Managing business uncertainty can be overwhelming. Even if you embrace and even welcome change, dealing with uncertainty from local markets and global developments is a whole different ballgame. What’s happening with the economy? What is the impact of global warming on the weather, or agriculture and water supplies, or property values and retirement destinations? How…
How do you go about finding and selling to your perfect customer? Do you know who you’re looking for? And if you know who, do you know how to get their attention and transform them from a prospect to a delighted customer or client? Identifying your perfect customer: Who is your perfect customer? If you…
It’s fall, which in the business world means it’s time to start strategic planning for 2019. Goodbye, summer; it’s time to rev the engines and charge ahead! Strategic planning is rather like the business equivalent of New Year’s resolutions. The best of intentions combine with a glorious vision, and we set out to conquer the…
Is your 2019 strategic plan positioning you to capitalize on emerging trends? Are you set to ride the waves of change, or are you at risk for being swamped in the undertow? Have you accounted for dynamic changes in your industry, and the marketplace, and the world? And have you compensated for their impact on…
What is your batting average for breakthrough ideas? When is the last time you, metaphorically speaking, went outside the lines of the coloring book, out of the book altogether, and created a masterpiece on the living room wall? There’s nothing wrong with following standard procedures or well-established practices. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,”…
What is the trick? How adept are you at creating new products and finding new ideas? Nothing is more dead than yesterday’s hot item. Customers are attracted to novelty. The blockbuster movie premiere, the newest restaurant on the block or the latest viral dance craze capture the media and lock in our attention. Technology, interests…
Building a business is like riding a rollercoaster. There are times of anticipation as you climb slowly to the top, and times of thrilling swoops and turns. There are also times of sheer terror, when you’re certain the cars are headed off the track and you are doomed to plummet to earth in a final…
Whether you’re corporate or entrepreneurial, firing a customer can create an emotional roller coaster. More than likely, the soon-to-be ex-customer has been a source of frustration, discord, anger and financial loss. You know everyone will breathe easier, but you can still dread the showdown. The problem customer might represent a major account, responsible for a…
Does your business create marketing “Wow!”? Are you constantly thinking about new ways to delight your customers? Do you have an edge? Competition in every field is fierce. Even if you dominate your market, there are always others ready to enter, offering something new and enticing to your steady customers. Your predictable, dependable product suddenly…
The fourth quarter is here, fall is in the air, and in the business world, it’s time to jumpstart strategic planning for the new year. Do not permit yourself to be lulled into complacency. Yes, the weather is still balmy at times, and yes, the trees still hold some fall color. But year end is…