Have you ever heard of the 5 Whys? The 5 Whys is a questions-asking method used to explore the cause/effect relationships underlying a particular problem, with the goal of determining a root cause of a defect or problem (source). The 5 Whys methodology was developed by Sakichi Toyoda and is delivered as part of the Toyota Production System (a composition of management techniques and philosophies). Taiichi Ohno who was the architect of the Toyota Production System, described the 5 Whys method as "the basis of Toyota's scientific approach . . . by repeating why five times, the nature of…
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Most Topular Stories
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Why, Why, Why, Why, Why.....
Execution & Strategy13 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am -
Business execution: Tips for getting things done
RESULTS.com Business Growth Tips12 Feb 2012 | 12:36 pmDefine what “done” looks like. As part of the quarterly strategic planning process, we see too many companies choosing projects to improve their business without clearly defining the end point. One of the keys to business execution success is to specify very clearly what the completed project looks like (or the specific milestone that you intend to reach this quarter), and enter a specific due date for each project. It needs to be obvious exactly what “done” looks like, so you know precisely when to “pop the champagne cork” to celebrate your… -
What do you do to WOW your customers?
BizSugar / Published News / Customer Service11 Feb 2012 | 8:54 amWhat is your company doing to WOW your customers and everybody you come in contact with? Does your company have a system or method in place to do this consistently?27 Vote(s) -
The #1 Reason for Marketing Fail
BizSugar / Published News / Marketing22 Feb 2012 | 8:46 pmIt's easy to justify cutting marketing costs all together in a down economy. Why? Because you're looking at it from the wrong perspective. Marketing isn't a cost - it's an investment.18 Vote(s) -
5 Time–Saving Tools for Every Small Business Owner
BizSugar / Published News / Strategy22 Feb 2012 | 1:05 pmEach day, companies are creating time-management tools to help make running a business easier. And while these tools won't help to turn back time, or even slow it down, they will help you manage what little you have more efficiently. Here are 5 tools that every small business owner should have avai20 Vote(s)
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Execution & Strategy
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Why, Why, Why, Why, Why.....
13 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amHave you ever heard of the 5 Whys? The 5 Whys is a questions-asking method used to explore the cause/effect relationships underlying a particular problem, with the goal of determining a root cause of a defect or problem (source). The 5 Whys methodology was developed by Sakichi Toyoda and is delivered as part of the Toyota Production System (a composition of management techniques and philosophies). Taiichi Ohno who was the architect of the Toyota Production System, described the 5 Whys method as "the basis of Toyota's scientific approach . . . by repeating why five times, the nature of… -
Experience matters as a matter of FACT!
30 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am"I went to a man with a high reputation for wisdom -- I would rather not mention his name; he was one of the politicians -- and after some talk together it began to dawn on me that, wise as everyone thought him and wise as he thought himself, he was not really wise at all. I tried to point this out to him, but then he turned nasty, and so did others who were listening; so I went away, but with this reflection that anyhow I was wiser than this man; for, though in all probability neither of us knows anything, he thought he did when he did not, whereas I neither knew anything nor imagined I… -
It's Time To Make A Decision! Now What?
15 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amA number of years ago I was working on a project looking at improving the profitability of an apparel business. At the time the inventory had increased dramatically over a fairly short period, causing a number of profit related issues. I will never forget the day we had a Senior Management meeting and I asked who was responsible for stock. "We all are" was the war-cry that followed. In trying to understand the reasons behind the excess stock I then asked who made the decision (ultimate responsibility) to purchase the stock... silence. Poor forecast, poor analysis, high Minimum… -
"My job is to make arms and legs"
30 Dec 2011 | 4:41 pmWe should be incredibly grateful for people like Alberto Cairo. The video below is from TED and is titled 'Alberto Cairo: There are no scraps of men'. Alberto Cairo's clinics in Afghanistan used to close down during active fighting. Now, they stay open. At TEDxRC2 (the RC stands for Red Cross/Red Crescent), Cairo tells the powerful story of why -- and how he found humanity and dignity in the midst of war. I wish there was a transcript of the talk that I could share as Alberto has some of the most powerful words entwined in his story. The video is only 20 minutes long, but I think it is… -
What Is YOUR Vision For 2012?
26 Dec 2011 | 5:31 pm"People who soar are those who refuse to sit back, sigh and wish things would change. They neither complain of their lot nor passively dream of some distant ship coming in. Rather, they visualize in their minds that they are not quitters; they will not allow life's circumstances to push them down and hold them under." - Unknown Author So what is your vision for 2012? And I am not talking about world peace etc! What is YOUR personal vision for 2012 and when Dec 2012 rolls around and you reflect on your year, how will you measure your success. Are you using a Vision Board…
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RESULTS.com Business Growth Tips
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Business execution: Tips for getting things done
12 Feb 2012 | 12:36 pmDefine what “done” looks like. As part of the quarterly strategic planning process, we see too many companies choosing projects to improve their business without clearly defining the end point. One of the keys to business execution success is to specify very clearly what the completed project looks like (or the specific milestone that you intend to reach this quarter), and enter a specific due date for each project. It needs to be obvious exactly what “done” looks like, so you know precisely when to “pop the champagne cork” to celebrate your… -
What business leaders can learn from Private Equity firms
12 Feb 2012 | 11:54 amThe best performing Private Equity (PE) firms have valuable lessons to teach business leaders. Here is our take on an article from Booz & Co. Cash is king. When PE firms acquire a company, they typically use debt to finance the purchase. This creates an urgency to optimize cashflow to repay the debt. They tightly manage accounts receivables, optimize inventories, and scrutinize all discretionary expenses. Likewise, business leaders should scrutinize every expense in their business. Is it “must have” (required to keep the lights on), “smart to… -
The Knowing-Doing Gap
2 Feb 2012 | 4:15 pmThis week’s growth tip is a guest post from our friend John Spence, Business author and thought leader. “The truth of the matter is that pretty much all of us know the key things it takes to run a successful organization: a clear vision for success, adding real value to the marketplace, surround yourself with top talent, create high levels of accountability, be fanatic about listening to and serving the customer… as I wrote in my book, the building blocks of business success are Awesomely Simple. However, we also all know the cliche that "What is common sense is not always… -
SWOT Analysis - part 3
28 Jan 2012 | 11:43 amYour SWOT Analysis should be updated every quarter to ensure it is an accurate reflection of your current operating environment. The pace of change is increasing and you need to keep ahead of it! Narrow your SWOT analysis down to no more than 5 items per category. What are your top 5 Strengths? Top 5 Weaknesses? Top 5 Opportunities? Top 5 Threats? Now rank them in priority order. E.g. if you could only fix one weakness, what is your #1 weakness? If you could fix two weaknesses, what would be the #2 weakness you would work on next? Your updated SWOT… -
SWOT Analysis – part 2
21 Jan 2012 | 10:59 amAs mentioned in SWOT Analysis – part 1, you need to start with a clear strategy, before you even look at doing a SWOT Analysis. Then you need to keep the concept of “Dual Vision” in mind. Strategic planning requires us to look at how to improve our current business - “improving what is”, balanced with what we need to build to succeed in the long term - “creating what will be”. Make it obvious. Capture your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) in a three to five word phrase format. E.g. it is meaningless…
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BizSugar / Published News / Customer Service
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What do you do to WOW your customers?
