Help! My Digital Display Ads Aren’t Working
I recently got an email from a reader who was struggling with their digital display ads. They were underperforming and the business owner was considering pulling the ads. Here’s what I said back to her. Thanks for your email and the stats on your digital ads. You’re right, based on industry standards, your click-through rate of less…
Read More5 Fundamental Steps to Ensure Brand Consistency
When Kraft bought Cadbury for $19.5 billion, the value was not in the equipment, the recipes, or the chocolate. The value was in the brand. Intangible assets account for approximately 75% of the value of a business…with brand being one of the major categories. Brands can inspire millions. They can even start movements. But before…
Read More8 Reasons to Promote Corporate Social Responsibility
Businesses are finding that being socially responsible can be great for the bottom line, as well as good for employee morale. Of course, a company still needs to make a profit to survive, but supporting a worthy cause can be the most profitable brand building you can do. Witness the growth and popularity of Patagonia…
Read More6 Social Media Lessons from Popular Brands
Don’t Ignore Your Social Followers Now that just about every business has a social media presence, the traditional days of customer service are long gone. Some customers may still call or email your company directly, but many will reach out via your social media channels and expect immediate feedback. JetBlue has a reputation for a…
Read MoreSmall Business Bookkeeping: What You Need to Know
In the rush and excitement of starting a new venture, it’s easy to overlook the importance of good small business bookkeeping in the early days and let things slide. When this happens, small business owners often get a rude awakening in the not-so-early days of the business. This can come in a variety of ways,…
Read MoreStop Emailing and Pick Up the Phone
Recently I was working with a client and was reminded just how destructive email can be when used incorrectly. Like many companies, their standard form of communication is email. They are spread across Canada and internationally. People work together who never meet, and the default form of communication for all issues is email. The problem…
Read More5 Tax Saving Tips Most Small Businesses Don’t Follow
Taxes are one of the biggest burdens facing small businesses. According to the Small Business Administration, many small businesses pay effective tax rates near 30%. Many financial experts argue that high taxes are killing small businesses. “The truly wealthy people pay nothing in taxes compared to me,” said Michael Fredrich, the owner of MCM Composites.…
Read MoreDon’t Forget These 5 Essential Steps When Screening New Hires
In years past, pre-employment background screenings required significant manpower and time. As a result, larger companies with big budgets constituted the primary users. Though as more cost-effective and user-friendly solutions have begun to permeate the industry, small businesses also are taking advantage of background screenings to reduce hiring risks and to bring in valuable, long-term…
Read MoreHow to Optimize Your Content for Google Answer Boxes
Oh, answer boxes. Position 0 for the majority of its existence has been mystifying as Google seems to reserve this spot for websites that just happen to get lucky. However, as more answer boxes are appearing in SERPs, we as marketers have the opportunity to obtain these highly coveted positions. In this post, I’ll share…
Read MoreControl Your Euphoria
One thing a senior manager can count on is that someday, something will go right, very right. Well, after all the disappointments, pressure and outright failures, this is NEWS. So we tend to go overboard a bit. As a member of the board, I’ve received calls on weekends, at night and texts at hours I…
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