Leadership is a means to create value for others through self-expression. How a leader shows up is everything as it sets the tone for others to either emulate or evade. Making the jump from manager to director to leader is never a clear-cut process. The position itself changes but the “how to lead” skills are [...]
Marketing a business to a large and diverse audience may sound like a good idea, but most companies old and new know learn quickly that you’re much better off to aim for one specific demographic and then really focus your time, effort, and advertising money on that group. What isn’t often talked about, however, is [...]
It incredulous to see how such large-scale companies managed to stay afloat amidst a dire lack of communication. Employees working in finance, for example, didn’t know whom to turn to for audit or tax questions. There were no clearly defined roles, no stated responsibilities and no follow-up means of accountability. Yet, the company was surviving. [...]
Over the past decade, many small businesses and startups have relied on LinkedIn’s groups as places where they could build community among their customers. And they were smart to do that. These groups, and the engagement they created with customers, were key to keeping and growing their customer base. These groups grew as critical venues [...]
When your startup is just getting off the ground, leading large numbers of people isn’t at the forefront of your mind—survival is. You just want to keep the lights on, put food on the table, and grow your idea into something great. However, as that newfound product or service you developed gains traction, so too [...]
Setbacks are no fun. In fact, being told you’re not good enough — for anything — is about as enjoyable as having a tooth pulled minus the novocaine. An unexpected setback can be a direct hit to your self-confidence. If things have gone well for a number of days, months or years and then all [...]
Pitching your business is the penultimate stop on a windy road to closing your next business deal. You either get the sale or you don’t. Whether you do depends on many situational considerations, some within your span of control, others well outside. Factors such as your delivery, tone and personal rapport with the client are [...]
Most people hate sales. They think of it as sleazy, dishonest and aggressive. If you watch movies like Glengarry Glen Ross, Wolf of Wall Street or Boiler Room, you know what I’m talking about. Here’s the thing though, if you want to be really successful, you need to know what sales is all about. You [...]
If you’re a small- to midsize-sized business (SMB) and in the business-to-business (B2B) space, you know how messy the digital revolution has been for marketing and sales. Not long ago, a sale needed some sort of human interaction -- even with the web. Now, from fact-finding to brand-relationship building, your customers rely on the Internet [...]
When marketing a specialty or niche product or service to a specific audience, I find it requires a different approach. First, it's all about understanding your audience. Who are they? What do they read? Where do they get their information? While your ideal customers may read larger publications, I bet there are easier (and less [...]
