frequently asked questions

ForbesRobinson is a business development consulting company that specializes in bringing people together thoughtfully. Here we answer some of your frequently asked questions about the way we help companies learn to put people first.

Q	What does “corporate interactions” mean?
A	A corporate interaction can be as simple as how people pass each other in the hall. Basically, anytime a company engages one of its key stakeholders: customers, influencers, partners, employees and, even, competitors. Putting out a newsletter, staging a client dinner, running an annual meeting, conducting an annual meeting – these are all examples of common corporate interactions.
Q	Where did you get the idea to blend human psychology with the practice of corporate meetings and events?
A	When Ashley Forbes Kellogg was working with a large consulting company more than a decade ago, she was assigned to a team that was in the process of landing a huge account. A long weekend in Pebble Beach was in the works to seal the deal: 12 men, 36 holes, a private plane, and cost was no consideration. As Ashley settled into her new team, she began asking what she considered to be some crucial questions: What personal information do you have on your guests – and have you carefully considered that information in your planning? Do you know what your guests drink? Have you golfed with these people before? Do you know how they react when they play poorly or lose? It didn’t take long to realize her team didn’t have all the answers, and hadn't really thought about the answers much. Those answers were important, so the idea of ForbesRobinson was born.
Q	I read you were an elementary classroom teacher?
A	I was a teacher and then went on to become an educational consultant and it was at that point that I made the jump to corporate consulting. I was giving a presentation to parents, and after the meeting one parent, a CEO, approached me. He asked if I had ever given any thought to how my knowledge could be applied to a corporate culture. I had not, but grabbed a copy of Business News, and all the books on the best-seller list and called him. That led to my first corporate assignment.
Q	What were those books?
A	The Pursuit of WOW!, by Tom Peters The Toyota Way, by Dr. Deming Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practice, by Peter F. Drucker Principled Centered Leadership, by Stephen R. Covey
Q	What was the connection?
A	The single, common trait all people share is the need to be known (recognized), valued (appreciated) and respected (considered).
Q	Are you a meeting planner?
A	Yes, we use meetings and events as a tool to build business, but we’re so much more than that. ForbesRobinson’s niche is helping people make the most of every corporate interaction. We specialize in helping companies see how they are perceived across the table, how to positively impact that perception and, in the process, achieve key business objectives. We look at every exchange between a company and its key stakeholders as an opportunity to develop business. We give our clients a real, measurable edge in growing effective business relationships – and evaluating and allocating their associated budgets accordingly.
Q	How do you save companies money?
A	We do this by shortening the theory of seven touches. One of the basic rules of marketing and business development is that a person needs to experience a “touch” seven times to feel comfortable enough to do business. Our approach shortens that cycle, helping our clients establish the “known” recognized factor more quickly – and time is money.
Q	What's one practical way you achieve this?
A	Nametags. Let's say you're a client invited to an event hosted by an organization you do business with regularly. Shouldn't they know you? A nametag implies that you don't know your guest. Guests have an emotional need to be recognized and greeted warmly at the door by a host who knows their name, can introduce them appropriately to other guests, and can make them feel generally welcome. Unless it's clearly stated in the invitation that an event is a networking gathering, nametags are inappropriate.
Q	So then, how do you remember everyone's name?
A	This is exactly what ForbesRobinson does. We create a system that gives the host the ability to remember their guests' names and, further, helps them remember the personal information necessary to make proper introductions. These systems build a foundation that supports our clients' goals, making sure every person involved with the company feels known. We are, in short, masters of the small details.
Q	How do you predict we make it out of this difficult time?
A	Civility will stage a comeback. We need each other more. I foresee a sizeable shift in the way we measure success in business. As more examples of greedy, unconscionable behavior are exposed, business leaders are under pressure not just to turn a sizeable profit, but to embrace an appropriate level of civility, higher ethical standards, and an increased level of corporate morality. It helps that everyone is in some sort of pain. Pain is a good thing: it helps us understand our limits, and is always associated with growth. Call it what you will – recession, depression, correction – it’s as much a psychological phenomenon as it is a financial one. And, like a good golf swing, civility is between the ears.
Q	How do you charge your clients?
A	We work with clients by the hour, on retainer, or by the project, depending upon allocated budget and the size, scope and duration of the assignment.