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...]
Green Coaching
I recently returned from our home in Santa Fe where the Green Movement can be seen everywhere. There are classes on sustainability, a wonderful farmers’ market with organic everything, throw-away containers that are biodegradable. I started thinking about what makes the green movement so powerful. It is all about how systems operate and cooperate with the laws of nature. So … [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...]
How to write a quick and effective press release
Part of any promotional strategy for any size business in any industry or market should be the Press Release. This simple tool is used to communicate information – news. The classical definition of “news” is that this is information that is new…something heretofore not yet announced or known. A press release should also impart value to the reader. That value can … [Read more...]
Conversation with an internet marketing student
I had occasion this past weekend to have an engaging conversation with a student studying internet marketing. He was interviewing me on a different topic as part of a class assignment and showed me one of his textbooks…about internet marketing. That led to our discussion. At first we talked about various types of online applications that are available to join or be a part … [Read more...]
When is a “brand” not just a brand?
Any business person worth their salt will tell you that branding is important. People have to be able to recognize your products or services on sight. Some brands are symbols or images, some are just words and others are a combination of words and images. As an example, when I see the name General Mills, I instantly think of Cherrios. Can't help myself. I know that the … [Read more...]
How important is Relationship Marketing?
It doesn’t matter whether we are in a recession or prosperity, staying in touch with clients is imperative. Staying in contact not only shows that we care about our clients’ needs and wants, it also shows that they can trust us to be there for them at any given time. The more support we provide and the happier our clients are, the more they will come back and purchase from … [Read more...]