Running a business literally has its ups and downs, as in how revenues and other critical figures can fluctuate from month to month. That’s why you’ll often hear owners sigh and happily report, “We’re doing just fine where we are.” If you’ve been saying things like that, don’t get too comfortable. As any kid with a [...]
A famous man quoted the Russian proverb, “Doveryai no Proveryai.” Translated it means trust but verify. Experience has taught me that’s a sound piece of advice for business leaders, too. I say that after dealing with countless business owners who have said “I trust my gut” when making important decisions about marketing or other strategies. What [...]
I’m always fascinated by company leaders who cannot grasp the value someone with a different perspective can bring to them. It reminds me of that homespun wisdom that it’s impossible to read the label from inside a jam jar. Put another way, unless a CEO or other company leader has managed to become 100 percent [...]
It happens frequently, and it always puzzles me. During an initial conversation with a CEO or company owner, I’ll ask how well their marketing is working. And they’ll reply with something like “I guess okay” or “it seems to be” or “I’m not sure” or even just a shrug. These are companies that invest significant sums [...]
In my last column, I described a variety of effective ways for building trust among those who don’t know you. Once you’ve started the process, how do you maintain and grow that trust? A recent experience with a prospective service provider helped me think about the steps I take to strengthen trust among my customers and [...]
There was a time when cold calling was the mainstay of the sales process. Successful salespeople were those who had the courage to pick up the phone and call prospects, knowing that nine out of ten would reject them outright. Cold calling no longer works for a variety of reasons. For one, people rarely answer calls [...]
I’m not sure why sales and marketing have developed a relationship just as contentious as IU and Purdue. They’re equally important functions that serve the same organizations, and each offers expertise that could benefit the other. But put them in the same arena -- even if that arena is just an average conference room -- and [...]
You’re a smart businessperson who runs a successful company. You oversee production, product development, hiring, finances, and all the other elements needed to run a healthy business. Why in the world would you need to hire an outside marketing agency? No matter what business or industry you’re in, it’s simply impossible for you to know everything [...]
Grab a handful of darts, close your eyes, and let them fly across the room. You’ve just demonstrated the marketing strategy far too many companies use. I’m not saying those companies are run by stupid people. In fact, they’re usually remarkably bright people who have outstanding products or services to offer in their marketplaces. But when [...]
As a marketing and advertising agency, it makes sense that our primary contact at most clients is the individual who oversees marketing. But we usually find ourselves navigating around many masters. When a company draws upon outside accounting expertise, that firm normally works with the controller or the CFO. If legal help is what’s needed, the [...]
