Articles from our team of expert columnists
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] Recently I visited my college friend Alice—a friend from college, fellow small business owner… and now my optometrist. As she was checking my eyes out, she tried different lenses in the phoropter and ask “Which looks better, this,” and after making and adjustment, “… or this?” During this visit, I thought...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] Over the last 28 years, I’ve worked with some very smart salespeople. They go into the field and do their best to educate and persuade prospects to buy their products or services and although they are truly excellent at what they do, they may have very minimal knowledge about the marketplace or...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] Maybe you’ve heard of the 80/20 rule (or Pareto’s Principle that says 80% of our results come from just 20% of our effort), the rule of three (we tend to remember lists of three items), and Parkinson’s Principle (work expands to fit the time allotted). What about the 10-minute rule? Never hear of...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] “We Are eBay,” it was plastered on all the branding from your notepads and goodie bags to the hallway room signage. Was it there to remind me that they are eBay or was it there to remind themselves? I think it was both. After two days of being immersed in the hoopla...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] Happy clients, happy company. Sounds simple, right? If you manage your own company you know that happy clients keep the business thriving. Sometimes, however, achieving that desired level of client satisfaction can be more than a bit elusive. Here are five tips that you can adopt to ensure that you find the client...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] One of the great challenges we face as entrepreneurs is how to deal with all of the choices we face. How should we spend our money, our time, and use available resources to serve our customers best and achieve success? Fortunately, there’s an app for that… well, not an app, but...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] One of the nastiest traps small business owners fall into is being a “Doer”. I’ve been there, and it goes something like this: You know a bit about accounting, so you do your own bookkeeping. You know your way around your website, so you post your blogs and make website changes. You know how...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] When most people think of communication, they think of speaking. When you’re an entrepreneur, a lot of your communication involves pitching yourself, your services and/or your products. However, I believe that entrepreneurs can be more productive and win more proposals when speaking less. How? By listening more. Listening well communicates more than words...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] I have always believed that everyone is in sales regardless of their position and corresponding responsibilities: The receptionist who answers the phone and greets the visitors that come into the office The accounts receivable employee who speaks with clients about collection matters The technicians who are in the field attending to service issues. Yes, everyone...
[content field="callout1" format="true" class="calloutwide"] Its a well known fact that your next customer is going to come from a source you know very well - your existing customer. This is not a coincidence. You worked hard, created a successful business and made sure you provided the best service and satisfied your customers. Your customers did...
