The Power of Personas

Previously, we noted that content marketing is hardly a new methodology. Its origins trace back to the late 1800s, but it certainly has evolved as technology and access have made it possible for just about anyone to claim and prove authority and expertise. But it takes well-researched personas to create successful content. In looking at…

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9 Ways to Use Pull Marketing When Push Doesn’t Work

More and more customers these days are doing their own marketing research, scanning internet reviews and feedback from friends, rather than trusting messages that you push out through advertising. This is called inbound marketing, where customers are pulled to you, rather than feeling accosted at every turn by your brand messages via email, newspapers and…

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Google Ads Budget: How Much Should You Spend?

How to Manage Google Ads Budget for Small Businesses Starting a business can be a bit tricky. At this particular stage, you are not quite sure of where to begin and what ways to generate traffic. A simple way to find customers for your startup is by using Google Ads or hiring a Google Ads…

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CEOs Change the Deeper Meaning of the Ultimate Bottom Line

As I read this morning about the Business Roundtable changing this fundamental principle, I was really glad to see it. It’s about time. Several hundred influential CEOs got together and agreed to revise priorities. The next quarter’s profits—which maximizes short-term share price—are no longer the supreme goal and top priority. Here’s the story: AMERICA’S CEOS JUST…

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Are You Meeting & Exceeding Customer Expectations?

​My new customer service keynote, A 2020 Service Strategy to Grow Your Business focuses on 5 specific strategies. Today’s article focuses on Step ONE. Evaluate what your organization needs to do to implement these important steps moving toward 2020: Meet & Exceed Customer Expectations Engage Employees Who Will Engage Customers Be Millennial Savvy Make It Right When Things…

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9 Perks Your Employees Want and You Can Afford

It’s not just about health insurance and vacation time. Today’s best employees expect their employers to provide them with a slew of perks that make both their professional and personal lives better. If they don’t find it from their current role, they’ll look elsewhere—the average worker will switch jobs a whopping 12 times throughout their…

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How to Choose a Profitable Industry

Most people who step into the small business world have some idea of what they want to do. They’ve got a passion, some kind of inspiration that lights them up—and that can be a great starting point. The problem is, passion projects aren’t always profitable and that represents a huge barrier to success. When shaping…

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How to Create a Brand Name That Sticks

Have you ever wondered how companies develop their brand names? How did marketers come up with Twitter, Hulu, or Uber? According to MSG Management Study Guide, A brand name “is one of the brand elements which helps the customers to identify and differentiate one product from another. It should be chosen very carefully as it…

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The Resurgence of the Family Business

Could you imagine working day-to-day with you son or daughter? Would your father or mother make a good salesperson? Have you ever considered investing in your family’s future by owning a business together? That’s right, the family-owned business is seeing a resurgence. Though popular 2-3 generations ago, the idea of working with family members lost…

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