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5 Tips for Reaching the Rich
Published on 2011-05-26 10:37:00
A question I'm often asked is, "What are the TV shows, cable networks and radio formats that rich people prefer?" Unfortunately, that's a question that has no answer. The simple truth is that mass media reaches the masses far better than it targets the rich.Few advertisers realize the degree to which wealthy people are insulated from the marketing efforts that target them. Who do you suppose is most likely to own a TiVo device that allows them to fast-forward through TV commercials? Who is most
How to make money from your blog: 5 tips
Published on 2011-05-26 10:31:00
Many people who write blogs today simply want to share their opinion on something. But then there are the business-minded folks, who have found a way to use blogs, or Web logs, to bring in a little extra cash too.If you're interested in taking it further — blogging for bucks, if you will — here are five strategies that could turn your blog into a moneymaker.1. Sell advertising. This is likely the most common means of leveraging a blog to generate income. If yours happens to become a well-kno
Collect on debt: 5 ways to make them pay
Published on 2011-05-19 12:19:00
You thought you had been so careful, so very prudent. A customer, perhaps even a supplier, seemed so above-board, so solvent, so trustworthy.But you've been left high and dry. Maybe a client owes you money forproducts or services or a supplier has happily grabbed your cash without delivering the goods.If visions of exorbitant attorneys' fees immediately wash over you, stop and breathe. In many instances, there are ways to pursue legal action to collect what's owed you without resorting to the ti
7 tips for excellent customer service
Published on 2011-05-16 14:58:00
In the business world, good customer service often isn't good enough anymore.Customers and clients are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the merely adequate. For them, extraordinary service is the rule, not the exception.Anything less, and they're happy to vote with their feet and their wallets.That makes extraordinary service necessary, not just desirable. And that, in turn, mandates a strategy to help ensure that your business matches that standout service standard on a daily basis.Here
6 ways to turn customers into partners
Published on 2011-05-16 14:55:00
The idea of partnering with customers is often confused with providing good customer service. But they're hardly the same thing.Working to build partnerships with customers is a considerably more consultative process thandelivering satisfactory point-of-sale transactions.Partnering requires you to break down the wall between seller and buyer in order to re-think the transaction altogether. Partnering puts aside traditional hunter/prey marketing conventions—such as "targeting" customers, "beati
5 business-lunch faux pas
Published on 2011-05-16 14:52:00
The recipe for a successful business meal seems deceptively easy. "Let's meet for lunch," you tell a client or associate. You get together. You talk business.Sounds simple enough. But you know better.A business lunch is part meal, part meeting. It's informal, but at the same time there's a long list of unwritten rules that can't be broken. A business meal is an opportunity to show off your culinary know-how — or expose your bad taste in restaurants. There's so much that could go wrong, it's no
5 chronic small-biz mistakes to correct
Published on 2011-05-16 14:41:00
To paraphrase Yogi Berra, chronic business mistakes are deja vu all over again.Missteps, miscalculations, and outright duds are unfortunate yet ever-present starters in any small-business lineup. If nothing else, if it weren't for the battalion of snafus that lie in wait, every mom and pop kiosk would sport a bottom line that rivaled the New York Yankees'.But what can really spell the difference between an established powerhouse and a perennial cellar dweller are chronic mistakes — those repea
How to get repeat customers: 7 steps
Published on 2011-05-16 13:49:00
“Don’t be a stranger now.” You’ve surely heard that expression, a most hospitable one. But for small-business owners, a returning customer is essential to survival.For the entrepreneur, it’s important to understand how to build a base of customers who return to your business time and again. Here are seven ideas and strategies to consider:1. Repeat customers cost less than newones. Studies show that it's less expensive to bring existing customers back than to attract new ones. It makes
How to make money from your blog: 5 tips
Published on 2011-05-16 13:42:00
Many people who write blogs today simply want to share their opinion on something. But then there are the business-minded folks, who have found a way to use blogs, or Web logs, to bring in a little extra cash too.If you're interested in taking it further — blogging for bucks, if you will — here are five strategies that could turn your blog into a moneymaker.1. Sell advertising. This is likely the most common means of leveraging a blog to generate income. If yours happens to become a well-kno
What kind of Web site does your business need? by Joanna L. Krotz
Published on 2009-08-04 06:32:00
If you've been putting off building a company Web site, I can sympathize. There are so many options today. There are daunting design and technical issues. It's like that sit-down with a car dealer — you make the deal but it feels like you can't come out a winner. Ah, but you can. Stop dilly-dallying. It's easier than you think. The advice that follows will help you create an effective plan — and it could also help you if you have a Web site but aren't getting the results you want from it. Ho