Small Business Success Strategies

Is Protocol Part of Your Competitive Mix? Why Not?

Protocol by itself is not a competitive advantage. It’s the professional application of protocol principles and techniques to a specific event that makes it a competitive advantage. How many times have you heard the question, “What’s the right protocol for this or that?”  Not knowing the answer can cause you to inadvertently offend a key client and possibly sabotage a long developed business relationship.  Not knowing the answer can also greatly undermine your first meeting with an important client. If protocol is not part of your competitive mix then you’re leaving yourself vulnerable. Allow me to illustrate with some examples and personal stories.

When I was Chief of Protocol for a Fortune 500 international company, a colleague who worked for a major international technology company called to ask how to handle a visit by a high level technical evaluation delegation from Saudi Arabia.

Read Cynhia's entire article Is Protocol Part of Your Competitive Mix?  Why Not?

Cynthia Lett, our official Business Etiquette Expert

Why the Best Website for Your Coaching Business is (Still) a Blog

David Risley, one of my favorite bloggers, has put up a thoughtful post asking whether blogging is “broken” as a business model.

He notes the saturation level of information online, and wonders if it is creating a “community of tire kickers” who will never pay for high-value information products. He asks whether Apple and Google – both of which have just launched systems to charge small micro-payments for information – have seen the future of content marketing. Many of the top Internet marketers seldom post to their blogs any more, and some have quit blogging altogether.

It is true, as David says, that people who pay for content also pay more attention to that content. And it’s true that once an audience is “trained” to expect everything for free, it can be tough to overcome that training and sell them an information product.

Read Rhonda's entire article Why the Best Website for Your Coaching Business is (Still) a Blog

Rhonda Hess, our official Coaching Business Success Expert

Online Visibility Tip: Rock Your Facebook Page

I just had a new Facebook Page created which gets my creativity rolling, trying to find fun ways to get it out there to more people.

Remember to infuse your uniqueness and your Profitable Essence throughout your online presence no matter where you are!

If you're launching a Facebook Page, here are a few ideas for getting it into the hands of your ideal clients and raving fans.

Read Nancy's entire article Online Visibility Tip: Rock Your Facebook Page

Nancy Marmolejo, our official Visibility Expert

Procrastination: Do You Fear Success?

You could be procrastinating because you are fearing success! Is your subconscious saying things like, “If I get organized I’d have to be perfect, productive, and successful.”

Beware of negative self talk. Face your submerged fears about success. They probably aren’t really too logical anyway.

Read Debbye's entire article Procrastination: Do You Fear Success?

Debbye Cannon, our official BusinessMom Mentor Expert

Creative Income Streams for People Who Love to Cook

To an "opportunity analyst" like me, words like, "All the good ideas are already taken," or "I had a great idea but then I found out someone else was doing it" are the career equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. With a U.S. population estimated at close to 300 million and a world’s population of six and a half billion – it’s a big world out there folks with plenty of untapped ideas and opportunities to go around.

To say all the good ideas are taken is like saying, "I was going to write a cookbook but then I went to the bookstore and found someone had beaten me to it." Have you looked in the cookbook section of a large bookstore these days?

Read Valerie's entire article Creative Income Streams for People Who Love to Cook

Valerie Young, our official Career Change Expert

Branding and the Coming Mobile Market Revolution

It seems that every ten to twenty years a game changer emerges in the market place. At first it may seem innocuous, even trendy or "geeky." For those Gen Y and above, the Internet went from novelty to center stage in a matter of a few short years. Within the Internet, Facebook and social media went from coffee talk to corporate boardrooms in half that time. So what is the next game changer?

In a word . . . mobile.

By mobile, I don't mean cell phones. By mobile, I mean a shift in the very manner in which your goods and services are viewed and purchased.

Read Phil's entire article Branding and the Coming Mobile Market Revolution

Phil Davis, our official Branding and Naming Expert

Business Assessment and Goal Planning

It is important to pay close attention to your business and evaluate what is and isn't working for you. Smart business owners plan time to review their business at least once each year. If you have a staff, involve them in the process. Ask for feedback, suggestions and new ideas. You might be surprised by what they have to contribute.

Following are some questions to help you assess your business and plan for business growth:

*What worked well this year?

Read Stephanie's entire article Business Assessment and Goal Planning

Stephanie Chandler, our official Small Business Growth Expert

Viral Marketing Techniques Every Web Site Should Be Using

Viral marketing can work wonders for any business, web site or product. It can be a great source of sales leads, one-way links and targeted traffic. Yet, many marketers are not taking full advantage of this 'viral factor' in their marketing efforts.

How about you? Are you using any viral marketing methods with your web site? Or does the word 'viral' make you cringe?

Many people believe 'viral marketing' is a myth, one of those Internet follies that only happens on rare occasions when some fantastic product or site comes along.

Read Titus' entire article Viral Marketing Techniques Every Web Site Should Be Using

Titus Hoskins, our official Online Fax Expert

 

Marketing on a Shoestring-How Learning to Bootstrap Can Save You a Bundle

If you are a small business start up, a micro or solo entrepreneur, you're probably wondering where to find the money that will allow you to grow your business. Most likely, angel investors or venture funding are not a possibility. Actually most businesses start up by bootstrapping. They self-fund and find ways to ramp up with a minimal amount of money.

There's often a misperception that you can grow your business with no money. That's not entirely true. There is a good deal of marketing you can do cost free, but you can also learn how to conserve cash and only spend on what is necessary.

Read Janis' entire article Marketing on a Shoestring-How Learning to Bootstrap Can Save You a Bundle

Janis Pettit, our official Small Business Strategy Coach Expert

Best Home-based Businesses Featured on New Website

Internet entrepreneur Ronald Phillips recently launched his latest website, www.StarDelightsProfits.com, which is dedicated to teaching others about the best home-based business opportunities available today.

The website features only those businesses that have been proven to be 100 percent legitimate. The businesses have been making ordinary people extraordinary money for nearly a decade. Starting a home-based business that can turn a profit has never been easier or more clearly explained.

Read Stone's entire article Best Home-based Businesses Featured on New Website

Stone Evans, our official Home Business Expert