Sales & Marketing Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business OwnersGetting People to the Point of “I’ll Buy That”“If I make it they will buy it” “If I put it on the shelf in a store they will buy it” “Everyone will want/need one” “Mine is better it is more unique, cheaper, has more features” “People will willing pay more for my product/service” Being in business means you need to believe in your […] How to Explain What Your Business DoesAbout 6 months after I started in business, I remember attending a sales course. I had one specific question and to my utter frustration, it wasn’t answered on this course. You see, I had been attending a lot of networking events and the favourite question there is “so, what do you do?” My problem was […] Social Media…The Hunted Can Become the HunterToday’s Web 2.0 social media environment offers a tremendous opportunities for companies to closely engage with customers, prospects and market segments in a positive, mutually beneficial manner. The problem arises when marketing and communications people view these new 1:1 outlets as a great marketing/sales and PR pitching opportunities. They forget that the individuals if not […] Why You Should Build Your ReputationReputation in business is everything. It helps you build trust and credibility with your customers and contacts; it can help persuade someone to buy from you if they’re not sure and it’s also far easier to raise your prices if people perceive you as an expert. Building your reputation is one of the most important […] Marketing vs Tech…Consumers Need Voice in Driving ProductsOn any given day you will find a group of engineers or programmers huddling in the back room, sitting in the corner of the coffee shop, or gathering around the most recently divorced individual’s kitchen table to plan the next major new company built on breathtaking technology. The hard fact is…we really don’t need more […] What’s All the Fuss About Twitter?Twitter, it seems is everywhere at the moment. You can’t listen to a radio show or turn on the TV without hearing something about it – and you’d be forgiven for believing that everyone is using it at the moment. But in the world of small businesses, it seems that people are falling into three […] How to Create a Clutter Free Trade Show DisplayWhen you’re getting ready to attend a trade show, it’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about how you are going to set up your booth. When preparing for a trade show, you have to find the fine line between an adequate display and one that is too cluttered. Many trade show participants […] How to Even Out the Peaks and Troughs in Your BusinessDo you ever get times in your business where you’re really busy and then other times when you’re really quiet? Annoying isn’t it and frustrating? Wouldn’t it be much easier if you had business constantly coming in and never faced the really quiet times? Well, let’s see if this situation sounds familiar to you. One […] Not Everyone is the Same in MarketingHave you ever heard a business owner talk about a marketing activity they’ve been doing and thought ‘if I try that it will work for me too’? Perhaps someone has tried cold calling or sending out sales letters and has found it has worked particularly well for their business – maybe you’re thinking about doing […] Marketing With NewslettersIf you aren’t creating a monthly newsletter you are missing out on an opportunity to market to your list. Newsletters help establish your credibility, keep you top of mind for your prospects and allow you to make special offers to your list. Please note a paid newsletter needs to be informative and doesn’t always offer […] Marketing In A Poor EconomyThere is no escaping the reality of the economy. These are not good times for most people. Many individuals and businesses are suffering. However, in spite of that, many online businesses are still doing well. Online shopping was up over shopping in traditional retail stores (Cyber Monday was up 15% over the previous year). People […] Forum Marketing for Small BusinessesLooking for an inexpensive way to spread the word about your small business online? Forums can be a valuable resource for getting the word out about your company’s products and services, establishing credibility for yourself and your business, and driving traffic to your website. Forum marketing has the perfect price tag for small business owners. […] Should I Start a Blog for My Small Business?If your company has an online presence, starting and maintaining a blog is a great way to grow your business by driving traffic to your website. Assuming that you have a good marketing-oriented website, increased traffic should result in new customers, increased sales, and a better bottom line. When you want to grow your business, […] Ripken Belongs in Branding Hall of FameCal Ripken has been inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame — not so much for his baseball numbers as for the fantastic brand he created. Cal’s career batting average is not even close to .300, and he did not average more than 25 home runs or 100 RBIs a season. Yet he is one […] Start Planning NowJanuary 1st is always fun since it is somehow the beginning of a whole new set of opportunities. We seem to divide our business year by holidays. Memorial Day is the beginning of summer so vacations slow down sales. Labor Day is the beginning of the last quarter so we must push to achieve our […] Your Online Brand and the Holiday SeasonFrom disparate beginnings, Christmas has become largely a cultural celebration for my generation – one meant to bring people together and place our focus on the people we love. It has also become an uber-brand that represents intangible, un-buy-able values (peace, love, joy, family, selflessness) simultaneously with supreme commercialism. I love Christmas: hot cocoa, a […] The Secrets Successful Companies Use To Boost Sales In Tough TimesAre you spending money constantly trying to attract new customers? Realize that you could possibly be sitting on a goldmine, without spending another cent on advertising. How would you feel if you could build a one to one relationship with each and every customer to the point where they then become an advocate for your […] How To Write Copy For Your Website That ConvertsWriting copy for your website is different than traditional copywriting for direct marketing like brochures, sales letters or 4-color postcards. Website copy requires an expertise in direct response marketing because sentences need to be shorter, to the point and demand action quickly and effectively. WRITE COPY FROM THE PROSPECT’S POINT OF VIEW An experienced website […] Moving Forward…It’s Time for Content, Communication Course CorrectionThe financial industry got caught with its pants down. The automotive industry got caught with its arrogance up. The PC, CE, communications industry simply got caught between the two. We feel the angst but the business is still fundamentally sound. With the right course adjustments the industry will be in a better position to deliver […] You Can Do It – Period!Achieving Extraordinary Results: it’s just a Skill Some tweaks for getting your GPS (Goals, Plans & Steps) System running like a finely tuned sports car. Remember that a Goal is “a written detailed objective to be achieved by a specific point in time. And, it is something that you want, believe in, can commit to […] |
|
