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American Marketing Group is a business brokerage franchise and marketing consulting firm that can help you expand or sell your business. Whether you wish to buy a new business or expand your existing business, AMG has the time proven experience to help you achieve your business goals.
With eighty years of collective entrepreneurial experience, plus business brokerage, franchise and marketing consulting experience that dates back to 1978 when Richard T Pisani our President was the owner of American Business Brokers, Inc. where he excelled in evaluating and selling businesses. Franchising his own business brokerage firm, enabled him to expand his company to an amazing 23 offices throughout the Midwest. Following this outstanding accomplishment Mr. Pisani and Wm. Michael Clayton started American Marketing Group, Inc. to franchise other peoples businesses.
By 1983 American Marketing Group, Inc. discovered that the restaurant industry and other businesses needed professional expansion or growth services and expanded American Marketing Group, Inc. into a "multi-service" corporation. We now provide business brokerage services along with expansion services including; franchise packaging , site selection, lease negotiation loan assistance, marketing surveys, construction coordination, advertising/promotional support services, sales/management training and motivation.
The officers of American Marketing Group, Inc. have solid business backgrounds and a collective experience of eighty eight years as entrepreneurs.
Cicardi A. Bruce, Jr.
Chairman & COO:
 Cicardi is an accomplished and proven business owner and entrepreneur. He has started and headed three flourishing ventures in the printing and publishing industry. He grew the business to approximately 250 employees, and eventually sold all three to large corporations.
Cicardi’s areas of expertise are marketing, advertising, business planning and financial packaging. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree.
Since 1989 he has served as a guest lecturer at both St. Louis University’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and the St. Louis Community College Continuing Education programs. His lecture topics include starting a business, business planning, and business development.
Richard T. Pisani
President & CEO:
 Rich is a born marketer, who honed his skills with seven years employment at the Xerox Corporation. As an entrepreneur, he successfully established a business brokerage firm, specializing in buying and selling companies. He opened 23 franchise offices in the Midwest, later selling out to a large corporation. Rich later formed American Marketing Group, Inc., primarily a “franchise” brokerage and business consulting firm.
Rich’s areas of responsibility include business appraisals; securing business and franchise listings; qualifying potential buyers; and negotiating price, terms and conditions of a sale. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree and a Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies.
Robert L. Andrews
Executive Vice President:
 Bob brings years of hands-on experience from the “other side” of entrepreneurship. He spent eleven years with the Ralston Purina Company in a variety of management rolls, including the establishment of 98 full-service “Checkerboard Stores” countrywide as the national co-director.
He later toiled 31 years with the U.S. Small Business Administration as a District Director heading up a major field operation. He has witnessed and helped establish thousands of successful small businesses—learning along the way what does and does not “work” in business.
Bob’s specialties are business development, planning and financing. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree.
Wm. Michael Clayton
Sr. Vice President:
 Mike is also a Xerox alumnus, having spent nine years in sales and marketing with them. He used this experience, after joining American Marketing Group, Inc., in helping the franchising of “The Pasta House Company” with locations in the Midwest; and with the franchise expansion of VR Business Brokers to over 600 offices nationwide prior to their IPO.
Mike is an expert in the back-office operations of a franchise including procedure manuals, employee training and HR guidelines. He also has experience working with lawyers to insure proper documentation of all aspects of a franchise. Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Degree.
H. Stephen Caby
Sr. Vice President:
 Steve evolved from a production manager into a successful entrepreneur. He spent his business formative years with the Olin Corporation in a variety of engineering rolls, eventually becoming the Divisional Manager of Production with full Profit and Loss responsibilities. He was the founder and owner of three small businesses which were successfully sold.
Steve joined American Marketing Group, Inc. shortly after it was formed and has expertly addressed issues involving real estate, site selection, demographic studies, construction of free-standing business facilities, and lease negotiations. Steve holds Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Engineering Management.
Lynda K. Andrews
Sr. Vice President:
 Lynda has spent her entire business career helping and nurturing businesses both large and small. Before joining American Marketing Group, Inc., she spent seven years as the director of the Small Business Development Center at Southwest Missouri State University. She spent fourteen years with the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA) as Director of Business Development for International and Life Sciences. Lynda was part of the team that successfully retained MasterCard and Citigroup for the St. Louis region.
Lynda will focus on business development and training. She holds Bachelor of Science and MBA Degrees.
| Sales Training & Entrepreneurial Studies Courses |
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The President of our company, Rich Pisani, has an extensive background in sales training and entrepreneurial studies. He was the Branch Sales Training Manager at Xerox Corporation before he launched his own business and franchise brokerage firm in 1977. He continued his education and received his Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies at St. Louis University through their Price-Babson Fellows Program. He has taught Professional Selling Techniques and courses on Entrepreneurship to thousands of people from all walks of life as an independent consultant to the business world, and as an Adjunct Professor at both St. Louis University and St. Louis Community College since 1987.
