One of the essential elements for a small business owner to assess before starting a small business is to understand their market. This is crucial and the data that is collected will one determine how to appropriately price their products and/or service.Assessing a market helps small business owners define their goals, analyze their competition, and develop a unique selling proposition. Marketing research also assists in:*creating a primary and...more
Do you need to request products samples for an event you are organizing? Do you need to request bulk freebies for fundraising? Do you need to find sponsors for product donations?Here are strategies to help you request freebies and samples from companies and sponsors. You should be aware that the offers posted on many free stuff sites are not suitable for bulk requests. These sites list free stuff offered by corporations that use free offers...more
One of the biggest challenges many of my clients face is having the right people.Prior to coaching I'd often hear: "if only I could find the right people my business would much more profitable""I'd have less stress""I spend more time managing my people than getting the work done" and more.Gary's StoryGary who runs a plumbing business has 5 staff. He was always complaining that they were lazy, didn't use their initiative and would take advantage of him.We had Gary fill in our Productivity and Leadership Profile which is part of our Masterful Manager's Program. This 360 degree process allows each team member to anonymously answer questions about how they see Gary in many areas including his leadership abilities, communication, organisation etc.The process also allows Gary to answer the same questions on how he sees himself. It turned out that Gary thought he was a good boss because he was easy to get along with. However the feedback from his team showed that he wasn't a good leader. The guys needed clear direction...someone to follow. They required a system, guidelines to work within and regular follow-up. They never had a team meeting to discuss what was working well and how...more
Why are Japanese cars consistently beating North American brands in the own backyard? Why is there a Geyser in Yellowstone National Park a major tourist attraction? Why is the Maytag repairman always alone? One word answers those 3 questions: Reliability. People love what they can count on. This is the cornerstone into how the Joey P system works....more
Before entering the world of investing, it is important to honestly analyze your present situation. Doing so will allow you to effectively manage your own money in a way which maximizes returns while limiting unwanted risk. Questions to consider include:What is my investment goal? How much time do I have to attain this goal?Methods of saving for...more
Successful marketing of a product or service rests on the effective market research. Marketing research is an answer to various questions that crop up in your mind regarding the product. Some of the questions are:- Will the product sell? - What is the proper distribution channel to be followed?- Is there a need for the product to meet any specific criteria? Once these questions are answered through proper market research, it becomes easy to launch a product in the market. In order to have a successful marketing campaign, it is important for the marketer to have complete and detailed information about the customer's taste and preference. It is this quest for information that makes market research inevitable. Realizing this importance of market research, many companies are engaged in the business of doing extensive market research for clients who hire them. Successful marketing rests on the gathering of timely and relevant information. Getting a questionnaire filled by present and prospective customers helps in discovering the various dissatisfaction zones of a product. The effectiveness of market research depends on how well it keeps an eye on population shifts, legal developments...more
"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment." ~Warren G. BennisWell, not quite. At least, not yet. But,...more
The single most common mistake that a note holder makes when creating a note is that they fail to check their buyer's Credit Report. It seems so simple, but it is worth repeating "Most people fail to check the credit report of their prospective...more
I know. I know you're excited about your new business. I know you have a great idea and when you tell others about it, they think you have a great idea, too. A great idea is the birth of a new small business.But as a self-employed small business...more
Most companies focus on developing a brochure, a slick 4 color tri-fold brochure with pictures, the name of their company, phone number, etc. That's actually how people treat it It's just a brochure with very little meaning. It's treated with low...more
How you handle questions from an audience can often be thedeciding factor as to how your presentation is received. Ifyou're pitching for business, then it's absolutely vital tohandle questions well. 1. Be prepared for questions - When you write...more
Homeowner loans are loans that are given to borrowers who own a house. Homeowner loans are secured loans for which the borrower has to offer his house as collateral. If you avail a homeowner loan against your house which is already mortgaged, then...more