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Archive for client relationships

Every business owner should be able to answer a simple question about their client list…what is the average lifetime value of a typical client?

If you’re not sure what I mean, let me give you a brief overview. Anytime you spend marketing money to land a new client in your business you expect that they will produce a certain amount of revenue for your company. You should know what they’re likely to spend initially, how often they’ll reorder, at what frequency and, unless you’re just starting out, you should have a good idea about how long a client usually does business with you. Read More→

Smart phones…I’ve opted out!

Monday, March 28th, 2011

How many of you watched the video of the lady walking through the mall, texting and walking right into the fountain a few weeks ago? The big, 40 by 40 foot fountain, right in the MIDDLE of a mall? We all laughed right, could never happen to us…no, not us.

Technology is great, but looking around at my own life as well as observing others I’ve realized that we are beginning to be controlled by technology rather than using it to make life easier. As an example, I watched a colleague the other day who was working hard on a website project. Every time his iPhone® buzzed with a new email, text or update he, like Pavlov’s dog, stopped working, read the message, answered the message and then tried to get back to work only to be disturbed again in 30 seconds by the reply or rebuttle. He got virtually nothing done in 30 minutes.

Take this test for fun or the shock value… Read More→

New Year…New Direction ?

Friday, December 31st, 2010

As 2010 is winding to a close it’s time to reflect on what was, what could have been and what will be in the year ahead.

We’ve dealt with a sluggish economy, clients who opted not to initiate projects, governmental regulation changes, team members who had family members laid off, perhaps you faced the need to downsize your staff as well.  All in all, not one of the better years for business owners. Read More→

As a business owner, do you find yourself getting frustrated when all around you seem to think differently from you? Angry when the simplest of tasks or requests seem to be an imposition to others?  When the common sense approach (i.e. Yours) turns into an all out brawl when trying to get cooperation? If this sounds familiar it’s because most of the people you are trying to enlist to help you are listening to different stations, they’re all on a completely separate channel.

Now this channel isn’t on Sirius, not on XM, not on cable and not even on those funny in-between HD bands. They are all listening, with you canceling headphones, to WII-FM.

The What’s-In-It-For-Me channel.

The only way that you can get and keep their attention is with really good incentive based advertising on their favorite station. As entrepreneurs and small business owners we have to craft our messages in ways that create mutual agenda items. Read More→

I don’t know about you but I have a love -hate relationship with email.  I get about 300 inbound emails a day, about half of them get caught in the SPAM filter and the rest end up on my computer and now my iPhone.

I love the fact that I can quickly review emails almost anyplace and anytime.  I love the fact that I can answer some while waiting in line, during delays at airports and the like.

I hate the fact that most people don’t take put any time at all into their use of this form of communication…typoes, mispellings (both done on purpose), incomplete thoughts, random questions all sent easily with the push of a button clogging up all of our in-boxes and schedules as we bail ourselves out from under the deluge. Read More→

Negotiation 101 – The basic five rules

Friday, October 1st, 2010

Over the years I’ve learned five really important rules for successful negotiations.

1. Make sure that both sides feel that they’ve accomplished something in the negotiations.

2. Don’t fight for a small point so long you damage your ability to win the large ones.

3. Know going in what your ‘must haves’ are, the rest are optional.

4. Let the other person quote a number first.

5. Always…be in a position to walk away from the table if a good deal can’t be struck.

Let me elaborate a little on each of the rules: Read More→