Have you ever been at a networking event and noticed the person who is trying just a bit too hard to make a connection (i.e. sale)? They may do things like: promptly give you their business card right at the introduction talk, and talk, and talk about themselves and their business hover near you the…
The Core
January 17, 2014 By
Whenever I hear someone say they are looking for the best price, I cringe. That’s like shopping for a heart surgeon with the lowest price. Or using the lowest price to purchase a car for your family. Price alone does not warrant value or quality. And if someone says to me “I’m looking for the…
Spel Chek Pleaze
January 8, 2014 By
Remember your earliest school days and those infamous papers you needed to write? Some of us might have dreaded receiving our grade as we knew the power of that teacher’s red pen. If we were lucky (and put forth the effort), the evidence of that red pen would be minimal. If we were not, the…
A Commodity?
October 30, 2013 By
There are many things we know, be it business or personal related, but sometimes just knowing something isn’t enough. It may take a certain way of presenting an idea to us, or the particular phase of our life at the time that gives us greater clarity. Either way, something we “know of” can turn into…
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…
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…
Lead vs. Referral
August 30, 2013 By
Lead. Referral. At first glance, these two words might appear to mean the same thing to a business professional. However, they have two very different meanings entirely. According to Wikipedia a lead is defined as: “generic” for example “they come from lead generation processes such as trade shows, direct marketing, advertising, internet marketing, cold calling,…
One Word
August 16, 2013 By
One word. Could you pick one word that accurately reflects your company’s brand? Recently, at my weekly BNI meeting, our Education Coordinator presented that question to each of us around the room after reading an excerpt from a book on marketing. Essentially, a company is successful at branding themselves when the word that is…
House of Cards
July 31, 2013 By
While at a recent strategy session, I found myself thinking about how important it is for small businesses to spend time and resources establishing a solid foundation for their business to grow. This same concept can be applied to anyone who is out there building his or her career. The foundation of any successful business…
