You just never know where and when an opportunity will present itself, do you? In business, opportunity could be lurking anywhere. And to be successful, you always need to be prepared for it. More often than not, potential customers are quite happy with who they are currently doing business with, and many times it may…
Marketing: A Scary Word?
October 16, 2013 By
While at a recent social media seminar, one of our participants raised her hand and said the following, “I think marketing is a scary word.” She elaborated by saying that marketing seemed too ambiguous and vague to her, so she wasn’t even sure what it meant. It was then that I fully realized the undeniable…
3 Percent
October 11, 2013 By
3 percent. Based on 100 percent, 3 percent is really a very small amount. Yet that small amount is largely responsible for a company’s success in any given year. Surprisingly, many companies, both large and small, see 3 percent as too big so they go even smaller. Now you are probably asking “3 percent of…
Cold Calling
October 9, 2013 By
“A lead is like someone giving you a stack of business cards to call.” While at a recent event at the Paul Brown Stadium, I was able to enjoy lunch with several professionals I knew through my affiliation with Business Network International (BNI). As luck would have it there was a lovely, young women who…
The Marketing “Personal Trainer”
October 4, 2013 By
How many of you would say that you are self-motivated? Hopefully the answer you say aloud to others is the same as the one you are thinking. Working as a small business owner, or for a small business, requires self-motivation. And while we may have a lot of it, there are inevitably times that we…
It’s All In the Details
October 2, 2013 By
Details. We notice them. Especially when it affects our day: Too much salt in your entree. Music that is too loud at a venue that you can barely hear the other person talk. Poor lighting. Cold coffee when it reaches your table. Flat soda. All those examples reflect details in our daily lives that we…
Who Are You Targeting?
September 25, 2013 By
It still surprises me when I hear the answer “anyone” when someone is asked about who their ideal customer is. To me, it sounds like they really don’t know who that “anyone” really is. In today’s highly competitive market, with the ability to reach countless individuals on social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn,…
Choosing the Right People
September 20, 2013 By
If you were training to run a marathon would you train with those who are preparing for only a half marathon? If you were watching your weight would you go to an all you can eat buffet? If you wanted to ace an exam, would you go out for happy hour the night before? Many…
Brand Yourself
September 18, 2013 By
I feel like a broken record sometimes when I talk with my children. Constantly repeating myself, hoping that sooner or later the message will sink in. One of the common themes of these “talks” involves how they brand themselves in the circles that they travel, whether it’s at school, in sports, volunteering, or babysitting. It…
