Strategies & Execution
7 smart ways to find new customers
Sending an offer by mail can cost anywhere from 50 cents to $150 for each prospect, depending on the different components of the campaign. For the most part, direct mail is more expensive than advertising by e-mail or on the web, but it can also be much more effective in the long run. How do [...]
7 Easy Steps to Follow Up by Phone
You know how critical it is to follow up your initial contacts or mailings with a personal phone call, but somehow your list of calls to make always seems to get longer instead of shorter. Days or even weeks go by before you place important calls, and there always seems to be something more important [...]
Forming an Alliance? Plan for Your Break Up
A word of advice for companies thinking about forming a business alliance: Before launching any partnership, make sure both parties agree on how you’ll know, and what you’ll do, when it’s over. An exit-plan must clearly specify the point of disengagement, tells both parties what their subsequent rights and responsibilities are, and provides a clear [...]
2007 Tax Tips
Keeping your tax files fit for the coming 12 months not only cuts frustration in another year, it likely will cut your taxes. Here are some things to consider in the next few months: Make a plan – At minimum your plan should summarize total revenue, collections by client and expenses from the past year [...]
Live rich, retire richer
We all know the drill: To make sure you have enough green for your golden years, you’re supposed to max out your 401(k) contributions, invest in index funds and growth stocks, and not – repeat, not – splurge on that top-of-the-line Ferrari. All sound advice. But where’s the fun in that? And what about now, [...]
3 Simple Rules for Creating an Effective USP
You have one, whether you know it or not. Everybody does. There is something unique about your business; you just have to discover what it is. And therein lies the problem. Most business owners and managers don’t understand how to create a truly Unique Selling Proposition (USP). There are specific criteria to consider in order [...]
8 Secrets of the Super Successful
Everyone wants success, however it is defined. For some, it can mean financial riches. For others, success can mean reaching the top of their field. Some simply define success as living a fulfilled and contented life. Alan S. Becker in his book There’s Always Room at the Top: 8 Secrets of the Super Successful explores [...]
