What do these four things have in common? Keep up building maintenance Develop your online presence Provide good wages and benefits Establish a solid customer service program Give up? Perhaps the article title gave you a hint. Each of these items has been shown to build your bottom line. That’s correct. Spending money in these…
Have you ever bought something only to find out that the final prices is more, and sometimes a great deal more, than what you read or were told? How did it make you feel? That feeling is the same one your customer gets if you aren’t being transparent in your pricing. When I have discussed…
What’s the goal of a marketing program? If you listen to marketing gurus, they talk a great deal about getting bigger numbers. Many of the tips you find focus on increasing how many people see your message or how many take time to read your content. Those are good first steps because developing an awareness…
Is your business the “best-kept secret?” While that question should make you smile, it also should raise a concern. Reaching your full potential will not happen if people don’t know your business exists. How do you know if you are the best-kept secret? If you finish a sale and your customer comments she wishes she had…
Some marketing tools are good. Others are great. Typically a great marketing tool is having others talking about your business. Not paid ads but your own brand ambassadors telling your story. What makes it effective? It is part of our nature to trust other people. That is why reviews on your home page or posted…
Practically all of the guest blogs I write for Small Business Survival focus on tips to enhance the management or operational aspects of your business. This post, however, goes down a new road. I would love your thoughts on what you consider acceptable ratings, both as a consumer and as a business owner, when viewing customer…
Why should I read this article? My hope is that it will help your bottom line. A marketing message, just like a news story, must answer several questions, including who, what, when, where, how and why. While all the parts are needed, only one element connects with the consumer and gets a person to take…
Many entrepreneurs see working at home as a great way to combine their work and personal life. Not only can they save money because they’re not paying rent for an office or manufacturing space, but the idea of flexible schedules and blending their work and personal life is appealing. Home-based businesses remain today an important…
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