11 Feb 2012 | 8:54 amWhat is your company doing to WOW your customers and everybody you come in contact with? Does your company have a system or method in place to do this consistently?27 Vote(s) -
How to Find Out Which Clients are Worth Working With
6 Feb 2012 | 11:44 amFind out how to assess and grade your clients to figure out which ones you should be focusing on in your sales and customer service.28 Vote(s) -
The True Value of "Face Time"
26 Jan 2012 | 3:35 amWe're in an age where technology is thriving and in many cases, people have replaced face-to-face time with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Skype, conference calls, IM and texting. Maybe we should challenge some of the current mediums of communication and remind people that face time has real value.27 Vote(s) -
How To Avoid Negative Reviews And Bad Publicity For Your Online Store
14 Dec 2011 | 1:31 pmWhenever you are representing your small business, you have to take off your operations hat and don your marketing cap. Conversations with the customer absolutely matter and even though you might lose a few dollars in the process, it's worth every penny in terms of mind share because the effects ar34 Vote(s) -
8 Ways to Make Customers Love a Local Business
28 Nov 2011 | 4:15 pmMany local businesses are content if customers seem "generally satisfied." Others aspire to something more - they seek the kind of passionate customer satisfaction that inspires glowing thank you letters and backyard fence referrals. Here are eight ways to spark customer love: 37 Vote(s)
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BizSugar / Published News / Marketing
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The #1 Reason for Marketing Fail
22 Feb 2012 | 8:46 pmIt's easy to justify cutting marketing costs all together in a down economy. Why? Because you're looking at it from the wrong perspective. Marketing isn't a cost - it's an investment.18 Vote(s) -
52 Weeks of Blogging Your Passion by Tara Gentile
22 Feb 2012 | 6:44 pmAre you ready to take charge of your blog and truly inspire your fans? 52 Weeks of Blogging Your Passion will help you come up with enough posts to keep you writing for an entire year! 18 Vote(s) -
The Top 5 Reasons You Need A Newsletter For Your Little Biz
20 Feb 2012 | 5:56 pmIt is time to dispel those misconceptions and embrace email marketing as the perfect strategy for any type of biz, of any size and at any stage.29 Vote(s) -
5 Negotiating tactics you should know
18 Feb 2012 | 5:33 pmIn today's competitive world, negotiation is one of the skills that everyone, including a small business owner, should possess. A question that is commonly asked by everybody is "What's in it for me?" Therefore, if you want to get a good deal out of your negotiation, you must be very clear about wh27 Vote(s) -
Why You Might Be Hurting Your Blog by Link Hoarding
16 Feb 2012 | 12:01 amAre you a link hoarder? When writing a blog post are you overly concerned about leaking link juice? Do you add a no-follow tag to all outbound links, regardless of whether they point to advertisers? You're probably doing more harm than good and here's why.31 Vote(s)
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BizSugar / Published News / Strategy
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5 Time–Saving Tools for Every Small Business Owner
22 Feb 2012 | 1:05 pmEach day, companies are creating time-management tools to help make running a business easier. And while these tools won't help to turn back time, or even slow it down, they will help you manage what little you have more efficiently. Here are 5 tools that every small business owner should have avai20 Vote(s) -
Pros and Cons of a Landline in your Small Business
12 Feb 2012 | 8:52 amIf you're like most Americans, you probably ditched your home landline a long time ago. But even with the rapid deterioration of landlines in homes, many small businesses still depend on a landline service for their office communications. Today, we're cutting the cord on this topic and sharing t29 Vote(s) -
The Best Technology for Small Business in 2012
11 Feb 2012 | 8:50 amRunning a successful small business involves many components working well together. However, there are certain technologies needed to make those components operate for your small business. What are they? Continue reading to find out what technologies you should be using for your small business in 223 Vote(s) -
10 Best Success Secrets for Women Entrepreneurs
4 Feb 2012 | 8:19 amSuccess is a combination of thinking right and doing right, according to Sarika Bhattacharyya. Here are her 10 best success secrets for women entrepreneurs.32 Vote(s) -
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid when Rolling Out New Software
29 Jan 2012 | 6:32 pmAdapting to new business software most certainly needs forming some new habit. Here are some tips to avoid typical mistakes in adopting new software.31 Vote(s)
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BizSugar / Published News / Management
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Cultivate In-House Geniuses to Inspire Innovation
9 Feb 2012 | 7:05 pmWhen we think of innovation in today's business world, one of the first companies that comes to mind is Apple. How can your small business innovate like Apple? It might be easier than you think. 25 Vote(s) -
The Reality of Virtual Workers; An Interview with UK Accountants, Richard Place Dobson
27 Jan 2012 | 3:47 pmThis interview looks at the reality of using a virtual worker to work remotely. Both the employer and employee are interviewed here.33 Vote(s) -
It Takes 5 Cs to Spell Success
24 Jan 2012 | 10:30 amTo make progress toward any goal, a series of C words tell us what's necessary to achieve success: clarity, communication, collaboration, consensus and compromise.34 Vote(s) -
Touch Base? NNNOOO!
