Growing Your Business Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business OwnersPR Brainstorming TipsTip 1: Make a list of objectives that you want to achieve before starting the process. You don’t want to limit your idea and thought process, but you do want to define objectives to accomplish. When it comes to PR brainstorming, your goal is to come up with a list of the most important story [...] Using PR to Build a Beauty BusinessEven in a down economy beauty sells. The cosmetic industry was born in the Great Depression. This is one industry where it pays to promote when things are good, but pays even more to market aggressively when times are tough. As in the fields of entertainment and fashion, a strong public relations campaign is critical [...] Why Physicians Need PRPhysicians, more than most professionals, need to be aware of how they are perceived by the public. A person’s health is his or her most valuable asset, and to most there is nothing more important than picking the right healthcare practitioner. No one wants to put their health in the hands of someone they don’t [...] Some Merchant Account FeesGetting a merchant account is very easy – understanding it is a different story. There can be a lot of different fees associated with a merchant account: Discount rate (Visa / MasterCard / Discover Card): 2:15% – 2.39% Transaction Fee – 20¢ – 50¢ per transaction) Batch Fee – Free to 30¢ per batch ACH [...] How To Fuel Your Business Sales Growth – Organic Vs. AcquisitionSALES GROWTH – Every business needs sales growth. When the company bottom line is lacking and cash flow is deficient a business owner may pour thru his/hers monthly financials or spreadsheets reviewing line entries to find out where the business is and to find any glaring problems. Most often this analysis results with the same [...] S Is For SpeakingSpeaking (either at other people’s events or your own) is a great way to build your business. Not only is it a good way to showcase what you do, but it also builds awareness of your business and increases your reputation. You can also sell from the back of the room or collect the names [...] Online Videos – The Move to Entertain, Educate, Sell“Money is honey! Money is honey!” – Max Bailystock (Zero Mostel) – The Producers (1968), Embassy Pictures Ever wonder why when someone wants to show you how good their device is, they never show you a PowerPoint presentation? They’re boring…yes, even yours! But video? It grabs your attention and keeps your attention. It’s so good [...] O Is For OutsourcingFor many small companies, the thought of doing marketing could definitely be classed as hard work! Where do you start? What should you do? Have you got enough time to do it? So the thought of using a marketing company to do the work for them sounds like the best answer in the world. Here [...] How To Get Personality Into Your Growing BusinessMost people associate the word personality with individuals. But businesses can have personalities too, and the image and feeling of a more distinctive business are likely to remain with customers. Think of all the different types of stores. Their personalities are defined by their unique style or atmosphere, as well as by selection of products [...] M Is For Marketing StrategyDo you have a marketing strategy in place? No, by this I don’t mean a marketing plan (although that’s great if you have one of these). I mean a marketing strategy – something that tells you end to end where each of your marketing fits in. When I talk to small business owners they usually [...] Keep Calm And Carry OnRunning a business is a funny thing. One minute, you can be swamped with work and the next you’re so quiet and you can’t see where the next penny is coming from. When you’re desperate for new business, it’s likely that you’ll do tons and tons of marketing. You’ll really get off your back [...] Checklist To Capture Media AttentionRecently, I sent out a media release for a company owned by my brother, Scot Morgan. Scot has been in business for himself for twenty years, and in all that time he had never tried to get the free publicity you just can’t buy – that is, by sending out a media release. And interestingly [...] J Is For Joint VenturesJoint Ventures is a concept that has probably been around for a long time, but only seems to have become mainstream over the last few years. Joint ventures can work in several different ways, but essentially means that two or more businesses will have an arrangement whereby they’ll promote each other’s businesses and profit from [...] Need Your Delinquent Customers To ‘Get It’?Not too long ago, I shared some lunch with Nancy, a relative newcomer to the speaking business. When we got to coffee, Nancy cleared her throat and asked me for some advice about one of her customers. “It took me some time to land this customer,” she said. “Finally, he agreed to one of my [...] Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Customer ServiceBad economy + good customer service = business All right so we all know this isn’t the best time for the economy. We have been in the so-called recession for over a year now. A few businesses are doing better than ever, some are struggling to make ends meet and many have folded. Something maybe [...] How To Get More Qualified Leads From Your NetworkBehind Door No. 1 are one dozen warm leads. Behind Door No. 2 are three times as many cold suspects. Which door would you want to open? I’m sure you said Door No. 1. But what if in order to gain access to the leads behind Door No. 1, you have to ask someone to [...] Fire Your Advertising AgencyThere is a startling way for most dealers to double their business – fire their advertising agencies. Dealerships spend an enormous amount of money on advertising for new customers. Unfortunately, often that money is wasted. The money is wasted because the agencies are strictly placing ad dollars in media and doing production. Often, the ad [...] Building Your BusinessHave you made the commitment that automotive sales is your career choice? Unless you commit, it’s impossible that you will take the necessary steps to create the business you desire. Long-term thinking in addition to short-term goals are keys to continued success. When you first enter into a sales position, 80 percent of your time [...] The Art Of NetworkingNetworking is an art, and like any artist, you need to constantly practice, refine and critique your work. Networking makes a huge contribution to your life and career, and it’s a skill that anyone can acquire. These tips can help you get started. Be open. Be open to new ideas, opportunities and people. Be prepared. [...] Taking Aim With Your BusinessAt the start of a new year, it’s a good idea to take stock of your business by reviewing your Vision, Mission, and your Main Business Goals (If you don’t have a Mission or Vision statement, click here to download an exercise on writing them). Now, I hear you asking, “How are a Mission and [...] |
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