Archives: November 2010

Hire Employees with 'Fire in the Belly'

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 30

I use the term "fire in the belly" to refer to someone's drive or motivation to achieve success. When you're interviewing prospective employees for your business, people will often describe...

Don't Lose Business to a Slow Website

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 29

Just as a busy highway backs up with cars, websites often encounter the same effect when dealing with large amounts of traffic. Any website can experience slow traffic, online traffic...

Secure a Mobile Workforce

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 26

Some 2.8 million Americans now work permanently from home offices. An estimated 38 million Americans, or 37 percent of the total U.S. workforce, telecommute at least once a month. Couple...

Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 25

In the 1960s, the Grateful Dead made a series of difficult, often-unpopular decisions in order to differentiate the group from competitors by providing the highest-quality service to fans. In so...

Find the Red Flags in Your Telecom Contract

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 24

For many business owners today, sifting through the intricacies of a complex carrier contract is a task that gets pushed to the bottom of a forever-growing to-do list. In your...

Set Up an Office for Your Home-Based Business

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 23

Starting a home-based business can be both challenging and rewarding. As your business takes off, you'll face several challenges, including how to create an effective workspace. Although your new, home-based...

Turn Website "Browsers" Into Buyers

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 22

We all know consumers are spending more time and money online, so your website is often the first (and sometimes last) interaction you have with them. Unfortunately, many companies continue...

Turn Your Passion into a Business

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 19

Everyone is passionate about something. We all dream about converting that passion into a real business that can make money. Our company, ProBatter Sports, grew out of my personal love...

Good Business Starts with Your Story

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 18

Something I learned early on as an entrepreneur and small business owner is that starting and maintaining a successful business depends on how well you understand and tell your company's...

Why Successful Football Strategies Should Be Applied to Business

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 17

Running a successful business is much like running a successful football team. What are the common characteristics between successful football teams and successful business teams? 1. A true "team" must...

Basics for Aspiring Business Owners

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 16

There is a lot you must know to be successful, yet few of us who own small businesses have the opportunity to attend a good business school. My advice: 1....

Show Investors What Makes Your Business Special

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 15

Over the course of my career, I've seen some brilliant business ideas, as well as a fair share that I knew didn't stand a chance for success. I've been on...

Prevent Access Creep

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 12

A common problem that can be particularly troublesome for small businesses is what is known as "access creep." In a nutshell, access creep occurs when employees accrue access to more...

Secure a Mobile Workforce

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 11

Some 2.8 million Americans now work permanently from home offices and a full 38 million (37 percent of the total U.S. workforce) telecommute at least once a month. For the...

Get Your Employees on the Social Media Bandwagon

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 10

A recent online survey found that when companies look to ramp up social media initiatives, many turn in-house first. This is even more likely for small businesses with limited resources....

Get Creative with Commerce

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 09

To survive the down economic times, companies of all stripes learned to cut costs and do more with less. To return to growth, drive greater productivity, and improve profits, businesses...

Transform Yourself from Vendor to Expert

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 08

In today's world your customer is bombarded with marketing messages. The more you tout your product or service, the less likely your audience is to believe you. So how do...

Stop Having So Many Meetings

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 05

Other than dealing with an overload of e-mail, the other jail that I hear about consistently is the meeting jail (that is when you spend several hours a day in...

Turn a Standard Presentation into a Sales Tool

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 04

Every business cranks out a lot of presentations, probably more than they can count. Are these slide decks boosting branding, driving customer engagement, and increasing sales? Presentations are second only...

Use Body Language to Build Rapport

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 03

People don't buy your products, your services, or your brand. They buy you. Whether you're negotiating with suppliers, managing staff, or speaking directly with customers, it's vital that you create...

Plain Talk About Innovation

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 02

You can have the greatest idea in the world—which doesn't matter if you can't persuade anyone of its value. An idea, however innovative it may be, is not useful until...

Give Effective Feedback to Millennials

Posted by: Today's Tip Contributor on November 01

Many business owners have noticed that the new crop of young workers is different from previous generations and are adjusting their management styles accordingly. One key difference? Millennials expect constant...