11 Jan 2012 | 10:23 amThe world of business is rife with clichés - we've all used them. As a marketer, I am almost expected to use them. I feel that they are used as a buffer to cover up a lack of knowledge in a certain area or to try and ‘impress' people30 Vote(s) -
12 Days of Collaboration: Day 10 – Keep It Simple
26 Dec 2011 | 7:04 pmHow do you prevent communication breakdown in your projects? Use the K.I.S.S. rule - Keep It Simple Silly! Guide your team to use simpler language to communicate with each other and you will see collaboration improve and success rates increase, faster.26 Vote(s)
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OPEN Forum Articles
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Decide if Social Media Is Right for Your Business
22 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pmFrom Dan Schawbel: Social media is often a big help when you're developing your brand. It allows businesses to connect to customers on a more personal level. But that doesn't mean it's right for every small business. Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, believes that 9 million small businesses in the U.S. use Facebook. Twitter and Facebook are useful in different ways. Twitter is known to be better for customer engagement, while Facebook helps funnel traffic to your site. Both sites help you better your search engine optimization (SEO). Take three steps before… -
Three-Step Formula Boosts Innovation Efforts
22 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pmFrom Stephen Shapiro: A lot of theories circulate on how organizations make innovation a reality. Over the past 20 years, I have found a very simple formula that helps a company transform the way it innovates. Here's the key: Ask the right question, the right way, of the right people. Let's break that down into the three core components. Each component involves powerful questions to ponder. 1. Ask the right question Issue: An internal focus is sometimes the enemy of innovation. Many organizations have become overly enamored with idea-management programs. They ask employees for their… -
Are You the Definition of Small Business?
22 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmFrom Courtney Rubin: Are you the new definition of small business? Better check the Small Business Administration's dictionary–they've changed the description of the term across several industries for the first time in about a quarter of a century. The SBA has been working on the new standards since 2007; they take effect March 12. This month the SBA has spelled out in The Federal Register the new size definitions of small businesses. The new rules increase 37 of the revenue-based size standards in 34 industries in the "Professional, Scientific and Technical… -
Obama's Plan for Entrepreneurship
22 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amFrom Suzanne Sataline: President Barack Obama’s proposal last week to drive additional career training through community colleges included a less publicized benefit for entrepreneurs: a White House plan to train five million small-business owners to enhance their entrepreneurial skills. Obama has asked Congress to create an $8 billion Community College to Career Fund that would, in part, offer training for up to five million small-business owners. The plan, according to the White House, would create online courses, and what the White House calls, “an intensive six-month… -
How to Decide Where to Launch Your Company
22 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amFrom Penelope Trunk: It used to be that everyone went to Silicon Valley to start their company. Today that is not the case. And, in fact, there are a lot of good reasons to steer clear of Silicon Valley. Here are five things to think about when deciding where to locate your company. 1. Cost of living matters the most for early-stage companies. A startup is a very risky venture. I don’t need to tell you this. But I do need to tell you that most people fail because they quit. That’s right; if you keep going, if you keep plugging away at the market and pivoting your idea, you…
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Entrepreneur Update
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10 Hot Export Markets for Small Businesses
22 Feb 2012 | 7:02 amA look at a range of export opportunities, as well as challenges, for companies seeking growth beyond their home borders. -
Twitter 101: How to Join the Conversation (Video)
22 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amJason Falls, CEO of Social Media Explorer, shares tips for business owners looking to find their place on social network. -
Seven Ways to Keep Angry Customers (Like Me) Happy
22 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amWhen customer service goes wrong, I am irate. Here's how to keep angry customers like me from storming out of your real or virtual store, never to return. -
Twitter Makes Room for Your Ad Dollars
21 Feb 2012 | 9:46 amAdvertising on Twitter isn't without its challenges. Should you pay for promoted tweets? -
10 Little Known Social Media Tools You Should Be Using -- Now
21 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amWant to take your social media campaigns to the next level? These tools can help you get there.
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Small Business Technology
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Joomla: The Hidden Giant of Web Development
22 Feb 2012 | 11:00 amJoomla is one of the most widely used open source content management systems available today. Though it’s not as popular as the MIGHTY WordPress, we are yet to discover the hidden treasures that lurk beneath. I am going to discuss the Pros and Cons of using Joomla in this article, so the next time you’re planning to invest on your online presence, you should have an idea where to spend and why! The Joomla Project is made up of two working groups – the community that helps facilitate an open sharing of ideas within the Joomla community, and production that supports its technical… -
Cloud Technology Is Easy When You’ve Got The Right Team
22 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThe Bible says “The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth,” but these days “Geeks” have inherited the Earth. The Bible also says God created Earth in seven days. Yet, it seems to take “Geeks” about that long to improve upon a new technology. Take cloud technology, a pretty revolutionary concept! Instead of your computer housing files on your hard drive, you store them on “that great hard drive way up in the clouds. If you’re working with a team, everyone can work on the same project at the same time. You would think cloud technology would be the end of… -
A New Zealand Company (Xero) Reaches For The USA Small Business Accounting Market: Xero’s Going After QuickBooks
21 Feb 2012 | 1:33 pmOne of the things I dread most about running my business is dealing with the administrative hassles of the day to day, but so important, aspects of running it. I love organizing events, but even more, I love sharing with the attendees of the event. But to do an event means you’ve got to deal with contracts, invoices, bank accounts, credit cards and so many other things. Out of all these things and more, one of the things a business owner must constantly do is mange their income and expenditures – financial management. A large part of this financial management hassle is to enable… -
Ignore Mobile Users At Your Own Peril: 3 Steps To Help You Cater To Tiny Screen Customers
21 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pmFrom our partnership with Business on Main Forecasters have been proclaiming the age of m-commerce for a decade now. Yet small enterprises keep doing business the old-fashioned way: online and via email. So I can hear you saying, “Mobile biz? Again? Really?” As we all know, technological advances typically outpace consumer adoption and social transformation. Remember when wireless broadband was being hailed as a game changer? It was about the time you were thrilled to find dialup service in hotel rooms. So heads up. M-commerce is close to critical mass: (Read the full article on Business… -
Cars, Tech and Your Mobile Business: What Ford SYNC Means To You
21 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmToday your average car is tech savvy but it’s not made for business especially those of you with very long commutes or who are in their car for just as much time as they are out of their car. In this partnership with Business on Main, we look at some new cars with Ford SYNC technology. See the video here.
