I recently had a conversation with a friend, client, and fellow business owner about the ethics of marketing, and I thought it was an interesting topic to explore more in a blog. While this perhaps is not a traditional Marketing Tip of the Week, it is an issue so many business owners wrestle with in [...]
Who is a better marketer? An introvert or an extrovert? Business owners come in all personality types, and, at the end of the day, you have to tell the world about your business somehow if you want to generate sales. So, no matter how you classify yourself, marketing is about tapping into communication in the [...]
When it comes to marketing techniques that can push someone from thinking about buying to making the sale, one approach that can be effective is using case studies. While this approach may work for some prospects, be careful! Case studies work better for some types of people than others. Plus, staying on the right side [...]
The saying goes that happy customers are the best marketing opportunity for your business. When you operate a small business, you strive to create good relationships with your prospects and customers (or clients). Their positive experiences can translate to positive word of mouth. By the same token, their negative experiences can hurt your momentum. But [...]
Customer service isn’t just about protocol and systems. It’s about the little details of nurturing relationships. I truly believe that one of the great advantages that small businesses have is the relationships they can build with their customers and their teams. Although you may have a process or a system for building relationships, it’s the [...]
The sales process is a tricky thing, and sometimes we face more restrictions or a longer on-ramp than other times. Yet, if you are a business owner, you are out there talking about what you do because you want to bring in new customers or clients. So, how do you set yourself on the path [...]
When you are marketing a business, you are driving toward sales. I know that is your goal. It may seem like the most obvious solution to try to sell in your marketing. But you know what could be an even more powerful step in your marketing process? Building the right culture. Let’s talk about tips [...]
There is an aspect of my background that I use every single day in business, and it’s not one you would expect: improv comedy training. Although I never performed professionally in improv - nor did I aspire to - doing years of drop-in classes has had a big impact on my business. Whether you’re an [...]
If you’re looking for advice on how to write pitch emails, there is no shortage of people out there with opinions. Pros will give you a style and a template to follow. Recipients and editors will make suggestions for how to tweak your copy. Today, I want to frame this differently. There isn’t one right [...]
Last week we explored five weak words that sabotage your marketing power. In marketing, sales, and negotiation, power dynamics play a huge role in the outcome. The message you send with the words you choose goes a long way in positioning yourself. This week, we will look not just at how to avoid a weak [...]