Success – Are We There Yet?

Success, particularly in these uncertain times, can be as elusive as finding your exit when you’re lost on the highway in an unfamiliar city. What does success look like and feel like? Can you define it? And how do we know when we are there?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary defines success as “a favorable or desired outcome; also the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence”. If you’re an athlete, success is about winning – the race, the game, the match, etc., and performing at a high level. The vast majority of us are not great athletes, so how do we define success?  Continue reading…

Social Media – What Is It?

Matt Krautstrunk wrote an article on social media recently titled “Where Is The ROI In Social Media?”. In the article he makes a great point that tracking ROI depends on your goals, and this certainly can apply  to almost anything in business. However, before you can establish clear-cut goals and track the ROI of social media, you first need to define it.

Social Media – what is it? It’s hard to talk about tracking the ROI of social media until you know what “it” is.

To help you define what social media is so it does not end up being “Golden Vaporware” where your business is concerned, start out with some limited trials and experimentation first, before launching any large-scale projects. From the initial trial results, you can make a determination on how to proceed and then develop specific goals and plans, before committing a lot of additional time, resources and budget.

Below are several questions to consider. The answers should help you define social media in the context of your business. Is “it” a (an) … Continue reading…

3 Easy Ways to Improve Your 2nd Half Results

“In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson”- Tom Bodett quote.

So, what lessons have you learned in the first half of this year that will prepare you for success in the future?

It’s hard to believe that we are well into the first month of the second half of 2022 – but we’re here. And if the first half has not shaped up the way you would have liked it to, or you’re just looking for some ideas to improve your 2nd half business results, then it’s time for action.

There are three basic ways to grow any business – increase prices, sell more to existing customers and sell to new customers.  Your primary goal as a business owner should be to get more customers to buy more from you, and more often. So, start with the basic building blocks and go from there to determine what actions to take to improve your 2nd half results. Continue reading…

Globalization: What to Do Next?

In the final installment of the Globalization: The Leadership Challenge Ahead blog series we will focus on the action steps to help you improve your business performance, and prepare you for greater success in the rapidly changing global economy.

Whether your future plans call for global expansion or not, here are some of the things to consider to help you improve your competitive position in the ‘New World’ economy. Continue reading…

Globalization: The Leadership Difference

How rapidly is the global economy changing? A telecommunications CEO from Brazil predicted “The services that account for 80 percent of our revenue today will only be our second-largest source of revenue in five years.”

The world’s private and public sector leaders believe that rapidly escalating complexity is the biggest challenge confronting them. They are equally clear that their organizations are not equipped to cope effectively with this complexity in the global business environment.

Yet one set of CEO’s and organizations have consistently performed well. How do these “Stand Outs” mitigate complexity and even convert it into opportunity? Continue reading…

Globalization: Good or Bad for Business?

The debate of whether or not globalization is good or bad for the economy and for business has been raging for years now. It’s time to weigh in with your opinions and thoughts.

Is global trade good or bad for the economy? Is global trade good or bad for your business? The public opinions on this topic vary dramatically, which is why the conversation continues.

A recent poll published by the Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor http://bit.ly/gziJLY reflected the views held by 1,200 Americans of our nation’s standing in the global economy, and summarized the answers to the same questions above. The chart depicts how universally divided the responses are on the pros and cons of international trade. Continue reading…

Before You Say ‘Good-Bye’ to 2010 …

Yes it’s true, another year is almost over. We are now into single digits and counting. And for some business owners, the end of the year can’t come fast enough.

But hold on just a minute!

Before you say good-bye to 2010 here’s a few “To Do” list items you should consider to help get the New Year off to a fresh start …

Continue reading…

New 4Ps of Marketing: Part 4 of 4

Part 4 and the last of the new 4Ps of Marketing is Performance. Ultimately, performance is the most important of the New 4Ps of Marketing. Why? Because all marketing related activities are investments and as such, they need to be measured, tracked and compared to other investments to ensure that they yield the highest rate of return to the business.

 

So, how do you measure and track marketing performance to ensure that you are receiving the anticipated return on your marketing investments? Continue reading…

Run Through the Tape …

“Do you know that in a race all runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24

This is the time of the year where things really get exciting for most businesses. Whether making a mad dash to close out 2021 strong, or starting work on those 2022 plans, one thing all business owners should have in common – you better be running!

To stay ahead of the pack, you must have a solid game plan and execute to perfection.

Much like a runner, your objective should always be to run through the tape (not to the tape) to achieve your goals and thus improve your odds of success.

Whether you are gearing up for a strong end of year push or setting the table for 2022, here are five things to consider. Continue reading…

Doing Business the R.I.G.H.T. Way

There is only one way to do business, the right way. But, what exactly does that mean for your particular business situation?

Don Hicks, founder of the Hispanic American Business Development Group in Fort Worth, Texas http://bit.ly/10bL07 got me thinking about this topic recently when he posed the question “Would you do business with yourself?” to the group at a networking breakfast. It’s one of those great defining questions that every business owner should take time to reflect upon. Continue reading…