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Small Business News, Tips, Advice - Small Business Trends
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The S Corp Deadline Approaches: Is It Right For You?
22 Feb 2012 | 2:30 pmIf your business is a corporation, you’re already aware that March 15th is the most critical tax deadline of the year. But March 15th is an important deadline for another reason…it’s the deadline for electing S Corporation status. Choosing the right business structure is a significant issue, one you’ll want to consider carefully from all angles. The S Corporation is a popular way for small businesses to optimize their tax treatment and with the S Corp election deadline approaching, it’s a good time to examine this business entity. If you’re launching a new business or are… -
Small Business Hiring: Things Are Finally Looking Up
22 Feb 2012 | 11:30 amWith large companies not stepping up to the plate as “job creators,” small business owners have been under a microscope, with polls and surveys monitoring our hiring actions and intentions as closely as Punxsutawney Phil gets watched on Groundhog Day. For what seems like eons, there’s been little change in small businesses’ intent to hire. But now, it looks like we can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. A recent Gallup/Wells Fargo poll pegs small businesses’ plans to hire as the best they’ve been since January 2008—that is, back before the recession began. Nearly… -
Learn the Latest Trends for Selling Through Affiliates, at #AMDays
22 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amThe affiliate marketing industry is a multi-billion dollar industry here in the United States and in the U.K. By “affiliate marketing” we mean when one website (called an “affiliate” – example, Mary Smith’s blog) markets the products or services of another (called a “merchant” – example Amazon.com) in exchange for receiving a commission. The commission could be based on X$ per completed lead form, X$ per completed sale, or similar metric. The affiliate industry consists of some huge players — companies like Amazon, Dell, Apple… -
4 Tips For Getting More Site Conversions
22 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amGetting people to your Web site is one thing. Getting them to do something while they’re there is another. And then, of course, getting them to do what you want them to do is another beast entirely. But, as a marketer, that’s your job; to get someone to your Web site in order to take a desired action. So is there any way to increase your chances at a conversion? Absolutely. If you’re finding that customers are landing on your site but are either leaving prematurely or are leaving without doing what you’d hoped they do, below are four conversion optimization tips to stop that from… -
Your Home Business Can Make An Impact
22 Feb 2012 | 2:30 amHome businesses seem to get more popular all the time. Promoting a new home business around your products or services can be a daunting plan. Success Stories One mom’s home business has big impact. Think your home business can’t make a big splash? Think again! Read more and be inspired by this home business entrepreneur whose efforts are fostering national pride. What can your home business achieve? AZCentral.com Home business successes become more common. Have you noticed that home business successes like this one have become more common? Unaffected even by a tough economy, home…
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Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
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7 Stages of the Content Hourglass
22 Feb 2012 | 6:45 am7 Stages of the Content HourglassThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing The need to produce content in marketing has grown so foundational that you can’t really get through a day without hearing about it, reading about it and perhaps stressing out about it. Marketers are beginning to think and act more like publishers and are producing, curating and repurposing content like never before. Really smart marketers are snapping up journalists as key members of their marketing teams. But, if marketing content is to become the essential element that it must become in your business, you need to… -
The Single Most Important Word In Any Business
21 Feb 2012 | 5:33 amThe Single Most Important Word In Any BusinessThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing I want to ask you to take a little test. Go out and grab five or six of your best customers and pose this question to them: What’s one word you would use to describe how you think about our organization? The ability to capture and hold one word in the mind of your intended market is perhaps the most telling measure of marketing success. Organizations that pass this test do so because they have a single-minded purpose that permeates everything they stand for and everything they do. The word most people… -
Foursquare Turns Into Powerful Local Search Engine
20 Feb 2012 | 6:15 amFoursquare Turns Into Powerful Local Search EngineThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing Between you and me I had become a little bored with Foursquare. I think it has application for many small businesses and certainly know some businesses that use it quite well. As a consumer user however, it never really offered up enough value. I think that’s changed with the introduction of what Foursquare is calling the Explore function. Explore has been on the mobile app for some time, but now it’s been added to the newly designed Foursquare website and it gives Foursquare a unique opportunity to… -
Weekend Favs February Eighteen
18 Feb 2012 | 5:39 amWeekend Favs February EighteenThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing My weekend blog post routine includes posting links to a handful of tools or great content I ran across during the week. I don’t go into depth about the finds, but encourage you check them out if they sound interesting. The photo in the post is a favorite for the week from Flickr. Image: woinary via Flickr CC Good stuff I found this week: OneLoad – Simplified way to distribute video to multiple sites. Since Tube Mogul changed their focus I’ve been looking for a new tool to do this. Great stats too. Automate… -
There Can Be No Real Commitment Until You Surrender All Doubt
16 Feb 2012 | 6:14 amThere Can Be No Real Commitment Until You Surrender All DoubtThis content from: Duct Tape Marketing mirandiki via Flickr CCThere can be no life, passion or purpose in a business that lacks commitment. It’s just too hard otherwise. I’ve stated here before that I believe commitment or failure to commit is one of the central themes of our lives. It is what drives us forward and drives us away. It is what provides us with passion and fuels our greatest fears. It is what guides us to take a road less traveled or herds us on to the deeply rutted path. As it turns out I’ve written an entire…
