One of the greatest things about being in business for yourself is having the flexibility that enables us to make alliances, and work with other businesses to provide a full range of services for our clients. In fact this can greatly increase our visibility and introduce ourselves to new clients ... Views: 1108
How many peoples start businesses with great ideas and plans in mind, to find themselves six months later, stressed and confused about where they are going or what they should do next. If this sounds a little like how you are feeling, do not be dismayed. Many others have felt and are feeling the ... Views: 1176
A Different Perspective on Getting the Contract or Making the Sale
Networking is great, and can provide us with many contacts. Out of those contacts, if we follow-up properly we will have several potential customers that we will meet with to ‘show our wares’ or provide quotes for services ... Views: 922
What’s keeping you from developing and maintaining a positive revenue flow in your business? Have you been doing the same things over and over, expecting different results?
Could it be that your customers are in a trance? They’ve seen and heard the usual sales pitches and are immune to them. ... Views: 749
A Different Perspective on Getting the Contract or Making the Sale
Networking is great, and can provide us with many contacts. Out of those contacts, if we follow-up properly we will have several potential customers that we will meet with to ‘show our wares’ or provide quotes for services ... Views: 1070
What’s keeping you from developing and maintaining a positive revenue flow in your business? Have you been doing the same things over and over, expecting different results?
Could it be that your customers are in a trance? They’ve seen and heard the usual sales pitches and are immune to them. ... Views: 946
Over the past several years I have watched closely as business practices and 'HOW' people do business has changed. Our economy has been forever changed and many larger businesses are taking on the practices that have sustained small business for years. This past week I saw an advertisement ... Views: 1266
How often have you thought to yourself – “wow, how many hours a week do I spend working, thinking or focused on my business?” To many in your circle of friends or to your family – it may seem like it is always! And even to us – it may seem like we are working far more than if we had a regular ... Views: 946
Recently I heard this story – true story – about a woman who was driving her Recreational Vehicle down a long highway. She was getting hungry and wanted to make herself a sandwich. Instead of pulling over to the side of the road and entering the well-stocked kitchen in the RV – she set the ... Views: 937
Over the past several years there has been a push on practicing ethical or fair trade for goods that we purchase – and rightly so. No one I know enjoys their first cup of coffee in the morning knowing that it has been carried miles and miles to a market by a 6 year old child who has been denied ... Views: 768
Have you ever sat there listening to your banker go on and on in a language you don\'t quite understand. Do you find they are speaking in acronyms and encrypted messages? Do you sometimes just want to shout..... Speak my language!
Bankers often speak in a language that seems foreign to you ... Views: 2662
Too many people running their businesses forge forward at breakneck speed- getting new clients, running new promotions, changing products – all in an attempt to get more sales, new clients and ideally – more money!
What many people fail to realize is that there are customers out there that ... Views: 982
What do you mean, fire the client? It seems hard enough to find a client – now you want to fire them? However many people take on just any client because they think that they must - to stay in business. But not every client is the right client.
How can there be a wrong client?
A good ... Views: 1080
People I coach in business tend to focus on one thing – their business. Isn’t that what they are suppose to do, you ask? Of course! If we don’t focus on our business then guess what? We won’t have one!
There is a common denominator, however, in every business - You - the person who started ... Views: 1063
Just thinking about that statement could confuse just about anyone. But it is a universal law that many of us never learn. Like the law of gravity or flotation, it is law that has been discovered through the study of science. Quantum physics to be exact. But how does this apply to my ... Views: 1661
When I was growing up, I had a very difficult time staying focused. I have always said I have the attention span of a gnat! Sadly, it is still true to this day. The good news is that I am aware of it and am trying to work on it. Sometimes I have five or six ideas going on in my head at the same ... Views: 1050
When I was being trained to drive for the police service - I learned a new method of driving safely - regardless of the situation.
Instead of focusing heavily on the vehicles around me - I was taught to 'look for the empty spaces'. This forced me to look for escape opportunities in case an ... Views: 1102
Almost all of us can admit to driving home from somewhere and taking a familiar route - only to realize we are not sure either where we are - or we find that we have driven past our turn. Somehow we have drifted into thought - and have lost our focus.
This is something I am very familiar ... Views: 1306
“Your true character is revealed by the clarity of your convictions, the choices you make, and the promises you keep. Hold strongly to your principles and refuse to follow the currents of convenience.”
-Taken from a "Successories" print.
