President’s Message: Steve W. Martin, from the site “Heavy Hitter Sales,” often compares sales people and sales — especially the fourth quarter sales season — to warriors and combat. He states, “For the sales warriors of the business world, the difference between being hailed as a hero or branded a failure hinges on winning. You must win. But in order to win, you must know the steps it takes to develop a winning strategy. Winning is everything in sales as it is in war.”

While I think this saleswarrior comparison might be a little grandiose, I do agree that the company or sales person that understands the “art of war — art of sales” of today’s competitive business climate will do better than those who do not.

In sales, just as in war, today’s conqueror can quickly become tomorrow’s vanquished. For the fact that the Mid-coast business community is still standing strong after the base closure in 2011 is a testament to the extraordinary business prowess of the men and women in the region — a review of other BRAC closures easily shows this is not the norm. While we have every right to be proud of this, there is still much we can do, at the individual business level as well as locally and regionally, to keep the competitiveness of the Midcoast high.

There is a concept to do just that — strengthen individual businesses, local communities, and the overall region — that I think business owners and sales folks could borrow from the military. It’s called Combined Arms, and if applied appropriately, it can grow a company’s bottom line through multiplication instead of addition.

Combined Arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different capabilities or systems to achieve progressively positive effects. The idea of “softening” targets with air strikes while deploying heavy artillery barrages on enemy escape routes is an example of using combined arms.

In sales, the concept of combined arms is used every day. By taking cash, travelers checks, and multiple kinds of credit or debit cards, businesses are skilled at separating me from my money. I don’t carry cash often, but if the urge to buy something is there and a swipe of my Down East Credit Union debit card will do the trick, you’ve got a sale. If you don’t take credit cards, not only are you missing the direct sale, but you are losing the opportunity for my repeat business and loyal customer referrals.

Another valuable Combined Arms approach is using multiple forms of advertising.

There is web, print, emails, direct mail, mobile applications, radio, television, and, in extreme cases, some crazy dude wearing a dog suit while flipping a sign on a well-traveled corner. Which ones should a business use? I will answer that question with a question: What mediums reach your potential customers? Your answer to my question is the answer to your question.

In general, I see a lot of businesses moving away from print. Maybe that is the national trend, but folks, Mainers, and those that come to visit us in Maine, have never followed the national trends. If you are not using print advertising to augment your web sales and presence, you’re wrong! If you aren’t taking advantage of co-op advertising specials at your local or regional level, you’re giving your competitors the first wave of business without a fight! And if you haven’t started to think about how to get your name in front of smart phone users, iPad, and electronic tablet junkies, you’re behind the power curve! The principles of combined arms dictate that the business that figures out the optimal advertising mix from the latter sources wins.

Let’s talk sales force really quick. Great sales people are a rare breed of folks who love the thrill of the sale. Someone that is in need of quick money might be a decent sales person — for a while — but usually they don’t last if they don’t develop the passion. If you have someone that is in sales purely for the cash, run away from them — they’ll do whatever it takes to get the sale, regardless of ethics or rules. Take it from somebody who has been involved in sales for a lot of years, from insurance to running a small business, if you really want to grow your businesses and blow away the competition, invest your time in finding someone who is passionate about your products and understands relational sales.

If you look at the three areas I’ve covered separately, the best you can ever do is “add” new capabilities to your business mix. However, if you look at the three areas together and work to integrate them, you get “multiplication” from combining your potent sales force — ready to take money any way it can be given — with ready-made, interested customers showing up at your door based upon a well thought out marketing strategy.

In warfare, combined arms cuts down enemy resistance while channeling individuals to a specific, predictable spot where they are then promptly captured. In sales, combined arms raises your business’ prominence and channels pre-qualified customers to your talented sales force — where their spending dollars are then promptly captured. Different kinds of fights; same, positive result.

In closing, my best wishes for the holiday season to the businesses, municipal leaders, families and individual members that make up our very special Mid-coast community. And for those who are blessed with extra, please consider donating either your time or resources at one of our many local and regional nonprofits. As always, you can count on me buying local … I hope to see everybody out there soon!

Upcoming Events: Tonight, Byrnes Hospitality Group hosts Chamber After Hours at Byrnes Irish Pub, Station Avenue, Brunswick, 5- 7 p.m. Make use of the networking power of the SMMC. Enjoy delicious refreshments, cash bar and door prize drawings. This event is free to attend. Please register.

Thursday, Nov. 29, is a ribbon cutting and grand reopening of La Bella Day Spa located at Monument Place, Topsham.

Domestic Violence and the Impact on the Workplace: Domestic abuse does not stay at home; it can endanger employee safety and security and affect legal liability and compromise employee performance. Learn how to institute a policy at your workplace at the Dec. 5 Business Success Seminar. It is 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Priority Group Business Center. This event is free to attend. Please register.

The Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Dinner is Jan. 17, 2013, from 4:30-8:30 p.m. and takes place at Thorne Dining Hall on the campus of Bowdoin College. The evening includes a member to member exhibition, networking and social hour, sit down dinner and election of new board directors and officers. For the first time in many years the Chamber’s Annual Awards will also be presented. Watch the Chamber website for more information and to register.

For information and to register for these events, visit www.midcoastmaine.com.

Members in the News: The Chamber welcomes ARK II Charters, operating from Cook’s Lobster House, Bailey Island. To discover more about this business go to www.midcoastmaine.com or download MyChamberApp for use on your mobile phone or tablet.

The Chamber proudly serves 720 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.

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