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Branding Strategy Insider
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Brand Engagement Wins At The Academy Awards
21 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pmThe Academy Awards are considered to be one of the biggest entertainment draws of the year, sometimes called the “Super Bowl for Women.” True, female ratings have been down. Overall ratings too. Last year’s viewership was down about 10% from the year prior. And they haven’t been doing all that well with those yearned-for younger viewers either. As to that last point, last year the Academy went with the youngest co-hosts in its history – Anne Hathaway and James Franco – who received very bad reviews and didn’t bring in the younger, hipper viewers, who, one can only suppose, were… -
Strategy: 6 Guiding Principles
20 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pmWhen Mike Tyson said, “everybody’s got plans…until they get hit,” everyone knew intuitively what he meant. Simply having a strategy is no guarantee of success. Napoleon had a strategy till the Russian winter exposed its flaws. Pompey had a strategy until Caesar outfoxed him. The best laid plans are often laid asunder by the quirks of an uncertain and uncaring universe. Winning, after all, isn’t a simple matter of merit, but one that is subject to the idiosyncrasies of chance and circumstance. So what to do? How can we pursue a purpose with vigor and meaning when we can never… -
Marketing Communication Is Not Brand Strategy
19 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pmI have found that a common error advertising agencies commit is equating brand strategy with brand messaging and marketing communication. While brand messaging is an important part of brand strategy, it misses many other potential components of brand strategy. Think of the types of decisions FMCG brand managers need to make – product, product range, bundling/unbundling, packaging, pricing, sourcing, distribution, trade agreements and communication decisions...to name a few. If the brand exists at an organizational level, add to that business and business model strategy (including business… -
Confessions Of A Middle-Age Brand Consultant
18 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pmI’ve been in the marketing profession for nearly 30 years, mostly running my own marketing communications and brand development agency. In my professional career, and as an agency principal, the extraordinary and profound global change that has shadowed my entire professional life has brought me to an inflection point, certainly to a crossroads. And now for my confession. I’m no longer sure I want to continue to be a part of a business activity that feeds on ever more ridiculous consumption. Here in the US, it’s been corporate brand owners and the media who wrote the book on conspicuous… -
Brand Growth And Changing Demographics
16 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pmMuch has been made of the economic struggles plaguing young people. But of all the statistics and trend lines being bandied about, one chart in particular stopped me in my tracks recently. One that all brand marketers should take note of. A post at the economics blog SoberLook.com plotted the growth curves of population and family household formation. It is a tight linear relationship – the bigger the population, the greater the number of family households. Until 2008, that is. In 2008, the two trend lines decoupled, with the number of family households actually falling. As the blog notes,…
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Up and Running
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What does the price of gas have to do with your business?
22 Feb 2012 | 10:00 amThis week, the national average price for a gallon of gas hit $3.57, according to an article in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune. Prices are expected to reach $4 per gallon by April, and may surpass the previous all-time national average high of $4.11 (July, 2008). High gas prices don’t just have an impact on our personal driving habits. What do you think they mean for your business? Take the poll and share suggestions for minimizing the damage in the comments section below. -
Granola business keeps on growing
21 Feb 2012 | 9:40 amTwo years ago we introduced our readers to Business Plan Pro user Sarah Lanphier of Nuts About Granola. She was a young entrepreneur who turned a one-time fundraiser into a successful business. Today, the small business Sarah started with her mother, Gayle, is growing beyond what anyone, except maybe Sarah, might have imagined. In the fall, they closed not one, but two big deals that are taking Nuts About Granola to a whole new level. First came a co-packing agreement with Alpina Foods. Apina was looking for a company to produce granola to accompany their new line of Revive Greek yogurt, when… -
Is Pinterest Part of Your Business Game Plan?
17 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amIt seems that every few months the social media world is taken by storm with a new site. Replacing Google+ on the minds of most social media folks, Pinterest, a startup last year, has exploded in recent months to be the latest social networking rage. If you have not heard of this social site, well, don’t feel like you have been living under a boulder for the last few months. Perhaps living under a rock, but there is still time to get caught up on the latest craze. For those unfamiliar with Pinterest, the essential deal is you get together online with others based on common interests,… -
Work. Life. Balance.
16 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amChristiane Erwin is owner and CEO of Crestview Doors, Inc. Using more than a decade of experience spent designing and launching web-based e-commerce applications for businesses in a variety of industries, Christiane and her husband David started Crestview Doors in 2007. Crestview Doors has shipped thousands of products worldwide and been featured on television, in print, and on the web for their rapid growth despite the downturn in the housing market. Christiane is the mother of four children ages 12, 9, 5 and 2. With four kids and a business to run, I always feel pulled in two directions. … -
Will a business plan help you raise money?
15 Feb 2012 | 11:23 amThe necessity of a business plan is a controversial topic. What is the importance of a plan? Do you only need a plan if you’re looking for investment? Or can a plan help your business succeed in the long run? Do you think a business plan will help provide you with a leg up if you’re trying to raise money for your business? Share your thoughts!
