One hot summer day my daughter and I ventured to our local craft store with one mission in mind - purchase velvet covered coloring panels called fuzzy boards. Little did we know this simple trip would turn into such an adventure. The store advertised the boards on sale and offered a 40% discount coupon. My daughter excitedly selected two boards however I noticed different manufacturers produced them, so I asked her to select an extra board just...more
December is a month in which many organizations make plans for the coming year. Now is a great time for you to look at your marketing systems for attracting and retaining customers. Although front end systems such as advertising, public relations, press releases, direct mail, sales letters and promotional items are important, equally as important as what you and your staff do after you gain new customers. It never ceases to amaze me how companies will invest money in campaigns to gain new customers yet have no system to build and maintain those relationships they were so eager to attract in the first place. Having a system in place to keep your name in front of existing and potential clients is a very important part of a great marketing campaign. Additionally, having programs in place that make it easy for people to do business with you is essential to the health of your bottom line. Any company that depends on repeat business absolutely must have a good customer retention system in place in order to thrive in today's competitive environment. Time and again I have seen this as the primary area of businesses where companies don't succeed at the level they are capable of - especially...more
The notion that employers are only interested in where you have been and where you are heading is pure nonsense. Experienced hiring managers take into account both your experience and your character. After all, in the end, they are hiring a human being, not a robot. Still, many believe that personal attributes just take up space and make the resume...more
I wish you a Happy & Prosperous New Year!This PVT is short, with a few links to help you launch your new year.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Can you answer these 10 questions to help you build your business dream?Listen to my informative 7-minute MBA. Turn up your speakers, and click on this link:...more
With interest rates at 40 year lows it seems difficult to find fixed income investments with high yields. Money Market funds are paying investors about 1.4% and Commercial Paper is only yielding 2.3%. For those willing to commit their capital for longer periods of time, a 5 Year Corporate Bond yields about 5%. How does an investor find a good, high yielding, fixed income investment without taking too much financial risk? Many investors are looking into bonds issued by privately held companies that have strong balance sheets. Unlike fixed income investments that trade publicly, privately held bonds do not trade and therefore do not go down in value when interest rates rise. In addition, private companies do not have Standard & Poors ratings and therefore must offer investors a higher yield to attract their capital. In many cases, private companies that issue high yield bonds are not willing to sell equity because they believe the company will be worth more money in the future and would rather pay a high yield to investors than an equity stake in the company. This fact alone is a good sign for investors looking for an alternative fixed income investment to publicly traded...more
How often have you heard yourself say, "I've got so many balls in the air I don't know how I can possibly keep track of them all". We may be managing to keep the balls in motion, but how good is our juggling performance really? Are our movements...more
You have this burning desire you want to be on your own. The temptation is so great that you want to quit your job. Enough is enough. You're sick of working for other people for a ridiculous pay.To be your own boss means controlling your own destiny,...more
When I ask why you don't start your own business, I always hear, "I don't have money to start a business." This is a common excuse people give for not starting their own business.There is truth in the statement. You actually need money to make money...more
Which is more painful: an audit or spending the holidays with Aunt Sally and her green Jell-O mold? Either way, your company audit still looms in your mind, but it shouldn't be that scary - quite the opposite. Besides, even Sally "audits" herself...more
For organisations to stay competitive, they must be willing to share knowledge with the public because the digital revolution has enabled information to move beyond geographical boundaries. The new rule of corporate survival is not just the ownership...more
How do you set up shop online? How about one that's top-notch, so that you can compete with the big guys, yet quick to set up, easy to maintain - - and cheap? And how can you affordably market your shop once it's ready to go? Questions like these are...more