It is STILL About Your USP!
Brand this. Brand that. Personal branding. Brand development. Brand research. Brand awareness. YOUR small business isn't Apple…
Customer Service & HR Lessons via Zappos.com
This weekend I watched a piece on Zappos.com on CBS Sunday Morning. For anyone unfamiliar with Zappos…
In Your Small Business, It's All About Sales
When you are in business for yourself, either with a brick and mortar store, e-commerce or as a solo proprietor…
Re-activating Old Customers
Most businesses have a customer database. Are you tapping this gold mine of a resource for "new" business?
EXPOSE Your Small Business
Are you making the most out of every single opportunity to expose your small business to new customers?
Small Business Success Habits
You've probably seen this story in a couple of different media locations. By eliminating smoking and alcohol, eating right…
Start Your Daily Marketing Habit
Marketing can slip to the back burner when you are trying to manage a business. But small business owners…
Get More Business! Show Them You're the Expert
Why do you even care about being an expert, you may wonder? Because customers and clients come from a broad variety…
Would You Let the Government Run Your Business?
Would you like to have a government official or agency running your business? Not unless you want to run it into the ground.
Go for the Small Business GOLD!
The Vancouver Olympics will be ending soon. Steeped in tradition that has lasted thousands of years, the Olympics offer no inherent rewards…
The Key to Success - Being Relentless
A question I always ask myself is "am I willing to do whatever it takes?" Being relentless in discovering what I need to do to succeed and then doing…
New Year-New Opportunity
Happy new year everybody! It is a happy new year ... right? Sometimes with the economy in trouble and uncertainty on every side
Throwing Marketing Dollars Away
I've found that the single biggest marketing mistake small business owners make is not knowing WHY they do what they do. Marketing should not be a hit or miss effort.
Tell Them a Story...
I was recently in a nearby town, meeting with a client who sells high quality Navajo rugs. By "high quality" I mean $2,000-$30,000 authentic hand made rugs.
Boo! Don't be Afraid of Starting a Business!
Many people were downsized this year or last and dream of not returning to corporate America. They fantasize of starting a business but are afraid…
PR for the Little Guy
Public relations isn't just for big corporations. Any size or type of business can benefit from media exposure and the right "spin".
5 EASY Ways to Lose Your Customers
You are a busy, busy small business owner and entrepreneur. You are planning your next big venture, ordering new computers, hiring a new assistant...and not paying attention to the one area you should focus most of your attention on-your existing customers.
Don't Neglect Your "Offline" Networking
Social media has been the keyphrase in business marketing for the last few years. Building online relationships via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other sites has taken the spotlight off of the old school way of networking with potential customers and partners.
Increase Business with Testimonials!
Word of mouth (WOM) advertising is one of the best, and free, forms available to all businesses, from the very large corporation to the solo entrepreneur. All of us, as customers, trust products that others have recommended to us.
Build Relationships to Build Sales
It used to be that advertising a new product or service was enough to attract new or existing customers to buy. Now that all consumers are exposed to advertising at every conceivable place, you must engage consumers and clients at a deeper level.