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Big Marketing For Small Business
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How to Use Social Media for New Product Launches
14 Feb 2012 | 8:30 amOne of the biggest challenges for a small business is getting word out when you add something new and excited to your product or service offering. Your social media presence can help immensely, but it doesn’t happen automatically … so, here are seven key DOs and DON’Ts for getting the most out of social media on your next product launch. 1. DON’T wait until your launch to start using social media. I can’t tell you how many inquiries our agency gets along these lines: “Hi, we’re launching a new product next week and want you to set us up a Facebook page to promote it.”… -
10 Tips for Improving Your Business Blog
6 Feb 2012 | 12:50 pmOne thing small businesses are always short of is time – and blogs take a lot of it. Here are 10 practical tips for making your blog more productive without the need for a huge investment of time or money. 1. Add Two Conversion Activities to Your Blog A fatal flaw for any blog is failing to offer readers a way to and a reason for contacting you. You should have two offers: one for browsers, and another for buyers. Browsers are window shoppers, information collectors; they will be interested in free downloads, white papers, etc. Buyers are in the market; they will be interested in special… -
SEO: Agency vs In-House
6 Feb 2012 | 12:36 pmWhen considering your business’s SEO needs, there are a few ways to go and each come with their own set of benefits and faults. Figuring out what is best for you or your company is a good place to start. SEO can either be done through an agency or by your very own in-house team and each provides their very own set of pros and cons. Understanding these is the very first step in guiding you through the SEO process. In-house SEO brings with it the expertise and in-depth knowledge of your industry like no agency, big or small, can master. You are the experts with all of the buzzwords and… -
Internet Marketing 101 Coming to a High School Near You
31 Jan 2012 | 9:57 amInternet marketing continues to be a quickly growing field, making a big impact in school course offerings. Courses in Internet marketing start as early as high school, and students at Utah’s Davis High School are learning to look at websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in a whole new light. Currently, job opportunities for Internet marketing are one of the few bright spots in a down economy. With more than 2 billion Internet users worldwide, it’s easy to see how companies like Salt Lake City-based PurePPC.com are hiring those with a keen understanding of how to market to consumers… -
15 YouTube Marketing Tips for Your Small Business
24 Jan 2012 | 12:03 pmVideo Marketing on YouTube is a must for small businesses and startups in 2012. YouTube videos are longtail pieces of marketing content that can drive organic traffic to your website for many years to come. Here are 15 tips to know about marketing on YouTube. 1. Anyone Can Do a Video The best part of YouTube Marketing is you do not need to hire models, buy fancy equipment, or have a baller studio. Most of the “highest viewed” videos are shot by a simple cell phone or webcam. Another option for those who are camera shy is to use Powerpoint or a similar program to make the presentation.
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HBR.org
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How to Network with Executive Search Firms
22 Feb 2012 | 12:30 pmAs you grow in your career, it's important to grow your network with you. By the time they're 45 or 50, most executives will benefit if they have positive relationships with two or three quality search consultants. While I encourage these relationships, I'm certainly not saying you should always be looking for a new job. That's the path to failure. Most executives, however, will benefit if they occasionally are in touch with the market for people like them. At senior levels, search consultants are the closest thing to that kind of market. The right search consultant can be more than a source… -
Eco-Labeling: The Critical Questions to Ask
22 Feb 2012 | 12:23 pmWill we see the day when all products carry environmental labels with data on carbon emissions and other impacts? Recent news tells us a definitive...maybe. Within a couple days of each other, GM announced new eco-labels for some Chevy models, while UK mega-retailer Tesco pulled back from an important 4-year experiment in carbon labeling. The attempt to give corporate buyers and end consumers more sustainability data about the products they are purchasing has had a somewhat tortured history. The Tesco experience in particular highlights a few big questions about green data labeling. Tesco has… -
Social Means Freedom, for Better or for Worse
22 Feb 2012 | 11:58 amA Stanford Professor quit his job. But he doesn't plan to go to another prestigious university. Nope. He, like others, has discovered the power of teaching online; in his case, he reached 160,000 students in a single online course on artificial intelligence. This is more than a story of online learning or mass dissemination. It proves a point: What once required a badge and a title within a centralized organization no longer does. The implications for global education are huge, of course. And that would be interesting enough. But there are also implications for organizational design and… -
Introducing the New HBR iPad App
22 Feb 2012 | 11:30 amSome exciting news to share with the HBR community: The new HBR iPad app is now live in the iTunes app store. This launch is the realization of almost a year's worth of planning, proposing, modeling, designing, building, and general preparation. Senior Editor Scott Berinato and Assistant Product Marketing Director Kate Adams led dozens of people in the effort — in the building here and also with our partners at ScrollMotion. Needless to say, we're all pretty chuffed about it and wanted to let everyone know what they can find in the app. But first, a bit of background. Over the last two… -
Faced with Distraction, We Need Willpower
22 Feb 2012 | 10:24 amMustering willpower is a struggle for almost everyone — and it's getting harder. We, as individuals and as a society, lack self-control at precisely the time we need it most. Willpower is about more than resisting our bad habits. It's the mental discipline that allows us to cultivate good habits, make better decisions, and control our own behaviors — everything from dieting effectively to powering through difficult problems at work. It's a quality that can separate the most productive businesspeople from the least productive. And it's a trait that many of us lack. Surveys of more…
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Everything Small Business Journal
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PayPal Shifts Strategy, Now Available at Home Depot
22 Feb 2012 | 9:37 amPayPal Shifts Strategy, Now Available at Home Depot (via Credit.com) -
Survive and Thrive in an Uncertain Job Market
22 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amFrustrations in your job, industry or life may make you feel like jumping ship some days, swimming toward whatever job seems the most promising at the moment. Not so fast. If you want to improve your situation long term, you need to step back, take a breath and approach a career change thoughtfully and deliberately. “Switching careers takes some effort,” said Dr. Mary Hawkins, president of Bellevue University. “You need to figure out what experience and skills you need and the level of education required to enter and excel in a new field.” Determine Where the Jobs Are Dr. Hawkins… -
