Who's Who Better Business Bureau

Who's Who Special Edition BBB MAGAZINE 27 his successful sales management consulting and training company, Sales Expert, with OfficeSmarts in 2016. Today, the Debreuils employ four other staff members and have become a powerhouse in web design and digital marketing in Manitoba. "The buying process for consumers has gone online. You don't need an expensive team of outside sales reps anymore. Clients are better off developing an online presence and an inside sales team, and feeding them with inbound qualified leads," Dan explains. OfficeSmarts has partnered with digital marketing think tank Digital Marketer. The knowledge they have gained through that partnership has helped them focus on using on-line marketing to help clients. "What our clients really want are qualified leads," Dan says. "Being connected to a world-class digital marketing think- tank company has given us the knowledge and skills to offer our clients cutting-edge techniques for attracting new leads and converting them into paying customers." One thing that sets OfficeSmarts apart is the time they take in getting to know their clients. "We recognize there's an investment on the part of the client to learn what it is we can do for them. But we also want to learn a lot about the client so we can really understand what it is they do for their customers. Our job is to bring clarity to that, and to build long-term relationships with them," Dan says. "It's so important for us to be patient, listen to what our clients need, and only put forward recommendations that make sense for them. Don't put a Phase 3 recommendation on the table when they only need Phase 1," Mary-Jane adds. Earlier this year, OfficeSmarts was recognized by social media giant Facebook because of the "rock star status" level of success some of their clients achieved using Facebook marketing. Facebook invited Dan on stage as a local expert at a Facebook for Business Training seminar hosted by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce last January. "When I got the email, I thought it was spam," Dan laughs. "But I called them back, and sure enough I'm talking to someone in Menlo Park, California, where the Facebook office is located." The recognition was a great honour, and both Dan and Mary-Jane are thrilled with the progress OfficeSmarts has made over the years. Both agree there is more to come yet! "I'm very proud of where it all came from, where it is now, and where it's going," says Mary-Jane. "To think, this little thing I was doing part-time from home has grown to this – I'm happy to tell our story because I'm very proud of the story." ❙ Learn more at officesmarts.ca Dan Debreuil and Mary-Jane Debreuil. "To think, this little thing I was doing part-time from home has grown to this – I'm happy to tell our story because I'm very proud of the story."

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