Fall is coming…It Might Be Time For Rebranding?

Have you been saying the same thing for quite some time? Have the results of your interactions with existing and potential customers reached a point where you are being tuned out? Has your staff quit listening to what you have to say because it sounds repetitive to them? Has your point of difference changed? Have […]

Trust is still #1

No matter how long you have been in business or who you are, the number one attribute you want people to feel toward your business or you is trust. There is no greater spoken sentence than “I trust you.” Now the question is – how do you create trust? In its simplest form trust is […]

“Follow Me I’m the Pied Piper”

“Follow Me I’m the Pied Piper” was a popular song written in 1966 by Crispian St. Peters. It’s also a great verse of how to lead. Much of what we read is negative. Even more of what we hear is not positive. Then, we have interactions that are not good. It’s tough to find good in today’s world. I […]

“The Long and Winding Road”

“The Long and Winding Road” is the title of a famous song by the Beatles. It is also a journey your customer takes before they make a purchase from you. A helpful way to understand what your customer goes through on the road to buying something from you is to put together a journey map. Begin with the first […]

The Power Has Shifted

Managing from the top down has gone the way of the land line. It used to be the CEO or President set the direction and everyone just hopped on board. Now, power has a more grassroots affiliation. The bottom enhances the top which translates into the rank and file employees having a major impact on the direction of the […]

A Fun Way to Find Solutions

Businesses are facing more and more problems. Competition is increasing and coming at your customers from all sides. There appears to be limited solutions to all of these issues. I have always found that creating balance is the key to delivering solutions. Thus, when things are most intense, seek solutions that require fun. Here’s a fun exercise that can […]

Your Brand Needs More Than Big Data

More and more businesses are relying on data to drive decision making. The preponderance of information is making it easier to draw conclusions of what to do to engage the customers “in theory”. Theory is easy to illustrate, however, it is much more difficult to sustain over time. To build a successful brand requires long-term […]

Old Fashioned is Still Alive with Customer Service

Everything modern is better. Technology makes living easier. Food has gotten more organic which is better for you. There are more choices for everything you may want or need. It seems modern is better for almost anything. Well not everything. There is one bastion that relishes being old fashioned and that is customer service. When […]

The Secret Word to Greater Productivity

Everyone is trying to do more and more work in the same amount of time. The quantity of activities we are engaged in is an ever increasing number. We go from one task to another. The separation of work and home to do’s is only transportation and that is sometimes not even the case with […]

Negotiations Are Won and Lost Before They Even Begin

When you enter into any negotiation you must be prepared with a strategy. The strategy needs to include what you want as a business outcome. The first step is to have a plan on how the negotiation is going to proceed. As every situation involves people you must pay attention to their needs as well. […]

Marketing is Being Discovered by Manufacturers

Consumer product companies have always recognized the benefits of marketing. They have used marketing to enhance their relationships with their customers as well as suppliers plus everyone else they do business with. The consistent form of communication across all platforms has established an identity for consumer product businesses as well as an expectation of what […]

Start Thinking of Your Business as a Personality

  When I do business with a company it is based on what I think of them. What are the components that go into that perception? How about what they stand for or put another way what are their values? Do they make their products cheaply or use quality ingredients or high end components? What […]