Remember the days of interviewing for that first big job and all the extra research you did on the company you were meeting with? There were reasons you went to all that extra trouble, but do you remember why? I’m sure that we could all agree that there were several reasons, so let’s list a…
“Earned Media”
A key component to your marketing plan should involve public relations and the media. But what exactly does this mean? In terms of marketing, many people tend to think of paid advertising when they think of the media. However, an often overlooked piece is something that can cost little to nothing at all. This piece…
The “Pitching” Rotation
Everyone in a company is part of the “sales team” – from the receptionist who answers the phone and greets guests, to the person who handles customer complaints. A great analogy, especially at this time of year, involves baseball. Every major league team has several pitchers, but each has their own role to play in…
The Significance of Color to Your Business
Color has the power to evoke emotion. Emotion compels us to think and feel a certain way. As it relates to business, the color(s) chosen to represent the image and identity need to be an accurate representation of it. Take for example Fifth Third Bank. This corporation recently made a significant change to its logo…
Beyond the “Cover”
How many times have you heard the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? I can remember back to my earliest days in grade school hearing those same words more times than I can count. While this is philosophy is perfect when selecting great literature, the same cannot be said if we were to…
Business Gratitude
The success of any business depends on revenue. Revenue is generated from clients. Clients, in turn, come from prospects and referral partners. Referral partners are developed through various networking events. To get from the initial networking event to a closed deal can take time. Sometimes a lot of time. The excitement of working with new…
Never Settle
“It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” – W. Somerset Maugham There will inevitably be a time during your career where you will find yourself at a crossroads. One will keep you on your current path, the other will take you in…
It’s Research, Not Stalking
“Is searching for connections on LinkedIn a form of stalking? Like some feel about that on Facebook?” That was a great question asked during one of our recent LinkedIn Seminars. I must admit that there were several chuckles in the room, including from the person who asked, but it was obvious that people wanted to…
11 Reasons Small Business Should Blog
What is blogging? According to Dictionary.com, blogging is defined as “a Web site containing the writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having pictures and links to other Web sites.” But let’s get down to the nitty gritty – the benefits of blogging to a small business: You become the…
Transparency
Although our intentions might be good, sometimes our engagement efforts on social media can backfire. I recently joined a discussion on LinkedIn where a member posted a question regarding a vendor recommendation. The responses were overwhelming. It was actually exciting to watch the comments being posted and referrals being shared. Several days later the person…