Marketing on a Limited Budget
Some might say that marketing is easy, especially if there is an unlimited budget. Money can be spent on numerous components aimed at a very broad target audience. Some aspects of the campaign might work effectively while other aspects of the campaign might be a complete waste. When a business has a limited budget, however,…
Podcast Interview with Diane Bogino of Business Notes
Business strategies are what every business needs to be successful. Craig Paxson, BCC, CVB helps business owners ask the right questions to determine the best strategies, processes, and procedures for positive business growth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3sOGwi3a3w
How Do You Rank Your Employee Training?
Small businesses are not exempt from this requirement. In fact, it might even be rationalized that knowledgeable employees are more important in a small business than they are in a large enterprise because there is no redundancy of job functions. What doesn’t get accomplished by one employee in a small business might very well not…
How Customer Segmentation Impacts Strategic Decision Making
One of the most resonant themes that we saw coming out of the Strategy Fest was how important understanding your customer base actually is. As strategists, we can often get caught up with preconceived notions as to who our ideal buyer is, and it doesn’t always match up with the real customers that are coming…
Two Must Essentials for Business Success
Many factors are involved in making a business successful, and many factors contribute to business failure. Two contributing factors to business stagnation or, even worse, business failure are lack of integrity and credibility. This is true for any type of business, any size, or any location. Integrity Integrity is the quality of being honest and…
Innovation and Strategy Both Live and Die on the Sword of Execution
Suppose you ever read about innovation or strategy in a textbook. In that case, you’ll find a myriad of wonderfully inventive frameworks, tactics, and theories that wax lyrical about how a business can craft and nurture the right strategic plan to take on the world. These are all carefully researched and draw on decades of…
Don’t Get Careless On Fraud
Business fraud occurs everywhere. It happens in small businesses, large businesses, rural areas, metropolitan cities, startup businesses, established entities, for-profit businesses, or non-profit organizations. The perpetrator might be a Baby Boomer, GenX, or Milliennial. It doesn’t matter. Dishonest and/or desperate employees have no preferences or age restrictions. Fraud Losses Fraud losses might be small or…
The Definitive Guide to Standard Operating Procedures
Section 1: Why Create Standard Operating Procedures What Is a Standard Operating Procedure? A Standard Operating Procedure is a set of instructions used to train and onboard your employees to complete a task. Standard Operating Procedures are the foundation of building a business that can thrive without you which gives you the freedom to work…
Customer Loyalty Can Be Fragile
Businesses strive to achieve customer or client loyalty in numerous ways. This might be accomplished through: BrandingExceptional customer serviceHigh-quality products or servicesCompetitive pricingLoyalty programsSpecial salesEfficient operationsUser-friendly websitesStress-free access when trying to reach the businessFlexible payment plansCustomer feedback and suggestionsHonestyHassle-free problem solvingInquiries handled promptlyKnowledgeable and caring employeesPersonalized serviceBeing reliableFlexible and adaptableKnowing and understanding customer needsHaving a…
Pricing Is More Than Just A Number
Businesses are always trying to figure out exactly how to price their products or services. Many factors are taken into consideration…supply and demand, fixed costs, competition, quality, projected gross profit as well as a unique value proposition. In addition to these factors, businesses sell benefits and solutions to customer problems. It then places a value…
One Critical Metric the Most Valuable Businesses Watch Like a Hawk
Adding some recurring revenue to your business is arguably the fastest way to grow your company’s value. Recurring revenue is so crucial that it is one of the most heavily weighted drivers in our algorithm over at The Value Builder System. Investors pay a premium for certainty, which is one reason businesses with recurring revenue are so much…
The Importance of a Plan B
If we’ve learned anything from the last 18 months, it’s that the world is much more uncertain than we could ever have imagined. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses around the world to reimagine what their offering looks like in these crazy times, with many of them scrambling to pivot their organization in order to…