Opportunity Strategies » Strategic Planning, Facilitation and Custom Training

Board of Directors Development

Our Board of Directors Training is everything your new and returning board members need to succeed. We cover roles & responsibilities, best practices, committee structuring, and the 5 C’s: Communication, Confidentiality, Commitment, Conflicts of Interest, and Coalition Building.

Customer Service Excellence

Customer Service Excellence is what sets your organization or community apart from the average ones. Topics include, but are not limited to: Communication, Image, Greetings, Asking, Listening, Assisting, Dealing with Upset/Difficult Customers, Lasting Impressions, and Giving a Little Extra. Other discussions include attitude, best practices, disabled customers, telephone etiquette, and handling complaints properly. If in Texas, each participant will be awarded a personalized certificate that recognizes them by name as being certified “Texas Friendly” from the official Texas A&M AgriLife Extension “Texas Friendly Hospitality” program.

Ethics and Integrity

“If you have to ask if it’s okay, it probably isn’t.” In this customizable workshop, we discuss the delicate subjects of ethical and unethical behavior. We identify each with tangible signs and cover how to address unethical behaviors in your organization.

Shop Local

Whether you want to build a Shop Local Campaign from scratch or improve an existing one, we can help. From concept to framework, to community awareness, to full implementation, we can get you there. Shopping local is not just a trend; it’s about supporting your entrepreneurial neighbors. When locally-owned businesses thrive, your community thrives.

Leadership Development

We have a variety of options to assist with your Adult or Youth Leadership Programs. From Kickoff Retreats to Economic Development Day, to graduation speeches, we design solutions to meet your needs. If you are building a program from scratch or sprucing up an existing one, we can help you design the process and assist with any or all of the implementation.

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Economic Development

For over 18 years, we have written the curriculum for and delivered the first two modules of the IEDC-sanctioned Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) for Texas. Texas trusts us to train each new economic developer and so should you. We have Economic Development Overview Workshops for practitioners, board members, staff, elected and volunteer community leaders, and community sales teams. Make sure your board is getting the same set of current facts that the professionals demand.

Community Development

As the foundation for economic development, it is critical that your board and community leaders understand how leadership development, workforce development, social infrastructure, and physical infrastructure shape the future of your community and its opportunities. Community development is more than just being shovel-ready.

BRE - Business Retention and Expansion

We don’t have to tell you how important business retention and expansion is in today’s economy. A BR&E helps foster relationships with decision makers who have already invested in a community and works to maximize their satisfaction with being located there. Right away, existing businesses will feel more valued, concerns of stakeholders will begin to come to light, and economic development professionals will begin to build a dossier of knowledge. Longer term, a BR&E Program increases new job creation, facilitates competitive improvements, and establishes a reputation in the site selection sector that your community is serious about taking care of businesses.

Community Marketing

What is your community trying to say to the world? Are they getting it right? We help you take a look at your target audiences– whether for business recruitment or tourism–identify gaps, and help design a marketing plan to get you the exposure you deserve. From traditional marketing to creative marketing to social media, our facilitators and advisers make it happen.

Chamber Management

New to the Chamber industry? or just need some new ideas? Our on-staff IOM (U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization Management) is always gathering and sharing Chamber best practices all across the country to bring to your Chamber. Staff development, membership development, membership services, dues structuring, event management, committee effectiveness and member bliss are just some of our comprehensive list of Chamber Management skills shared.

Sales Team Training

Are you confident that everyone in your community who may come in contact with a prospective investor knows their role and exactly what to say? Do you know what your existing industries say to prospects when you’re not there? This 3-part training series includes the Site Selection/Elimination process, the Dos and Don’ts of Working with a Prospect, and a mock prospect visit with a brutally honest debrief and recommendations.

Customized Training