The Professional Selling Techniques course is a 24 hour basic sales training course that covers the following topics:
Professional Selling Techniques
1. What Are You Really Selling?
2. Sales Tools Necessary to Perform Professionally
3. Knowing Your Firms Product/Service
4. Knowing Your Competitors Product/Service
5. Target Marketing
6. Using the Right Prospecting Lists
7. Prospecting for the Decision Maker
8. Telemarketing Techniques
9. In-Field Cold Calling Techniques
10. Setting the Appointment With the Decision Maker
11. Confirming the Appointment
12. Preparing for the Appointment
13. The Value of Role Playing
14. Dress Codes
15. Body Language
16. Eye Contact
17. Word Choice
18. The Presentation
19. Showing Up Early
20. The Warm Up
21. Telling Features
22. Explaining Advantages
23. Selling Benefits
24. Handling Objections
25. Paraphrasing
26. Trial Closing
27. Closing the Sale
28. Preparing the Order Form
29. Getting the Decision Makers Approval
30. Call Backs on Your Prospect
31. Demonstrating Your Product/Service
32. Proposal Writing
33. How and When to Use Reference Letters
34. Customer Care After the Sale
35. Marketing to Existing Customers
Rich teaches courses in Entrepreneurial Studies that include the following topics:
Entrepreneurial Studies Courses
1. How to Produce a Business Plan
2. How to Secure Start-Up Capital
3. Setting Up Your New Company
4. Choosing Your Lawyer, CPA, Banker, and Business Consultant
5. Networking Techniques
6. Advertising Your Product or Service
7. Public Relations
8. Starting a Business
9. Buying a Business
10. Selling a Business
11. Franchising a Business
| American Cancer Society:
St. Louis Archbishop, Justin Rigali, joins Cicardi Bruce and Rich Pisani, Co-Chairs of the American Cancer Society's 17th. Annual Taste of Italy Gala & Auction, to salute them and their volunteers for their untiring efforts to help patients that are victims of cancer. That evening's event netted over $254,000 for the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge, which gives lodging and transportation at no charge to cancer patients under treatment at St. Louis local hospitals.
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| American Cancer Society:
Cicardi Bruce and Rich Pisani, Chairman and President respectively of the American Cancer Society's "Heritage League Founders" Planned Giving Division, co-chair the the 2nd. Annual Spirit of Health Awards Dinner for the medical doctors and researchers who work feverishly to find the cure for cancer. Dr. Ronald G. Evans, President of BJC Health Sysetms, was the guest of honor that evening and helped present awards to seven top doctors and researchers in the St. Louis medical community for their untiring efforts in their quest to find the cause and cure for cancer. Joining Cicardi and Rich on stage were two children, both affected by cancer. Since the formation of the organization in 1999, Dave Hatfield, the Executive Director, along with the offcicers and board of directors have raised over $9.2 million dollars in planned giving to support the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge, which is a 45 unit hotel-type facility in St. Louis that houses cancer patients at no charge.
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| Squires & Ladies Charitable Foundation:
Local News Anchor, Rick Edlund, joins the Squires & Ladies Charitable Foundation Chairman, Cicardi Bruce, its President, Rich Pisani, and Board Member, Joan Bengston to present a donation to the 1904 World's Fair Charitable Foundation board of directores from the Squires & Ladies 8th. Annual Airshow Party at Cicardi's home. The foundation, which was started by Cicardi in 1984, has hosted hundreds of events and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local St. Louis charities in need of financial support.
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| St. Louis Ambassadors:
Cicardi Bruce and Rich Pisani, board members of the St. Louis Ambassadors, meet with Governor, Bob Holden, St. Louis City Mayor, Francis Slay, County Executive, Buzz Westfall, St. Louis Ambassadors President, Frank Ferrara, and Executive Committee Officer, Arthur Clyne, to plan the 1904 World's Fair Charitable Foundation celebratory events and venues for the year 2004.
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| 1904 World's Fair Charitable Foundation:
Cicardi Bruce is inducted as Chairman and Rich Pisani as President of the 1904 World's Fair Charitable Foundation by Governor, Bob Holden, St. Louis County Executive, Buzz Westfall, St. Louis City Mayor, Francis Slay, and their Advisory Board of Directors. The organization was established in March of 2001 with a mission to host and support events that will help celebrate both the 100 Year Anniversary of the 1904 World's Fair & lll Olympics and the 200 Year Anniversary of the Louisianna Purchase.
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| Judevine Center for Autism:
Cicardi Bruce and Rich Pisani Co-Chaired the 19th. Annual Festival of Trees Annual Gala & Auction to raise needed money for children and adults with autism. Present that evening was Louis Judevine Blackwell, Foundress of the center, Buzz Westfall, St. Louis County Executive, and Guy Phillips with Y98-FM Radio who was that nights auctioneer. Over $100,000 was raised during the festival and auction to help find the cause and cure for autism.
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