The most effective advertising a company can get is more difficult to achieve but much more effective and lasting than traditional media advertising. It is word of mouth advertising, and it is earned rather than purchased. It is your customers’ opinion of your product, which at times can be very vocal with praise or derision. Read more »
10 Tips to Build Better Trust in your Business
Trust Builds Confidence The single most important thing you can do in starting and building a business is to get people to trust you. Trust needs to be earned and takes time, although you can lose it in a second. Telling people to trust you doesn’t cut it. In fact, when people I just […] Read more »
HIRING AND FIRING—DIFFICULT TO DO
Your Growth Can Depend on It Most small business owners will agree the quality of the people they hire is critical and can help make or break their company. It however, is not an easy task to find and hire the right person, particularly if you have a limited budget. Here are some things […] Read more »
Outsourcing Turns Fixed Costs Into Variable Cost
Low monthly overhead could save your company during a cash crunch. A fixed cost is one that your business incurs whether or not it makes any sales. An example is rent: It has to be paid every month whether or not you’re generating any income, and it’s the same every month. A variable cost, by […] Read more »
FUNNY TAKE ON HOW ENTREPRENEURS ARE BORN
This past Saturday, November 6, Scott Adams the creator of Dilbert wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal and showed us why he is one of the iconic humorists of our time. His hilarious take on how Bad Management spawns new start-ups has much truth in it. I thought I should share this article […] Read more »
LISTENING INSTEAD OF HEARING
Why is it that in most business and social encounters the mouth is employed much more than your two ears? Many people think they are listening when they are just hearing. If your ears are healthy, hearing is an automatic anatomical response to sound in your vicinity. It takes no effort or skill. On […] Read more »
Passion Required To Start and Grow a Business
PASSION−A key attribute to overcome adversity and build a business. Every attribute and skill can be learned except passion. I would not recommend that anyone start a business unless they have a passion to do so. Passion is the wild card in overcoming many obstacles facing fledgling companies. To name a few: inexperience, knowledge shortfalls, […] Read more »
15 Attitude Attributes for Entrepreneurial Success
Knowledge, skill, talent, and to some extent, resources are important success components for Small Businesses. However, many competitors have equal or more of these components than you. The key to overcome competition and attain absolute success is mental, which is reflected in one’s attitude and is totally controlled by the individual and requires no cash. This holds true in most human endeavors besides business like sports, the arts, politics, etc. How many times have we seen the underdog team or player win over the more talented opponent? The difference is attitude. Read more »
MISTAKES CAN BE A POSITIVE
Everyone makes mistakes at one time or other. Some more than others. The question is how does one deal with their mistakes? Many get depressed, defensive, and overly cautious. A better response is to use every mistake as a learning experience. Delve into the why’s it was made and the how’s to avoid them again, all the while keeping your head up and maintaining your energy level. Read more »
WHEN HIRING A CONSULTANT, BEWARE OF . . . .
At some point in the growth or even start-up of your company, you may want to hire a consultant to educate or guide you. You may rightly want the consultant for their expertise in myriad disciplines like advertising, management, a specific industry, social media, branding, etc. Read more »
FALL IN LIKE—NOT IN LOVE
I am all for entrepreneurs and would-be ones to be enthusiastic, compassionate, and believe in their new product, ideas, or company. However, these emotions and the actions they elicit need to be tempered by the reality of the situation. Read more »
ASKING FOR A RAISE?
A great number of people would rather visit their dentist than ask their boss for a raise that they believe they deserve and is overdue. I believe that everyone in this situation should summon up their courage and ask for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Here are some thoughts that may help you do so successfully. Read more »
Managing Your Numbers Is Essential for Growth
It takes more than quarterly meetings with your accountant to know what is going on. Do you want to do everything you possibly can to ensure the survival and growth of your company? Of course you do. Well, one of the most essential skills that you can bring to your company is understanding, tracking, and using certain numbers. This numeracy--thinking in numbers--is a vital, vital skill. Read more »
Energy – An Important Entrepreneurial Attribute
One thing I’ve noticed, in my conversations with entrepreneurs over the years, is the incredibly high energy levels most of them possess. It would be interesting to find out whether they’ve always been that way, or whether they started working at higher energy levels as the amount of fun and reward in their lives began to increase after they started their own business. I’m convinced that, within reason, physical activity generates more energy than it consumes. Read more »
ACCEPT CRITICISM GRACIOUSLY
I believe that a strong attribute of a successful entrepreneur is to accept criticism and to do it graciously so that the person offering it will give it again. Sounds simple enough, but a great number of people just can’t do it. They get angry, petulant, standoffish, etc., and resent the person offering it. The opposite should happen as most people offering it like you and are doing it to help you. In fact, it may be uncomfortable for them to do it. Those receiving the criticism should thank them. Read more »
OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW BUSINESSES
Opportunity for new businesses. Many Large Companies’ Horrendous Customer Service Invite the Creation of New Businesses. Read more »
HOW BUYERS DECIDE WHO TO BUY FROM
After decades of personal selling and observing others sell, I am convinced most buying decisions are based on emotions rather than on a rational basis. The ratio of the two motivators varies with the individual buyer and the circumstances at the time, but clearly the seller must always be aware of the emotional component of the decision process. Having the best product, service, price, warranty, etc. does not ensure a sale. Here’s a sampling of some of the non-rational reasons I have observed buyers employ in their buying decisions. Read more »
THE GOLF BALLS AND THE MAYONNAISE JAR – SMALL BUSINESS LIFE PERSPECTIVE
The mayonnaise jar and life perspective. Read more »
Never Forget Your Customers
Customers are the key to business growth. Meet or exceed their expectations and prosper. The No. 1 need for business success is a customer. That's pretty obvious, so why am I telling you this? It may be obvious but most companies seem to quickly forget this essential fact. Small and startup companies desperately need customers to begin their journey to profits and sustainability. Many large Fortune 1000 companies forget the customers who made them successful. Read more »
HOW TO BUILD TRUST TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS
The single most important thing you can do in starting and building a business is to get people to trust you. Read more »