Take Your Skills With You
20 Feb 2012 | 10:17 amIf you think your work skills are only useful at your current job, think again. Many of the skills acquired in the workforce can be used in related or even completely different careers, so there’s no need to stay in that dead-end job or keep trying for a job in an industry that’s losing them. Many skills can be transferred and be an asset in another type of career. Although the U.S. unemployment rate is currently 8.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 3.4 million jobs open right now. Many employers have positions they believe they can’t fill and can’t… -
Six Marketing Moves Small Businesses Can Make Themselves
17 Feb 2012 | 12:06 pmThere’s no doubting the critical importance of marketing when getting a small business started. Unless word-of-mouth is enough to generate publicity for your young brand, not enough people are going to know who you are at the beginning until you reach out to them in an effective way. Thus, the marketing industry was born – specifically the Internet marketing industry. Countless companies and individuals exist to help small businesses succeed in the art of capturing attention amidst ostensibly unending competition. While spending money on such effective services as… -
A Smart Way to Access Cloud Programs
17 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amThere’s good news for those who have to take care of business while on the go. Two new software applications from Infor, a leading provider of business software and services, make it possible to have access to cloud-based programs when outside the office. Both are designed to provide fast, reliable connections to office systems through smartphones and tablets, such as the iPhone and iPad, regardless of location. One app, Infor10 Road Warrior, was created to empower sales productivity by sending mobile alerts, approvals and tasks, allowing users to make better, faster business decisions. The…
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The Thriving Small Business
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5 Things Employers Can do to Manage Grief in the Workplace
22 Feb 2012 | 5:44 amMy daughter recently called to let me know that a co-worker of hers – a young husband and father of two small children was the victim of a violent murder. My daughter was very upset and overwhelmed with concern for her friend. Her emotions were those of grief, anger, empathy and care for the young family he left behind. She has a very verbal personality so she was able to talk through this broad range of emotions that she was dealing with while figuring out how to manage the workplace grief. This incident reminded me of the handful of times throughout my career that I had to… -
Small Business Social Media Consultant – Do you need one?
14 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pmSocial media is quickly becoming the norm for businesses across the world. With 80% of adults using social networks, it would be ridiculous not to get your company involved. A vast majority of businesses lack understanding of social media, causing them to lose out on the benefits many of their competitors are reaping. So do you need a small business social media consultant? “Conventional marketing wisdom long held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people. But…in the new age of social media, he or she has the tools to tell ten million.” The New Conversation Study - Paul Gillin… -
10 Ways to Avoid a Personal Injury Suit
9 Feb 2012 | 9:19 amIf you’re an employer and/or small business owner, you need to protect yourself from personal injury lawsuits. Said suits can be a public relations nightmare, damage your business’ reputation, cause you to lose business, and result in huge suit-related financial losses. Below you’ll find 10 ways to avoid a personal injury lawsuit. 1. Perform Safety Checks You should always perform periodic work premises safety checks as part of a safety program. Check all electrical and gas appliances to ensure they are working properly. Ensure that your office building is safe and free from… -
Pepsi EEOC Settlement – 5 Things Your Organization Can Learn
1 Feb 2012 | 5:53 amPepsi has been ordered to pay $3.13 million to settle a case involving the hiring discrimination of African American workers. The charge was filed in a Minneapolis Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and claimed that Pepsi’s background check policy discriminated against African American job applicants. The EEOC found that the background check policy was in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and claimed that African American job applicants were disproportionately excluded from permanent employment if their background check showed the applicant had been… -
5 Barriers to Achieving Business Goals
11 Jan 2012 | 10:09 amOrganizations that use strategy and goals to move the business forward are dependent on how well goals are achieved to fulfill strategic direction. Having a structured performance management process is the most important part in setting goals and achieving them. Accomplishing strategy is dependent on the ability to achieve business goals. Well written SMART goals lay out the framework and accountability for goal completion and managing performance. However, there are barriers inherent in many organizations that limit the ability to achieve goals and ultimately strategy. If…
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BizBest
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How Bundle is Reinventing Local Business Reviews
17 Feb 2012 | 10:13 amCustomer online reviews are a flawed device and the rapid proliferation of review sites has long worried local businesses over the potential for abuse and inaccuracy. But a new service called Bundle aims to reinvent the online review. By tracking actual consumer spending patterns – what people buy, where they buy it and how often they return, for example – Bundle’s sophisticated computer programs eliminate subjective opinions and get to what people actually do, not say, and then turn that information into more objective measures of popularity and customer satisfaction.According to… -
Twitter to Offer Small Business Ads
17 Feb 2012 | 9:15 amStarting later this year, any U.S.-based small business will be able to advertise on Twitter using a new self-service ad platform for two ad products to called “Promoted Tweets” and “Promoted Accounts.”The first small businesses to use the program, however, will be selected through a new partnership between Twitter and American Express, a deal that initially makes it easy for small business owners to advertise on Twitter. Amex card members and merchants will be invited to try this new advertising solution before anyone else, and American Express will give $100 in free advertising to… -
Top 10 Small Biz Twitter Rock Stars for 2012
14 Feb 2012 | 9:38 amBizBest Media’s own @140Main Twitter account — where we tweet as LocalSocialMedia — has been named to the Top 10 Small Biz Twitter Rock Stars for 2012, compiled and published by SkedX. Their blogging team at The SkedCast reviewed and analyzed hundreds of small business Twitter accounts and ranked them not just on content, but on how the small business community responds to them. Be sure to check out the other “Rock Stars” on the list — they’re all worth following. (@140Main is also a Top 10 Influencer in the Small Business category on Klout.)Here are… -
Use a Tweet Tease to Boost Response on Twitter
