Jul 27th, 2010
by Gerald Voigt.
The customer is never wrong.
Well that may be true, but it doesn’t necessarily mean each customer is right, for you. Recently I was approached by a prospective client who was asking for assistance with marketing his business. I listened to him explain everything that he felt was wrong with all aspects relating to his business and its operations, mostly external. This lit the master caution light in my mind. Sure, there are those clients who just don’t start out running their businesses very well, and they struggle along the way. Some crash immediately after takeoff, yet some manage to get a little air, but no significant altitude.
We’ve all dealt, in one way or another, with those who have tried to fly their business by the seat of their pants – the only engine on fire, a hole in both wings and no change for the prayer phone. You can hear the crew screaming at each other and watch as passengers bail out once they’ve experienced the first few minutes of the flight. Those who make the whole trip are definitely not happy with the experience.
Do yourself a favor before making a proposal or entering into a business agreement. Do some investigation into the potential client before making a commitment.
Jul 13th, 2010
by Shari Voigt.
Have you ever pondered the life of a chipmunk? We have an active clan in our backyard and they’re fun to watch, along with the bunnies, birds and other occasional wild critters.
The chipmunk works hard and plays hard from spring through fall. It stuffs his cheeks full at one of our bird feeders, then scampers off, repeating the process again and again – filling a chamber in its underground home to feed its young ones and storing up food for the winter. Then it disappears for the winter and rests from summer’s frenetic activity.
It’s a strange balance, but balance nonetheless.
What does this have to do with small business marketing tips?
Jul 8th, 2010
by Shari Voigt.
“Are you doing work worth doing, or are you just doing your job?” ~ A great question posed by Seth Godin in his blog post “What’s the point?”
Time doesn’t stand still for any of us. Whether you’ve shortened your work day as I have, or are working 40+ hours each week, we all have a limited number of hours to get the job done. Is the time you invest in your business, time well-spent? What about today? Will today’s activities move you toward achieving your small business goals, or are you running a parallel course – as in, you can’t get there from here?
Jul 6th, 2010
by Shari Voigt.
Did you know you can get more done in less time? A little over a week ago, I cut my workday in half. I went from working 8 a.m – 8 p.m. with not enough to show for it, to a very reasonable 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., with weekends off. The result: I’m accomplishing twice as much in half the time … and I’m lovin’ it!
If you set your own hours and especially if you work from home, it’s crucial to set boundaries. When my husband and I tell others that we both work from home, we’re usually met with an incredulous “I don’t have that kind of discipline … how do you do it?” type of response. The truth is that it begins and ends with boundaries.
Jun 24th, 2010
by Shari Voigt.
“If you truly believe that your products and services offer world-class solutions, then you are doing your customers a disservice by not making it very easy for them to introduce these benefits to their friends.” ~ John Jantsch, from The Referral Engine
I’m on my second reading of The Referral Engine by John Jantsch. Yes, it is THAT good – and I highly recommend you order your copy today.
The first reading was a bit hurried, as I had promised a review by a certain date. Now I’m taking my time and taking lots of notes. It’s not that what he’s written about is new or cutting edge, but rather that he breaks it down and makes it real. Expect plenty of head-smacking and wondering, “Why am I not doing that?”
