Professionalisms
Do You Put Clients Last? Ten Ways You May Be Failing Your Customers
Joseph Callaway points out ten ways well-meaning business owners may be selling their customers short — and shares the deceptively simple solution to erasing these habits once and for all.
How To Design A Logo That Looks Great Online
Whether you just launched a new website, or are looking to give your online presence a more professional look, Vice President of Marketing for LogoMix, Dena Enos shares 4 tips for designing a logo that looks great online, no matter what the platform.
4 Miscues That Can Transform Popular Brands Into Troubled Brands
Too often brands get into trouble due to the self-inflicted actions of their owners. There are probably a dozen identifiable ways businesses can make a mess of their brands. Larry Light, co-author of "Six Rules of Brand Revitalization" shares four of them.
The 3 Stages Of Evolution For Forward-Moving Entrepreneurs
Peter J. Strauss, author of “The Business Owner’s Definitive Guide to Captive Insurance Companies“ shares three stages of entrepreneurial evolution, and how personal and team growth can inspire the same evolution within a client’s company.
Seven Reasons To Bite Your Tongue In The Office
When it comes to behavior in the office, it’s important to err on the side of caution when you are establishing your professional image in the workplace. Diane Gottsman, modern manners and etiquette expert, and author of "Pearls of Polish, An Etiquette Guide for Today’s Busy Woman" offerssome tips and reminders to follow while you’re at work to keep your reputation intact and to avoid any turmoil with your peers.
Are Best Practices Your Best Bet For Success?
As an entrepreneur or executive, chances are you’ve spent your share of time in working groups and presentations at which speakers and consultants talk to you about “best practices”. Juliana Stancampiano, author of “Radical Outcomes“ shares why learning from best practices may not work for your particular problem.
Three Ways To Get Out Of A Sales Plateau
When sales flatten out, here are three quick ways from Richard Weinberger, PhD, CPA, CEO of the Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants and author of "Propel Your Small Business to Success: Accelerated Actions to Maximize Profit", to get those numbers moving in the upward direction.
Secrets To Success: What This Maverick Turnaround Expert Learned From An Extraordinary Six-Year-Old
Rick Miller is a turnaround expert who've seen marvellous examples of powerful leadership. But a six-year old taught him lessons he'd learn to apply from the outside to benefit the Fortune 50 and multinational organizations he's turned around.
Entrepreneurs: Think Beyond Product Or Service
Remember this? The Razr made Motorola, but could also break it.
I've received quite a few questions from readers about their entrepreneurial ideas and...
Turning Fool’s Gold into Gold: Sales Tips for Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
Author and sales expert Kevin Davis shares why slowing down your sales pitch can help you sell faster.
How To Build A Better Mousetrap With Social Media
Marsha Friedman, author of "Celebritize Yourself", says that anyone can integrate publicity and social media into their business.
How To Use Google Insights To Fuel Marketing Ideas
Google Insights can be an extremely useful tool for those who may be knowledgeable and passionate about a niche, but not about online marketing, says Frank Anderson.
Marketing Budget Allocation For Small Businesses
While word of mouth referrals continue to be the number one source of new business for a lot of local operators, customers today perform a lot of due diligence before hiring a provider. Jay Barnett, owner-operator of Priority Floor Care shares his experience on using SEO and PPC advertising for his business.
Nine Ways Power Questions Help Us Build Better Business Relationships
Personal connection, likeability, and trustworthiness are back. They are the new litmus test for doing business. Author and consultant Andrew Sobel says we create these qualities not by knowing the right answers, but by knowing the right questions.
Three Big Mistakes Companies Make With Their Customer-Facing Employees
When you need a sleek, compelling way to attract customers, your marketing team can deliver. But if they aren't factoring in the customer feedback they receive from your sales team, it could all be for naught. Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey
explain why pigeonholing your salespeople is a big mistake.
Making It Stick: Five Rules For Delivering Effective Feedback
Part of being a leader is telling your team members how their performances are measuring up. Whether you’re handing out praise or facing a you-need-to-improve conversation, here are five tips by author of "How to Lead by The Book", Dave Anderson, that will help you make the most of your feedback.
