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Program Goal & Description
Hotel & Meeting Accommodations
Schedule  
Registration Information

2010 Snow Strategies Forum Goal & Description
To help snow owners and managers develop confidence and capacity in overcoming their greatest snow and ice challenges while identifying profitable growth. This 2-day event will focus on intense training, group interaction, and developing action plans. It’s also a great opportunity to relax with a fun group of snow-focused professionals.

The three most dangerous words in the business world are Business as Usual. There’s nothing comforting or strategic about staying in your comfort zone. The same can be said for snow and ice management firms in 2010. Snow industry professionals face mounting challenges in creating competitive differentiation, building a leading brand, providing innovation and quality at a fair price, all while facing competitors and customers who are driving prices down and demanding price concessions. Contractors have watched market dynamics change, economic and regulatory pressures mount, lenders tighten credit markets, insurance costs rise and competition increase as customers demand contractors become best-in-class.

The Snow Industry Sales and Marketing Challenge 2010, with Judy Guido, will help you demolish your comfort zone and teach you how to build a successful business platform by analyzing key market dynamics to develop an intelligent business strategy, identify growth opportunities and create a competitive advantage while increasing both brand equity and the value of your company. Join SIMA and Judith Guido, an expert in strategy, research, sales, and marketing, as we seek to empower a core group of highly-effective snow contractors by resolving challenges and identifying profitable opportunities in a rapidly changing business environment.

Day 1 Workshop: Understanding and Executing a Measurable Marketing and Sales Strategy
This 4 hour workshop and brainstorming session will begin with an in-depth analysis of current market dynamics and the challenges and opportunities they present for snow professionals, including:
• Understanding which market dynamics are key to the success of your company & how to read them in order to create a strategic growth model
• Shifts  in customer buying & paying patterns
• Building a customer-centric & risk management program
• Addressing downward pricing pressures
• Analyzing & sizing up the competition
• Leveraging your brand as a business asset
• Differentiating yourself form the competition
• Identifying growth opportunities

After the brainstorming session Judy will present conduct an interactive workshop that will provide them with the tools to overcome these challenges and seize opportunities directly. Education will include:
• Understanding the building blocks of market dynamics
• Developing a strategic competitive analysis for any market
• Gaining strong skills and insight into the science of sales and marketing
• Reviewing and considering innovative sales and marketing concepts
• Learning how to build a master brand
• Building market share

Day 2 Workshop: Overcoming Challenges and Seizing Opportunities
During this 4 hour workshop, Judy will use her expertise as a moderator and facilitator to break the attendees up into non-competitive groups. She will then guide the groups through a series of exercises designed to overcome snow and ice challenges and seize opportunities outlined in Day 1, in the context of:
• Honing needed skills in analyzing macro and micro-market dynamics
• Identifying and segmenting target markets poised for growth
• Intelligent Marketing
• Leveraging your brand as a business asset 
• Setting yourself apart from the competition
• Leveraging your supplier as a business partner
• Identifying key alliances as additional sales channels
• Pushing attendees out of their comfort zones

Each attendee will walk out of Day 2 with a strong foundation and set of actions to take home and apply to their snow and ice firms for the future. The Snow Strategies Forum is worth 8 CSP Credits.

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Hotel & Meeting Accommodations

	The Iron Horse Hotel, located in Milwaukee’s historic warehouse district, was transformed from a 100-year-old bedding factory & warehouse, into a modern luxury hotel that opened in 2008. Much of the original construction remains in place, such as original Cream City brick and classic post beam construction, many of which are 300-year-old heart pine timbers! The hotel features oversized guestrooms, many are loft-style, and are combined with local photography, sculpture & craftsmanship. The Hotel is a haven for motorcycle riders and enthusiasts. Riders will appreciate the covered motorcycle parking, on-site bike wash and in-room storage areas for even the heaviest duty riding gear. Everyone will appreciate the Cook Custom Chopper displayed in the hotel lobby, and The Iron Horse Hotel’s location, adjacent to the Harley-Davidson Museum, the location for the Sunday Evening Reception. The hotel also features free wireless Internet, and is big-dog friendly. Guests will enjoy Branded, a beautiful bar located off the lobby, containing a fully-restored 1910 Niagara Billiard Table, fantastic beverage selection & Midwestern friendliness; and Smyth, a high-energy restaurant featuring Rustic American cuisine, in a setting that pays homage to the pre-Industrial Era “blacksmythe” craft. The Iron Horse Hotel 500 West Florida Street Milwaukee, WI 53204 www.theironhorsehotel.com – Check it out, we know you will be intrigued! Rate: $139.00 + Tax – Rate available until August 27, 2010. Please call (888) 543-IRON (4766) for reservations.
	Bikes The Harley-Davidson Museum® captures the excitement and history of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company brand of motorcycles, with global influence that has made Milwaukee famous. The award-winning design, surrounded by the Menomonee River on three sides, features rich culture, and tells the stories of the people, products and culture of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. SIMA is pleased to announce that the Sunday Night Reception will take place at the Museum, one of the most popular attractions in Milwaukee. Attendees & their guests will socialize and network with friends & colleagues, in a fun and unique atmosphere, and check out the Museum’s exhibits, while enjoying an early-autumn evening in Milwaukee.
	Baseball Miller Park is home to the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Team. The stadium welcomed over 3million fans to watch the Brewers in action during the 2009 season, and features the Klements Famous Racing Sausages, a beautiful brick facade, retractable roof, and the Walk of Fame, which commemorates some of the greatest names in Milwaukee Brewers & Milwaukee Braves history, including Henry “Hank” Aaron, Robin Yount and Bob Uecker. Miller Park is home to an optional Monday Evening Outing, where you’ll experience late-season baseball in a fun atmosphere, including a buffet and beer & soda selection.

Schedule of Events

All events take place at The Iron Horse Hotel, unless otherwise noted.

Sunday, September 19, 2010
Noon-5pm SIMA Board of Directors Meeting

6-8pm Welcome Reception, Harley-Davidson Museum®, shuttle transportation provided.
If you arrive earlier in the day, you will be free to visit the museum at your leisure, tickets provided for all registered attendees and registered guests.

Monday, September 20, 2010
7:30-8:30am Breakfast
8:30am-12:30pm Snow Industry Sales & Marketing Challenge Workshop, Day 1
12:30-1:30pm Lunch
5-10:30pm Milwaukee Brewers v. Cincinnati Reds, Miller Park, motorcoach transportation  provided. This is an optional outing, additional fee applies. For those who choose not to  attend, SIMA will coordinate dinner reservations at several locations. Dinner and cab fare will be dutch-style.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
6am-8:30am Hotel breakfast available in The Hotel’s Library, breakfast vouchers provided
8:30am-12:30pm Snow Industry Sales & Marketing Challenge Workshop, Day 2

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Registration Information

The 2010 Snow Strategies Forum fees are:

SIMA Member Rate:
$495.00 on or before 8/27/2010
$545.00 after 8/27/2010
  
Non-Member
$550.00 on or before 8/27/2010
$600.00 after 8/27/2010

Brewers v. Reds
$75.00 per ticket

Easy ways to register:
1) Download the registration form and fax/mail it in
2) Register online (recommended)
4) Call (414) 375-1940