While Internet technology and social media such as Twitter and Facebook allow businesses to manage contacts and nurture important professional relationships, it’s the initial “handshake” that makes a lasting impression with retailers and consumers.

. . .

In fact, in-person interactions are the “single most powerful marketing medium,” says , marketing professor and executive director of 91��ɫ’s Schulich Executive Education Centre (SEEC). “Research in the business-to-business world suggests the No. 1 reason for selection of a supplier is the personality of the sales team or seller. This is above the technical specs, marketing form, anything else,” Middleton says.

Deliver on your promises, or risk tarnishing a business relationship built on trust. Enter your new contacts into a customer relationship management system, such as Salesforce, suggests Middleton, and follow up with e-newsletters, blogs, updates or even webinars.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin

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Here's an excerpt:

As Canadians cheer on our athletes in their quest for gold at the Winter Olympics, little focus is being given to an arena where Canadian competitors are falling behind: the global competition for markets, investment opportunities, knowledge industries and job-creating business expansion.

...

Whatever the argument, it boils down to saying: We are too small to go global. This thinking is not going to win us any gold medals in the economic Olympics. In fact, it's a disqualifier to start with. To stop us sliding on a downward trajectory, we need to put our thought-process into reverse: We are too small not to go global.

In Canada, we have traditionally focused our policy objectives on aiding large multinationals or entrepreneurial start-ups. But it is Canada's small- to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that hold the key to our future economic prosperity. We need to breed our own world-beaters — dynamic companies with unique value propositions or cutting-edge technology that grow by selling in foreign markets and by acquiring foreign assets. Our national strategy should be to identify and nurture such companies.

...

The multicultural background and global diversity of much of our SME sector provides Canada with a built-in competitive advantage, if only we make strategic use of it. We now have a rapidly growing segment of entrepreneurs with a truly global perspective, mindset and motivation. This group should be the target for new public policy initiatives from governments, financial support from banks and innovative training from our world-class business schools. Our national growth strategy needs to place emphasis not only on promoting new start-ups and aiding large companies. Instead, it should increasingly shift its focus to the thousands of small- to-medium-sized firms in cities from Kanata to Kelowna. They will be the drivers of Canada's competitiveness in the years ahead, the companies going for gold in the economic Olympics.

To read , visit the.

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Over the next three years, the centre will open and expand its programs to provide workshops, seminars and online webinars, education services, and databases containing 'green' best practice information and resources.

"It'll be a place where a business owner or homeowner can enter, and get information," said David Phipps, director of 91��ɫ's Office of Research Services. "We'll understand the information needs the business owner has, and then try to find that. We'll find the best information to help meet that need. The centre is a meeting place, where people can come and have multiple voices."

More details about the project are expected in March 2010.

Published with files courtesy of the .

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91��ɫ students who are enrolled in courses affiliated with the University’s Experiential Education initiative get valuable opportunities to apply their skills to real world problems and situations.

Experiential Education (EE) is a form of engaged learning that blends theory and coursework with practical, hands-on experience. As part of their academic studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies students apply key course concepts to a wide variety of case studies and research projects involving both profit and non-profit organizations. The students work with faculty members who serve as guides in the background and scope of the projects.

Above: From left, Course director Frank Miele, 91��ɫ students Daniel Hernandez, Byung Mark Yoo, Tri Ngo, Xiaomin Liang and Waris Ali, Township of Adjala-Tosorontio municipal councillor Mary Brett, 91��ɫ student Christina Kroner, and Margo Cooney and Valerie Ryan, representing the South Simcoe Economic Alliance

Most recently, six students in a fourth-year Regional Economic Development course taught by Frank Miele got a chance to present their research findings to representatives from their Experiential Education community partner, the (SSEA). The alliance is a partnership of three municipalities and the community economic development organization . The municipal partners in the SSEA are the , the and the . The region is home to two multinational industries, (automotive) and (pharmaceuticals), yet the lives of it citizens are also shaped through agriculture and many small and medium-sized businesses.

To realize the South Simcoe brand as “The Best of All Worlds,” the SSEA was seeking assistance from the team of 91��ɫ students on a number of initiatives, including:

• guidance on attracting and retaining investment monies that will drive business growth and enhance the quality of life for the community;

• an analysis on the recommendations of strategic/core activities arising from two background reports – the Economic Competitive Analysis Project and Competitive Analysis 2004;

• a review and analysis of the SSEA Web site, including benchmarking it against other Canadian regional economic alliances.

After spending much of the fall term researching and working on their project, assisted by Miele, the students were finally ready to make their presentation and deliver their written report and executive summary to the SSEA. On Dec. 9, 91��ɫ students Daniel Hernandez, Byung Mark Yoo, Tri Ngo, Xiaomin Liang, Waris Ali and Christina Kroner delivered their recommendations to SSEA representatives Valerie Ryan and Margo Cooney of Nottawasaga Futures and Township of Adjala-Tosorontio councillor Mary Brett.

"This project is the capstone endeavour for students enrolled in a regional economic development course," explained Geoff Webb (right), manager of Experiential Education at 91��ɫ. "We found a great team and hit the ground running." Webb commended the students, who started the project on Oct. 18. "You had a lot of work to do and you've done a great job. This form of learning is a great way for students to apply what they've learned and give back to the University's community partners."

In their presentation, the students recommended that the communities in the SSEA view economic development as an investment and expand budget allocation to support economic growth activities. They said that South Simcoe should take a stronger leadership role in promoting the region to the Greater Toronto Area and that local economic developers should establish a partnership fund to leverage joint marketing initiatives. Included in their presentation were specific recommendations on transforming the SSEA Web site into a more user-friendly, marketing tool. The students said the SSEA should also integrate programs and services to retain and attract business investment and accelerate job creation by developing employment parks that have municpal services, are readily available and prominent to possible developers.

Kroner, speaking on behalf of the students, said the EE experience “was a fantastic educational experience that brought our learning to life. The discussion that followed the presentation was very stimulating.”

Ryan thanked the students for their dedication and said she appreciated the depth and clarity of recommendations from students. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate our partnership with 91��ɫ," said Ryan, who is the CEO of Nottawasaga Futures. “The students displayed a high level of integrity,” she said.

Cooney is a community economic development officer with Nottawasaga Futures and served as the team's contact. "The team was wonderful to work with and I really enjoyed the experience," she said.

There is the potential to carry the SSEA project and some of the conclusions reached by the students into future semesters, said Webb.

In addition to the SSEA project, 91��ɫ students are working with a number of community partners on projects, including the YMCA, UNICEF, the Ontario Non-Profit Network, the Canadian Red Cross, CBC, the University Health Network and numerous other organizations.

�۴ǰ���’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit is also working to expand 91��ɫ's relationship with SSEA and has , both 91��ɫ graduate students funded through the , to assist in developing the Nottawasaga Futures Green Transformation Program.

For more information, visit the Experiential Education Web site or contact Geoff Webb, manager of Experiential Education.

Complied with files from , 91��ɫ's Knowledge Mobilization blog. Republished courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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