Seven Ways Leaders Can Unearth (And Neutralize) The Fear That Lurks Behind The Blame...
Are fingerpointing and responsibility dodging poisoning your culture? Mike Staver explains that fear-based leadership lurks at the heart of the blame game. He explains what leaders can do to overcome their own fears and find their courage — and help their followers do the same.
Ten Ways To Lose A Deal
When you’re seeking venture capital, some mistakes, more than others, can cost you the deal. Here are ten of the most damaging mistakes you can make and tell you how to avoid them from Nicole Gravagna and Peter K. Adams, authors of "Venture Capital For Dummies®".
Irrefutable Laws You Must Obey To Forge Power Relationships
Social media makes us feel “connected” to industry leaders and trendsetters. The problem, says Andrew Sobel, is that these digital relationships are an illusion. Here’s how to move beyond the superficial and build the influential relationships you need to succeed.
Small Businesses A Great Fit For The New Nimble Marketplace
E-commerce is expected to continue to grow aggressively in the years ahead – but in ways that may surprise many retailers, especially SMEs. Raj Subramaniam, Executive Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications, FedEx Services looks at three megatrends that all businesses should be aware of, as well as some tips that will help them better engage with customers and grow their businesses globally.
5 Truths Of Competing With Big Box Stores
Many independent retailers despair when faced with superstores taking chunks of their market; meanwhile those determined to stay and willing to adapt find ways to coexist and thrive. Here are five retail truths local retailers can employ in competing against big box stores.
Afraid To Admit That You Don’t Understand Social Media?
Social media is the world’s biggest cocktail party and everyone’s there – including your competitors and your potential customers. But make sure you're aware that certain rules apply, says Marsha Friedman, CEO of EMSI Public Relations and author of “Celebritize Yourself”.
Savvy Sales Techniques For Startups
Even if you have come up with a winning product or service idea, it won’t bring your startup business success unless you know how to sell it. There are several sales techniques that every startup should be aware of before they enter the market.
Top Tips For Delighting Your Customers
The customers are the most central part of your business. Treating the customer right is good for everybody. Let’s take a quick look at how to achieve that - first time, every time.
Build, Buy Or Build To Buy
With the right partnership in both platform functionality and allied business models, you may find that “buying to build” may produce the winning combination, argues Mr. Gerhardy of Pitchly.
5 Ways To Be A Leader In Social Commerce
In an age where consumers’ online attention spans are somewhere around 8 seconds, businesses must adapt quickly to keep up with the changing landscape. Tal Segalov, CTO & co-founder of Mintigo shares five key ways they can establish themselves as leaders in a social commerce revolution.
Why Your Startup Needs To Do More To Qualify Your Inbound Sales Leads
Too many once-promising sales leads go sour because they’re not managed properly – instead of a budding customer relationship, these sales leads turn into unanswered phone calls and dead email threads. Gregg Schwartz, vice president of sales and marketing at Strategic Sales & Marketing looks at a few reasons why your startup needs to qualify your inbound sales leads.
Ten Senior Leader Sins To Stop Committing Now
Dan Adams says there are four distinct types of senior leaders. Builders run the strongest companies. If you want to be one, make sure you shy away from these ten destructive behaviors.
4 Marketing Tips Every Startup Should Ignore
The Web is laden with marketing advice, and it's not always easy to decipher which of it is the real deal and which of it is from people that have no idea what they’re talking about.
To help you sort it out, Mark Ditteaux is the President and COO of Mark-it-Smart, Inc. shares a collection of some of the worst marketing advice on the Web. Don't listen to it.
Mobilization And Personalization: What E-Commerce Customers Want
In today’s landscape, it can be challenging to ascertain what a brand’s consumer base wants, especially on e-commerce. Stephen Fontenot, Marketing Communications Specialist at Hostway Services, Inc. looks at some of the trends that may give a clue.