Fiercely combative business, non-profit and association managers use every PR weapon they can lay their hands on. Which means they employ strategic, rapid-fire print and broadcast tactics every day of their business lives. Still, many realize they need more than that to win the long-range battle. Fact is, they need a public relations budget that can deliver results far beyond publicity tactics. The fierce and the smart know they need real...more
I've been both a CEO and a consultant, so I've seen from both perspectives what goes right and what goes wrong when a consultant comes in to a company. Generally the CEO or the manager who hires the consultant tells the consultant what he or she wants. Often the manager is frustrated with something that is happening at the company and expects the consultant will have the expertise to "just fix it". While the manager needs to set the expectations,...more
Only one of every 5 businesses makes it to its 5th year, and fewer still make it to 10 years. What do the successful businesses have in common? 1. The experience and skills of the top managers. Over half of business failures are directly related to managerial incompetence. 2. The energy, persistence and resourcefulness (the will to make the business succeed) of the top managers. Many business owners have failed or come close several times before their "instant" success. Don't give up. 3. A product that is at least a cut above the competition and service that doesn't get in the way of people buying. There must be a compelling reason to buy; the product is great, the people love to provide service, and the buying experience is easy and fun. 4. The ability to create a "buzz" around the product with aggressive and strategic marketing. Make scarce marketing resources count. Do as much homework about your customers and their choices as you can before investing your marketing dollars. 5. Deal-making skills to sell the product at the highest possible price given your market. It comes down to your customers' perception of the value of your product and sometimes the power of your...more
Businesses and other organizations can capitalize on the interest and excitement the 2004 summer Olympic Games will create when they're held in Athens, Greece, August 13-29. Channel this heightened enthusiasm into the achievement of your organization's goals - whether sales, marketing, customer service, etc. Use it, too, to stimulate a greater...more
Promotions are everything you do to let your customers know you exist. Good marketing techniques can help eliminate the "I didn't knows" from your clients and would-be clients. Even if you believe you have more than enough business you should always continue to do some sort of marketing. What if there is a sudden downturn in your industry? What if...more
Sorry about my otaku with this issue (otaku = more than a hobby, a little less than an obsession).Many of you may know me, since I run Imediafax, the Internet to Media Fax Service. I send out over a million news releases a year for people via fax and email. You probably think that I've got news releases failing on me day in and day out. Actually, I don't. The news releases I write and send out for people do quite well. My clients are quite happy with me because they are successful with their outreach efforts. It's the draft news releases that people send to me that are my problem. Fixing the problems I see in the news releases people send me takes forever. It is also very painful. I've seen a lot of news release failure over the years, and I now know what the key problems look like and how to fix them. My plight as a publicist is that I spend a lot of time educating my clients trying to get them to understand the psychology of dealing with the media. The rubber meets the road in the news release because this single sheet of paper is the key nexus for all communications with the media. The importance of the copy on a news release cannot be overstated. It has to be free of negative...more
The design of your office and home has a great influence on your financial success. If your work or living environments are in harmony with nature they have a positive affect on your prosperity. In nature all five elements (water, fire, earth, air,...more
One: How to Create Sizzling Speech and Book TitlesDescription: Create titles that focus on what most people want all the time. Example "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Learn five ways to design your speech and/or best-selling book titles....more
Obtaining a home loan is arguably the most expensive transaction you'll experience in your lifetime. Therefore, getting the best home at the greatest value is an endeavor worth pursuing. Whether you're trying to squeeze in to a higher priced home...more
In today's fast-paced business world, CEO's are trying to keep up with change and adapt to the global marketplace, constantly searching the horizon for an edge over the competition.One thing they overlook is very close to home. In fact it is just...more
Virtually any state in the country has the appeal of multiple small towns. Ask almost anyone who lives in small town why they are here and they'll tell you they enjoy the small town feeling while being close to all the conveniences of a larger city....more
January is always a good time to grab bargains so when I noticed that two well-known blind companies were advertising 35% off their blinds, I decided to give them a callÂ… and it was an interesting experience.Company A This person turned up on time...more