While driving home from our family reunion this summer we stopped for a bite to eat at a Chick-Fil-A. I noticed the line of cars in the drive-thru and the number of cars parked in the lot. My initial reaction was “oh no, maybe we should find another restaurant.” I’m glad that we didn’t. Not…
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,…
Search Engine Optimization
August 23, 2013 By
When it comes to Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, the content that is contained within your website is critical to your target audience finding you. Without the right content, the key words and phrases that are used to search for you will lead them to your competitor, not you. However, having the right key words…
And the Winner Is…
August 21, 2013 By
Chambers Business Publications Trade Journals Colleges & Universities Better Business Bureau Newspapers Have you ever noticed the number of professional and business awards that are looking for nominations each and every year? Pick up any business or trade publication and chances are you will find one. This is a fantastic opportunity to give recognition to…
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…
Inbound vs. Outbound
August 14, 2013 By
With all the options available to business today to market themselves, it’s important to remember that not all options are created equal, especially if faced with a budget. A trend that is quickly gaining momentum is inbound marketing. Inbound marketing is advertising but through your own efforts. Examples include: writing blogs podcasts enewsletters video whitepaper…
Beyond Networking
August 2, 2013 By
To really get the most out of your networking activities, it’s important to invest time in ways that allow you really get to know other people. Simply showing up at Business After Hours or Luncheons isn’t enough. These types of events don’t happen frequently enough to build relationships that turn into referrals. But, by getting…
Start with One
July 26, 2013 By
There are countless deserving non-profits, benefits, fundraisers, and charities that a company can donate to. None any more deserving than the others. Small businesses need to be very thoughtful about the who, what, where, and when of their philanthropic donations. And here are a few reasons why: Having a clearly identified charitable alliance will eliminate…
Walk the Walk
July 24, 2013 By
Have you ever come across someone whose words don’t always match up with their actions? They say things like: “I’ll be there early.” Then show up late. “I’ll call you later today.” But call you the following week. “Let’s meet next Tuesday at 11.” Then never show up. “I’ll have it ready for you tomorrow.”…
The Power of “Like”
July 19, 2013 By
Facebook. For business, we can look at Facebook as one of the “faces” that the public sees. We can also look at Facebook as a means to create a “book” of our business successes, announcements, helpful tips, and events. From this perspective, it becomes obvious the significance of providing relevant, targeted, and personalized content. This…
