn, and Share.

For more information contact us at info@aa-isp.org or visit the WNY Chapter Forum

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Location: Greater Rochester Area, (Location TBD)
Time: 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Register Now

More details to follow

September 15th, 2009

Introducing the AA-ISP Contact Exchnage

Get connected with over 1 Million contacts! Join us for this AA-ISP exclusive 30 minute webinar and learn about this easy to use yet powerful new service from the AA-ISP.

Title: Webinar for AA-ISP members
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM CST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

NOTE: The Exchange is active - check it out at AA-ISP Contact Exchange

September 10th, 2009

Chicago AA-ISP Regional Chapter Meeting

The AA-ISP Chicago Chapter will be meeting at the Motorola Facility in Schaumburg on Thursday, Sept. 10th from 12 - 2.

The meeting is open to both members and non-members. We encouagre you to invite colleagues. During this meeting we will be discussing the topic of "Pre-Call Planning". A Best Practices open forum will then be lead by Chapter President, Dan Halt of Motorola. A complimentary lunch will be served.

To Register: Click here

For more information contact us at info@aa-isp.org. or visit the Chicago Chapter Forum

August 19th, 2009

AA-ISP Webinar - The Evolution of Inside Sales & The Hybrid Rep.

Companies are being challenged with maintaining revenues and preserving the bottom line during these tough economic times. Is it possible to increase sales coverage while lowering their overall cost of sales? Learn from inside sales experts who have successfully implemented a hybrid model. Hear firsthand how inside sales is evolving into the "sales channel of choice" by both companies and customers alike!! Also be the first to see the latest from the AA-ISP - the Contact Exchange - if you or your organization needs to connect with prospects - you won't want to miss this. For Members and Non-Members. When: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 from 10:00 - 11:00 CST

July 30th, 2009

Advisory Council Meeting

More information on the Advisory Council Meeting is coming soon!

July 10th, 2009

Chicago AA-ISP Regional Chapter Meeting

The first AA-ISP Chicago Chapter Meeting is being held. For information contact us at info@aa-isp.org.

June 9th, 2009

Leadership Summit 2009

The Leadership Summit will feature informative, thought-provoking presentations from some of the nation's leading Inside Sales Professionals. In addition, a variety of topic-specific break-out sessions and panel discussions addressing the issues most important to today's Inside Sales Professionals will be offered.