Advisory Link - Women’s Advisory Board Results

WAB Results Highlights

Increasing Women Employees and Executives

The businesses having Women’s Advisory Boards (WABs) for at least six months have all hired women managers, recruiters and agents/producers. Some of them previously had no women except in support positions.

Examples:

One office recently hired a woman sales manager from a competitor, who brought 15 associates with her and said, “I like what you represent and are doing in the community.”
A business grew from no women to seven high producing women in less than six months due to the suggestions and inspiration of its WAB.
An agency now has 16 women advisors, where it had only four when the WAB was created, a 400 percent increase. Additionally, they are doing business with board members and their referrals.
“Telling potential female recruits about the WAB has positively differentiated the company from its competition,” stated one sponsoring manager.
WAB members help their sponsor organizations secure new employees by making introductions and providing new sources for candidates.

Enhancing Sales and the Bottom Line

Many sponsors of WAB are attracting more women clients including board members, who are saying, “We want to do business with you.”

Examples:

In one corporation, the offices with WABs achieved 146% of their sales quotas and won six out of nine awards among the company’s 85 field offices.
An office wanting to pursue doing business with the military and school districts strategically added a top-ranking female officer from the local Air Force base as well as the school superintendent to its WAB.
A business owner said having a Women’s Advisory Board has “opened his senior producers’ eyes” to the potential of women’s markets.
The sales force gets sales from both the WAB members as well as their qualified referrals.

Providing the Competitive Edge

Having a Women’s Advisory Board provides PR opportunities, awards potential, community outreach programs, positive visibility and other options to increase revenue.

Examples:

An entrepreneur who was unable to penetrate a specific ethnic market was named “Business Person of the Year” by that ethnic group’s chamber of commerce as a result of business contacts developed through an influential WAB member.
A columnist for a major newspaper whose column is carried in 140 publications nationally attended a WAB meeting and was so impressed, she wrote an article about one of the company’s programs.
Businesses have developed significant outreach programs, establishing themselves as good corporate citizens and someone interested in giving back to their communities.
A national WAB was comprised entirely of women matching the demographics of the sponsor’s base. This enabled the company to reach thousands of potential patrons by word-of-mouth endorsements from women the consumer trusted.
A company general manager was nominated by his WAB for a very prestigious award that usually goes to CEOs of top corporations. He won because of the women who nominated him and reaped excellent PR and visibility in the community.
WABs recommend the best charity functions to attend, business expos to support and philanthropic funding opportunities.

Offering Seminars, Products and Programs

A WAB introduces a business to the most influential women in its marketing demographics.

Examples:

Television stations such as Telemundo, HUD or United Way agencies, philanthropic foundations, CEOs of corporations, community outreach programs such as Ronald McDonald House, trade associations including the hotel industry, major and minor league ball clubs are all part of WAB programs and introductions.
WABs facilitate introductions to professional and civic organizations, such as the National Association of Women Business Owners, Chambers of Commerce, etc, which are excellent venues to present seminars and keynote speeches.
WABs sponsor high profile events in the community, serve as focus groups, recommend new products/programs and help the company form alliances with strategic organizations.
As one sponsor said, “WAB members give me ‘opportunities and access’ I never had before.”

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