If you run a business you've got to realize one thing...no one cares about what you do. Really. Your audience doesn't care about you, your story, how you got to where you are, who you've worked with, or what services you offer. They don't care that you're the best widget maker in the midwest. And … Read more about Hey Business Owner, Nobody Cares About Your Story
You Need To Be Curious To Be Remarkable
What does it take to be remarkable? According to Seth Godin the path to being remarkable is paved by stones of curiosity. I'd have to agree. If you're not curious about things, about processes, about life - and about your business, you have little hope of growth; of change. Yet success in business … Read more about You Need To Be Curious To Be Remarkable
Do You Do Something Remarkable?
So what does Seth Godin mean when he says that being good enough is not enough? He means that if you're average, your business will be average too. And an average business will usually do one of two things - succeed at a very moderate rate or fail. Why? Because people don't want average. When's … Read more about Do You Do Something Remarkable?
3 Easy Steps to Creating a Web-based Business
In truth, having a web-based business isn't difficult. What's difficult is getting really clear about who you are, what you do and who you do it for. The problem is, there are tons of approaches for doing this which sometimes leads to confusion. Do I need to write a business plan? What about … Read more about 3 Easy Steps to Creating a Web-based Business
Small Business Marketing Tip: Use Word of Mouth
Want to know one of the biggest secrets to social marketing? It's really quite simple... People share things they find enjoyable, helpful or interesting with people they know. In other words, people pass it on. That's what social marketing is about - passing it on. But sometimes we forget. … Read more about Small Business Marketing Tip: Use Word of Mouth
Aren't We Always Marketing Ourselves?
Over the weekend we spent some time Christmas (oops) Holiday shopping. Of course, the mall was packed and the stores were full of people making decision on what to buy the people they care about. Being so cramped with other people, I couldn't help but here the conversations they were having about … Read more about Aren't We Always Marketing Ourselves?
In Business, Make It About The Relationship First
A couple of days back I was speaking with a client of mine. She's a life coach who wants to know better how to use the web (and soon her blog) to increase her marketing reach and, ultimately, her business. We spent the better part of an hour talking about how a blog, when used well, can become a … Read more about In Business, Make It About The Relationship First
Why Do People Talk About Your Business?
I have to admit, I'm a huge fan of Andy Sernovitz. If you don't know Andy, he's the author of Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking and, in my opinion, a word of mouth marketing expert. What I love about Andy's approach is it's all very simple. In his book he … Read more about Why Do People Talk About Your Business?
If You Blog Do You Need An E-Newsletter?
Do we still need email newsletters (or ezines, as some call it)? Many websites today are setup to get visitors onto a newsletter list. When you read the copy on their site, much of it is geared toward selling you a free report or workbook. And how do you get this workbook? You have to 'pay' with … Read more about If You Blog Do You Need An E-Newsletter?
Small Business Advice: Admit Your Lack of Knowledge
Does being an expert mean you have to know more than everyone else? Not according to Confucius. He once advised, "When you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it-this is knowledge." In other words, we should not only know what we know, but also what we don't know. Hence, it's in … Read more about Small Business Advice: Admit Your Lack of Knowledge
Can Your Audience Tell You What You Do?
How well can your clients, customers and prospects explain what you do? This is one of the questions that every business owner needs to be asking themselves all the time. Too often, we focus so much on developing our business that we forget why we're developing our business in first place. Sure, … Read more about Can Your Audience Tell You What You Do?
Do You Make This Marketing (and Blogging) Mistake?
Or do you get that it's not about you? That's right. If you're the business owner - it's not about you. So, then, who is it about? It's about me - the client, the customer, the patron, the prospect - whatever term we want to use to mean, "who you're in business for." If you're blogging, it's who … Read more about Do You Make This Marketing (and Blogging) Mistake?