5 Feb 2012 | 11:53 amTV and print news organizations are adept at using “teasers” to entice interest in a particular story to get readers or viewers to click or tune in. And when you tweet for yourself or your local business, you should aspire to do the same. The result will be a higher headcount of people who read, react to and re-tweet your content.Too many tweets are simply trash. In fact, new research conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, MIT and Georgia Tech (cleverly named “Who Gives a Tweet?”) shows that Twitter users only consider 36% of the tweets they see to be worthwhile. About 39% are… -
Twitter CEO on What Makes a Great Tweet
3 Feb 2012 | 8:56 amBefore I get to Twitter CEO Dick Costolo (@dickc), let me tell you about Willy O’Sullivan who owns the Irish pub in my neighborhood. Willy is quite worldly on social media matters and a savvy business person overall, but Twitter confounds him. “I have Twitter, but I have no idea what to do with it,” he says. “You open it up and it asks me who I want to follow, and I have no idea about that either.”And Willy, in fact, is a proxy for millions of local business owners who grasp the importance of social media but simply don’t have time to experiment with using it for business…
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Small Business Bliss
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9 tips for handling your copywriting
10 Feb 2012 | 2:50 pmMarketing and copywriting go hand in hand. You need to write copy for your website, your social media profiles, your sales materials. Not only that, but it needs to be done well. Copywriting is an extremely important communications tools that directly affect how people perceive and feel about your small business. It can be a daunting task – use these 9 tips to make things a little easier on your small business… If you suck at or severely dislike writing, don’t. Hire a copywriter. An important productivity (and happiness) rule is to do and focus on what you love and what you… -
Marketing quick tip: Get different variations of your logo
3 Feb 2012 | 11:01 amDo you have different variations of your small business’ logo? If not, it’s definitely a good idea to get in touch with your graphic designer to get some! The 3 variations I recommend: Horizontal Vertical or stacked Icon Here’s my logo in the 3 different formats to show you what I mean… Logo horizontal Logo vertical or stacked Icon It’s important to get these different versions of your logo because of all the different formats and layouts you will come across marketing your business. You will find that online, with social media profiles or directory listings… -
New Twitter design – a video tour
27 Jan 2012 | 12:56 pmThe good news is that Twitter has not changed much in terms of functionality with their new design – it’s mostly just a matter of a new look and a new interface. Several important Twitter functions can now be found in a different place, so it is a little confusing and takes some getting used to. OLD Twitter design… Old Twitter Design …VS. the NEW Twitter design New Twitter design Given that, I thought I’d do up a quick little video to tour you around the new Twitter design, and hopefully make it easier for you when you go to use it. I’ll be covering:… -
How to keep your small business out of trouble with trademark clearance research
18 Jan 2012 | 1:58 pmThis is a guest post by Jeffrey Fabian of TrademarkIntel™ When choosing a brand name for your new small business or product line, it’s easy to fall in love with a name and feel the impulse to start stamping it immediately on anything and everything you can get your hands on. While this is decidedly the fun part of branding, it can also get you into a lot of trouble and create headaches down the road if you don’t take the necessary steps to make sure that your chosen trademark isn’t already in use by somebody else. Long story short, trademark infringement is serious business, and… -
Hate your blog? 5 ways to make blogging fun again
10 Jan 2012 | 3:34 pmAny small business owner with a blog knows the feeling of struggling with the whole content creation thing. Maybe you’re plum out of ideas. Or you’re in a busy time for your biz and totally swamped with work. Or you’re just plain not feeling your blog right now. The thought of writing another post makes you want to poke your eyes out. This is totally normal. You’re not a professional blogger; you’re a small business owner. But you know blogging is important for your small business and that you need to keep at it. So why not change things up a little? Break out…
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Simply Business Coaching
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Talking yourself out of a sale is far too easy to do!
22 Feb 2012 | 12:34 amWhen you’ve gone to so much trouble to finally have the attention of your prospective client (whether in person or on the phone), the last thing you want to happen is to blow the opportunity to sign them up and clinch the sale. And yet, unfortunately, it happens all too often. The main reason for this is that we get nervous – understandably. As a result we sometimes talk too much, undoing the good work of the earlier part of the conversation or presentation. What’s going on? First, let’s consider what’s happening for your prospective client. You’ve just given them a lot of… -
Watch Out for Signs your Business may be Stuck in the Past
15 Feb 2012 | 12:22 amDuring a long drive the other day, I listened to an inspiring recorded interview with a very successful and respected small business expert. Once home again I eagerly visited his website, hoping to find more nuggets. Sure enough, all the published books were prominently displayed, together with links to forthcoming training courses, but otherwise the website seemed stuck in the past. For example I was disappointed to click on a link to a promising-looking article and discovered that it was published in 2001. Knowing how easy it is to constantly want to move on to the next exciting new… -
What Do You Do When Everything Seems Equally Important?
8 Feb 2012 | 12:38 amDo you ever get that sinking feeling when you look at your diary or to-do list? When everything is marked urgent and you know you’re going to have to pull some crazy working hours to get through it all. This is where you basically have three choices. Number one is to dive back under the duvet and hope the list will miraculously get done by itself (score 0/10 for effectiveness); number two is to run around like a headless chicken, squawking a lot and pecking frantically at several jobs on the list throughout the day (score 2/10 for effectiveness but 8/10 for noise & energy). Choice… -
Do you know when to say yes?
1 Feb 2012 | 12:45 amHave you noticed how many times you need to make decisions in your business these days? I don’t mean the usual decisions about pricing, promotions, sales targets or even which of your great business ideas to start working on next. No, I mean decisions about all the business ‘improvement’ opportunities that present themselves to you on a daily basis! I was looking through my emails at the weekend, and it seemed that every other one was offering me such opportunities, many of which were hard to ignore or simply delete without reading. There were tempting opportunities Webinars,… -
Take One Action Each Day – How Hard Can It Be?
25 Jan 2012 | 12:46 amI thought that setting the target of just one action to achieve each day for my business would make life super simple and be easy to achieve. OK so I was wrong! The concept seemed easy enough when I first read about it several years ago in Mark Forster’s wonderfully titled and insightful book: Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play (aff link), but on the occasions when I try it (usually to kick-start productivity or when I feel myself procrastinating and generally faffing around too much), I find it surprisingly difficult to do. The idea is that this is an exercise to help build…
