Business Strategies Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business OwnersPutting the Marketing Basics in Place Part 1The other day, I was working with a client and talking about their marketing. All the questions that I asked, they were able to answer and I realised that they had all the marketing basics in place and they were ready to move onto the next level. That gave me an interesting thought – THEY […] Sales 101 Doesn’t Get The Job DonePart of what ESR does is to identify, size, and prioritize the gaps that exist between our clients’ sales teams’ skill sets and what is required for them to win more business, sooner, and at higher contract values. There are different ways to categorize those gaps. For the purposes of this post, let’s look at […] Preparing to Sell Your Business: Guidelines for Local Growing CompaniesWith the capital markets remaining relatively strong and stable and with the overhang (e.g. raised but yet to be invested) in the private equity markets still estimated at nearly $500 billion dollars, many technology, IT, software, defense and government contractors in the Washington, D.C. regions remain prime targets for acquisitions (or a significant investment) by […] Uncovering and Leveraging Your Hidden Intangible AssetsCEO’s and business leaders of growing companies inside and outside the Beltway are guilty of committing a very serious strategic sin: the failure to properly protect, mine and harvest the company’s intellectual property. From 1997 to 2001, billions of dollars went into the venture capital and private equity markets and the primary use of these […] Raising Growth Capital In 2008 And BeyondAfter more than two decades of being an entrepreneur, serving as a legal and strategic advisor to entrepreneurs and growing companies, and speaking and writing on entrepreneurial finance, I have found one recurrent theme running through all of these businesses: Capital is the lifeblood of a growing business In an environment where cash is king, […] Pitch the Story, Not Your BookPitch your book and you have a certain number of stories and media hooks. Pitch yourself, your life experiences, your anecdotal stories and your book and you’ve suddenly broadened the bulls eye… Getting the Word Out – Organizing a Media KitEvery business can benefit from writing and organizing a media kit. While larger companies tend to use press kits on a more regular basis, smaller companies may still have occasions to use them. Preparing one in advance can ensure that you are ready when the need arises. The contents of the kit will vary depending […] 10 Things You Absolutely Must Know Before Selling Your BusinessIf you have come to the decision that you want to sell your business in the near future then the last thing you should do is rush into it. It may have been a big conclusion to reach that involved a lot of soul searching if you built the business up from the ground. As […] To Sell a Business or Not Sell a Business A Crossroads DecisionThinking of taking your company to the next level with a major capital investment or hiring additional sales resources? These are decisions that can impact your company’s future. It might be time to consider the alternative of selling your business. We are often approached by business owners at a crossroads of taking the company to […] How Business Buyers Value Your Business – Ten Key FactorsIf you are considering selling your business this article will help you evaluate your company as a strategic acquirer might. From that perspective it pays to focus on ten critical areas of value creation. The better your performance in these areas, the greater the selling price of your business. Below is our list of STRATEGIC […] Private Equity May Be Your Best Business Exit StrategyI must admit that I have had a bias against my clients selling their businesses to private equity firms until I discovered that there are some situations where it might be the best exit strategy. Our firm represents business sellers primarily in the information technology and healthcare industries. Because the valuation multiples in these industries […] 5 Tips to Turn Your Ideas into MoneyMaking money from your ideas requires a combination of disciplined actions and “good luck.” The disciplined actions include taking advantage of legal protections and using good business practices. “Good luck” has a way of finding those who pursue opportunities with preparation and persistence. (1) Recognize the market potential for your idea. Observation and experience can […] Your Business ChecklistAs a business coach, I spend a lot of time working with people who want to improve different aspects of their business. Many times these aspects are merely symptoms of a more fundamental, underlying issue. If you want your business to truly shine, then there are some basic principles that, if not present, can lead […] Winning Customer ExperiencesMuch research has been done on what the makes a winning customer experience. What is it that makes customers come back to your business instead of going to someone else’s? If your repeat business is low, what is it that you are doing to drive your customers away? There is a consistent theme that emerges […] The Use of Goals – Friend or FoeAs a society we are achievement driven, recognized for our tangible contributions to the world. The examples of this are everywhere: At school we are praised for doing well at tests and reading to certain levels. At work we are rewarded for achieving specific objectives. On the sporting field our athletes are heralded for their […] The Power of Real Communication StylesAs business professionals, we spend lots of our time interacting with all sorts of people – clients, suppliers, consultants etc. Our interactions can be in person, on the telephone, by email or even these days, by sms. If you do some reading on the subject, you’ll quickly find the predominant school of thought is that […] Even Small Companies Can Have Big PR ProblemsCrisis Planning for Small Businesses The thinking goes that big companies face the most daunting crises, based on sheer size, number of employees and scope of operations. Yet a small business may face even bigger problems since its revenue and profit margins usually are based on a much smaller operation and often precarious financial situation. […] Making More of Your Article Marketing StrategyIt’s all well and good to write a great article. If you’ve done that then you are half way there. The next step is getting it published. Having your articles published on line in different places can build your credibility and increase the number of links pointing to your site – all great things. But […] Hourly Rates No Thank YouWhen was the last time you gave a passing thought to your pricing? It’s no secret that how you charge for your services can either make or break you. It can mean the difference between a mediocre and a successful business. In my experience, most people don’t spend enough time thinking strategically about what pricing […] Haven’t Done a Business PlanA Business Plan is the essential document we are all meant to have – right? So why do so many of us not have one? The principle behind having a business plan is to think strategically about how to grow our business, create new direction and organise our thoughts: What am I going to do? […] |
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