If you have a business, are involved in commerce in any way, you have customers. Customers are the people who pay money for the products or services or combination of products and services that your business offers. [Even if you are involved in a barter-type commerce, each side of a barter or trade is the other's customer.] This is not news to any of us with small or … [Read more...]
3 Websites you already know about
Or you might not...I don't want to be presumptuous. I love discovering new-to-me things. When I received my laptop as a Valentine's Day gift from my husband a few years ago, it virtually opened up the world. My local world is somewhat isolated by current necessities and I felt cutoff and frustrated. I had tried starting one little business after the other, but when you … [Read more...]
Business Stalled? A Killer Question
Halloween is a scary time of year. Ghosts, goblins, vampires and other creatures of the night stroll around making ugly faces and uttering growls and, like my dad used to do, they slap their shoe on the coffee table when you don't expect it scaring the bejezzus out of you. Actually it was pretty funny because we kids could always see it coming and mom never could and she … [Read more...]
Reinvent Your Business
In reading More magazine's online version recently about their Reinvent Yourself feature I was struck by an idea: reinvent your business. I liked reading the articles that answer their questions: "...Have you turned your passion into a business or a nonprofit? Have you pursued a dream, nurtured an artistic talent, or mastered a new hobby?..." I know a few women who have … [Read more...]
An observation about sales staff
I had lunch one time at a popular eatery in a nearby town. It was a place where on weekends, families and couples would have brunch or dinner; but on a weekday at lunch time, it was usually business people meeting. On this particular day the restaurant was very crowded and I was quite lucky to get a table. My little table-for-two was positioned between two larger tables. … [Read more...]
How to attack the business doldrums
It's nearly mid-October and we've all been shuffling along in our various business activities for 3/4 of the year. The economy has been rough and the need to stay competitive, innovative and fresh has never been stronger or more important. Staying competitive depends, in part, on being able to think (a) one step ahead, (b) outside the box and (c) unpredictably. But that's not … [Read more...]
Learn something new everyday
There is a cliche that says you should learn something new every day; well, I'm not convinced that's actually possible, but every once in while something new-to-you comes along. If you keep your antenna active, you'll pick up on some really cool stuff. Now whether everything will help you in your business...who knows. I came across something new yesterday when I read my … [Read more...]
Continuous Improvement – Read Great Blogs
Staying on top of the curve in business takes dedication. It takes a willingness to be flexible, adaptable and learn new ways of doing things. No matter what your business might be, information is key. Information pertinent to your particular industry, customers, marketplace, products, delivery systems...there are many areas that change with changes in technology, economy … [Read more...]
Leadership is important role for the solo business owner
Having a business for which you are the owner, sole decision-maker and worker bee can sometimes seem unwieldy. Often it seems to be too many things to do and not enough time to do them. How can anyone be successful in a solo venture? I believe the key is to know the importance of the role of leadership. Every organization - whether a one-person business or a mega-global … [Read more...]
Lessons taken from big business for the benefit of small business
I love reading the morning newspaper. The actual get-your-fingers-covered-with-newsprint paper newspaper. I rue the day when it is just too financially unacceptable for the Fourth Estate to continue rolling the presses. I try to avoid my newspaper's new "Morning Edition" because all too often it is filled with death and disaster news. I don't want to fill my brain with this … [Read more...]