Professionalisms
Five Sites Reputation Management Experts Fear
They’re here. The sites that even your genius SEO guy and tech savvy PR team are often powerless against. Unmanaged, these sites can sink your company online, says Kent Campbell, SEO expert and founder of Internet Reputation Management.
Practical HR Solutions For Today’s Workplace
As a small business owner you are likely to ask why and when you should invest in Human Resources for your company. Consider the value HR can bring by taking an informed look at what is going on in your workplace today.
Eight Ways To Reignite Your Passion So You Can Reignite Your Company
You know your people are struggling and—not coincidentally—so is your company. And if you’re trying to harass them into productivity, you’re fighting a losing battle. If they’re to compete in the global economy, you’ll have to light a fire under them — but first, says Mohan Nair, you must light one under yourself.
Why Small Businesses Fail
Business can fail for a lot of other reasons, and some are completely out of the owner's control. Most failures boil down to one thing, however - a lack of business knowledge is the primary culprit.
20 Counter-Intuitive Company Policies That Actually Work
Here are 20 ways how mind-boggling company policies are making a difference and leading some companies to incredible success.
Eight Ways To Fight Entrepreneurial Fires And Constantly Improve In The Process
Entrepreneurs spend a healthy portion of their day putting out customer-, employee-, and money-related fires. Ed Hess explains how to capitalize on these flames by using them to constantly improve your business.
How To Design Your Own Logo
When you want to make sure that your small business gets the attention it deserves, you need to make sure that you are considering every aspect of your logo. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Say What? Five Quick Scripts For Responding To Customer Complaints
The last thing a customer with a complaint wants to hear you say is: “You’re wrong”. Ron Kaufman, author of "Uplifting Service", offers a few quick scripts to use when responding to customer complaints.
Serve Up Satisfaction: 10 Tips For Effectively Handling Customer Complaints
As the Spirit Airlines case has recently shown, sticking to your guns is rarely the best way to handle customer complaints. Ron Kaufman concedes that these situations are difficult to navigate. He offers advice on how to handle
complaints so that your unhappy customers become customers for life.
A Business Owner’s Guide to Surviving the Impending “Post-ocalypse”
The first step in modernizing the United States Postal service has been taken. Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation, offers some advice to small business owners who may be affected by for USPS’s impending downsize.
Want The Best Business Card Ever? Write A Book
Whenever someone asks Marsha Friedman for advice on the best way to promote their business or themselves, her answer is always the same: Write a book.
SEO Suggestions For Budget-Conscious Businesses
One area a small business owner can look into for marketing is search engine optimization, which does not need to be expensive in terms of marketing investment. David Nance shares why.
Seven Power Questions to Help You Become a Bankable Star
Hollywood’s biggest stars mean blockbuster movies and big bucks for movie executives, and that’s why these stars are in such high demand. Is this how prospective clients in your market view you or your company? If not, Andrew Sobel has a
few tips to help you become the “Bankable Star” of your industry.
10 Biggest Myths About Employee Motivation
Managers ignore employees' motivation at their own peril. Here are the 10 most commonly-believed myths about rallying the troops.
The “Grow or Die” Lie: Why Everything You Think You Know About Business Growth...
For decades entrepreneurs have been boldly following what they think they know about business growth. And for decades, they’ve folded under the pressures of improperly managed growth. Professor Ed Hess debunks some popular myths about growth and provides proven truths to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses successfully.
Build Your Brand On A Budget
So, you’re just starting out with your business and you don’t have much money to spend on marketing your brand. Founder of MediaBombshell.com Ellie Scarborough offers ideas on how you can use video on your site, in your blog and on social media.
Using Facebook For Small Business
Kirby Koo, Manager of Small and Medium Business Growth at Facebook gives us some top tips that will help you get the most out of your business’ Facebook Page.
14 Fascinating Theories From Leadership Studies
There are dozens of fascinating theories from the field of leadership studies that can help you become a better leader or at the very least offer insights into the reasons why we act the way we do when leading or being led. Here are 14 of the biggest and best theories.
5 Truths Of Competing With Big Box Stores
Many independent retailers despair when faced with superstores taking chunks of their market; meanwhile those determined to stay and willing to adapt find ways to coexist and thrive. Here are five retail truths local retailers can employ in competing against big box stores.
Taming The Apps Explosion With Data Center Convergence
With data increasing at this monumental rate, the adoption of new applications has become a double-edged sword for many organizations, says Joe Ong, managing director of Hitachi Data Systems Singapore.
Four Ways To Create A Positive Team Culture
J. Clint Anderson Ph.D., founder and president of J. Clint Anderson Company shares four steps to help a leader create a positive team culture in their organization.
Nine Power Questions To Help You Stand Up To Discount Pressure
Andrew Sobel explains how to respond when a customer hits you with the dreaded “D” word: “We like your proposal, but we need a discount!”
How To Build A Better Mousetrap With Social Media
Marsha Friedman, author of "Celebritize Yourself", says that anyone can integrate publicity and social media into their business.
By All Accounts: Eleven Essential Bookkeeping Accounts For Any Small Business Owner
Detailed bookkeeping is essential to the success of every small business, and even more essential for small business owners is understanding what your books tell you about your business. Author of Bookkeeping Kit For Dummies® Lita Epstein provides an overview of what accounts are necessary for your business.
4 Time Saving Tips For Internet Marketing Entrepreneurs
Internet marketers want to reach the last state as quickly as possible so that they can start earning money. Before they can improve their time management skills they must first understand every step of the process, says Sam Mauzy.
Stop Wasting Time In Meetings!
Author of "Wheel$pin: The Agile Executive's Manifesto" Mike Richardson offers various tips for meetings that get things done.
Do Businesses Know What Their Customers Want? Research Shows 90% Do Not.
What customers value most changes constantly, and the businesses who become relevant by addressing what customers really value at any given time will be the first ones out of the recession, says Jaynie L. Smith, CEO of marketing consultancy firm Smart Advantage, Inc. and author of the book "Relevant Selling".
Breaking Into Mobile Commerce
Jessica Sanders of Chonies tells small business owners that whether they sell high fashion products or gourmet food, mobile commerce should be on their checklist of goals for 2012
Clear Writing: It’s All About The Reader.
Authors of "Listen. Write. Present.: The Elements for Communicating Science and Technology" Stephanie Roberson Barnard and Deborah St James says there is economic value in honing a basic skill like writing.
Twelve Things Experienced Employees Know That Make Life So Much Better
Being a great employee isn’t just about doing the work. It’s about doing the work and navigating the minefield of leader, coworker, and customer needs.