With the end of the year fast approaching, now is a great time to take stock of 2004. It is likely that your company set specific goals at the beginning of the year. As you review the past year, the question that must be asked is, "Have I achieved my goals? Has my company achieved the outcomes we set?" If your answer is yes, congratulations! If not, what stopped you?There are always unplanned occurrences that prevent us from accomplishing all the...more
Either simply a looker-on or a player in the world of business, you see millions piling into the accounts of world's most famous businessmen and naturally the question pops "How?", wondering what is the alchemy they've discovered? Yet, there is no magic here - it's mostly pure strategy. And what it takes to spot it and make it real.StrategyIdentifying the best strategy for your business is the key to all success.It should give you the lift that...more
Sarah is a young woman who attended one of my sales negotiation training programs shortly after taking a new job. When I asked her how she did with her salary negotiation, she replied, "Well, I didn't negotiate. I was offered $44,000 and I took it. "Why didn't you negotiate?" I asked. "Because I didn't want to start off my new job on the wrong foot" she replied.Donald works for a small weekly newspaper. He likes his job and his employer, Jeanne. He doesn't get paid much, but he likes his work. His only problem is that he's being asked to shoulder an increasingly large share of the responsibilities around the office. If there's a late-breaking story that has to be covered or a page that has to be laid out again, the job always seems to fall in Donald's lap. He feels he is being taken advantage of; everyone knows they can rely on "good old Donald." But he's afraid that if he speaks his mind, he may jeopardize the cordial relationship he enjoys with Jeanne. So he bites the bullet and never broaches the subject. "There are a lot worse jobs out there," he rationalizes.Bill, a participant in one of my negotiation training seminars, told us of an old, rust-eaten vehicle that he had...more
You've heard marketing and advertising gurus quip, "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Advertising initiatives best reach their target audience with benefits and the "wow" effect, not the value or features of their product or service. This may work well to get customers in the door. But once they're in, you better have some substance. How can you...more
Sure, as tactics usually presented to business, non-profit and association managers, special events, brochures and news releases are fine. But they're not the high-octane PR firepower you need to deliver growth results like new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; accelerating prospect contacts; rising membership applications;...more
I went to my barber a few days ago. We talked about his hobby, which is playing poker, and his nephew who is a boxer, and about my job and my kids, etc., etc. I told him where my son, a high school senior, wants to go to college. It is a rather expensive private school in the city where we live. Jerry, my barber, said he knows several people that attend and work at this college, and that he believes it is an excellent school. And then he said something that is very true. "If I stop learning, then I am through. I've been a barber for forty years and I still am learning." He then related a story about a former customer. This fellow came into the shop one day and said "I want you to cut my hair the same way every time I come in." The conversation continues:Jerry: "I've been cutting your hair for years. Isn't it always the same?" Customer: "You never use the same method. I want you to cut it using the same method." Jerry: "Doesn't it come out the same every time?"Customer: "Yes, but I want it cut the same way every time."Jerry says to me "I know several ways to cut hair and I am always learning more. If it comes out the way he likes it, what difference does it make how I...more
Today, good credit is the one constant necessity needed to succeed in any endeavor, from starting a new business venture to purchasing a home. Without having established prior good credit and maintaining this status, re-establishing decent credit can...more
Ever since I created Unlock The Game, one of the first questions people always ask me is, 'Does Unlock The Game apply to online selling?' I've been holding off on answering that question because I wanted to get enough experience under my belt...more
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. But, when it comes to yellow page display ads, you better know who you're imitating and why! A yellow page ad is supposed to do one primary thing: get people to call your business. If it's a really good...more
According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, investment by institutional venture capitalists in startups grew from less than $3.0 billion at the beginning of the 1990's to over $106 billion in 2000. Although venture capital volume has retreated...more
You can meet your goals for your business this year. Consider these resolutions as ten steps to your success in 2005.1. Develop a business plan or strategic plan. You won't get where you're going unless you know where you want to be and let your...more
You have a head spinning with business ideas but you encounter difficulties in financing? Or you have recently started your great potential business but are not yet turning profit? A fundamental aspect for your business, financing is usually the most...more