Got a huge need for publicity and a tiny publicity budget? You don't need to have a Madison Avenue-sized advertising budget to make your name known. Here are five ideas to help you promote your company:1. Write a column. Go to a local paper, no matter how small, and offer to write a column on your area of expertise or on business in general. Don't ask to be paid for it, and promise not to promote your company. You won't need toyour byline,...more
Are you ever frustrated or hesitant when you talk to prospective customers because you can't readily explain why they should come to you rather than go to your competitors? Sure, you might have your 30-second elevator speech, but then they ask you that dreaded question, "So what makes you different?" Then, all those self-doubts creep in, and you just aren't sure what to say. Differentiation can boost confidence--yours in yourself and that...more
What is a portfolio and do I really need one? A portfolio is simply a group of investments held by an investor. It's a very carefully chosen selection of businesses and generally, yes; it's a good idea to have one. Let look at it this way. Imagine that you owned an umbrella shop. If it didn't rain for several weeks, you would make no sales at all and therefore, you would make no money. If your shop sold umbrellas as well as wellington boots, raincoats, ponchos, sun hats, sun cream, sun glasses, ski shoes, hats, coats and scarves, chances are, you would make a sale whatever the weather was. When it comes to starting business as an Internet Marketer, you actually have a lot of choice. If you are good at spotting a niches and if you are skilled enough to create a product then you have this as an option available to you. Alternatively, allow other people to create the product and all you have to do is market the product as an affiliate. If the nature of the business allows it, you can build networks of marketers and/or customers and grow your business this way. Whatever route you chose to go, you will ultimately be in business to sell a product or service. The not so good news is this:...more
If you don't have much Blackjack experience, it can be daunting stepping up to the tables for a game. You can, however, hide the fact of your inexperience very simply by remembering these straightforward rules. (Note - the rules of BlackJack will differ from area to area and from casino to casino, but the general principles are the same. When in...more
Investing in the stock market is not purchasing a stock at 25 dollars a share, hoping it will go to 35 so you can sell it, then hoping it will drop back to 25 so you can buy it back, so that you can sell it again at 35, and so on and so forth. In my opinion, that is gambling. And, I would imagine, some would believe that ANY investment in the stock...more
Part One in a Five Part SeriesImagine what a professional football team would be like without a regimen of practice drills? Now take away their playbook and player statistics. What you have in this extreme scenario are highly talented (and perhaps overpaid) individuals participating in organized chaos. They might actually win a game or two, but in the long run, this team is doomed. Management PolicyI offer this illustration to drive home the point of why any organization needs to examine the existence and effectiveness of its management systems. If there are weaknesses or holes in your documented procedures (playbook), or benchmark measurements (stats), then you will want to take corrective action.Process PhasesIt is my experience that when a company attempts to establish its management systems for the first time, it takes longer than expected, involves more people than planned, and grows in complexity. To control this trend, I advocate dividing the process into five (5) distinct phases, each with clear objectives: Discovery Planning Development Implementation Rediscovery In this series, we will take a look at each phase. So this week, let's take a look at the Discovery...more
No more working for the same company for fifty years. Freelance work is becoming more and more prominent. On-line you can find work or someone to do a job. Check out www.guru.comThe world sure is changing, and if you look at job employment you will...more
One of the first lessons that "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" teaches is about understanding and controlling fear and greed. Many people go to work and work hard not to learn more and to grow, but out of fear that they won't have enough money to pay their...more
Public relations changes minds in the process of delivering what business, non-profit and association managers need more than almost anything else - the kind of key stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving their managerial...more
Thinking of starting your own online business? Or, have you tried a business before and it never got off the ground?Last October I was looking on the Internet for ideas about getting rid of unpleasant odors from the house when I stumbled onto SFI...more
As a business owner, I've had staff come and go over the years: some have done extremely well, and others not so well. During the time I was involved in running my business, I found some weaknesses in myself that tremendously affected things that...more
Are workers telling the truth when they say they are ill? This question was posed on the Money Programme on BBC Television in December 2004. British Bosses are reporting that more and more of their staff appear to be skiving off with faked illnesses...more