Wisdom is knowledge of the right path to take … ... Views: 995
When I was a little girl, my father used to tell me that winners never quit and quitters never win. It has been something that has stuck with me and that I think about in all that I have set out to do in my life. But never has it been more apparent than in the last few years when I have been out ... Views: 1075
Last week we touched upon fair exchange. What are you worth and are you asking for what you are worth? The next question then is - do you believe that you can achieve or receive what you ask for?
Many of us have self limiting beliefs. We say we want something, and then we sub consciously ... Views: 2501
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” - Goethe.
Do you ever wonder how it is that some people are able to take an idea and just run with it? How is it that they pull a thousand little things together to make one big idea work?
It all ... Views: 1346
Much can be said about the value of communication in business. But nothing is more important than clear communication when it comes to combining friendships and business relationships.
Over the past several years, I have been privy to disputes that I should never have been made aware of. ... Views: 2306
When I started my business four years ago the flames of passion were burning brightly igniting me into non-stop action. No one could convince me that I was going to burn out but I must admit while I didn’t burn out, I did allow myself to reduce the flames of passion to burning embers.
It is ... Views: 1009
Over the past 4 years, I have dedicated an undetermined amount of time studying the meaning of success. Five hundred interviews, a hundred books, a couple dozen seminars, and several trial and error projects have taught me a lot – but never come close to revealing what the true ‘secret of ... Views: 778
Yes - and that's just the beginning - that's not all they sell. This company is also the worlds largest seller if VS1 Diamonds in the world. They fill 33 million prescriptions a year and sell everything you can think of. Business products. Produce. All of it In bulk. And when I say in bulk - ... Views: 1036
It happened again. While searching for a new investment property – I stumbled across an ‘almost too good to be true’ price for a 2 bedroom condo in Calgary. I poured over the ad several times. I put it aside and came back to it 3 separate days and then made plans to drive 1 hour and 45 minutes ... Views: 768
Recently I got an email from a self proclaimed 'connection' web site - notifying me of an opportunity that I might be interested in. After reading the email - immediately unsubscribed. Why?
My business is a marketing and B2B service company. The web site had referred me to a client who ... Views: 1224
When I am coaching business owners - at any level- there comes a place and time when they are in the midst of letting something go and creating something new. They are often "in between" where they were and where they are going.
Let me tell you - I have been there - and it is not an easy ... Views: 897
When was the last time you felt upset or became angry, frustrated or disillusioned with something that has happened in your life or in your business?
A missed call, a missed opportunity, an angry client, a lost account or any negative event can often set us into a tail-spin of ... Views: 1439
“Uh-oh” is the repetitive expletive that carries with it the foreboding, stomach wrenching realization that something is wrong. “Oh-oh” - the sound of doom.
All of us have been known to utter instantaneous expletives (usually four letters like “darn!” or “crap!”) immediately as something ... Views: 866
Marketing is not a hit and miss strategy – it is 24/7/365. Surprised? Don’t be! Too many businesses don’t have good marketing strategies to begin with – so how can they market 24/7?
I have seen it over and over, small business owners buy marketing on a hit and miss basis. They see a sale on ... Views: 958
“I am so tired of going to business meetings that turn into social event – they are a waste of time”.
Attending a networking event or business meeting is only as valuable as you make it. Many of us tire of attending events where we feel it turns into a social event – and we wonder at the ... Views: 778
One of the biggest lessons I have learned in business – is that although you may be a sole proprietor and wear many, many hats, you do not have to be alone. In fact you are not alone – and if you are feeling alone it is likely because you have isolated yourself. There are other business owners ... Views: 856
Most of us can agree that one of the most valuable things we use every day is time. And as small business owners, we often have a shortage! And I am not sure there is anywhere that I can 'buy' time.
Over the years, people have often marveled at my productivity. I personally disagree - I ... Views: 1194
It’s all in the numbers. In fact business – although about relationships is also all about numbers.
How many people do you have on your data base? How many times do you connect with them? How are you adding to your data base? How are you doing this?
If you are relying solely on meeting ... Views: 826
Unfortunately all of us have also experienced missing an important email that had details we needed, or announced an event we really wanted to attend.
For people who market and communicate primarily by email - this becomes a dilemma that many do not know how to begin to solve. Some of us in ... Views: 846
We all want it. Industries use it. Businesses are built around it. What is it?
FREE.
What do you mean businesses are built on free? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a business. Don't businesses exist to make money?
And that my friend is the magic question! Why does your business exist? ... Views: 891