21 Secrets Behind Viral Infographics
It’s no secret that infographic marketing works… 90% of information that’s transmitted to our brains is visual. So it’s not surprising that publishers who use infographics generate more traffic, shares and backlinks than those who don’t. But just because you can whip together an infographic from a cookie-cutter template builder doesn’t mean it will go…
Read MoreTell-Tale Signs You Aren’t Ready to Manage Yet
Small businesses don’t grow by themselves. Of course, that’s why you’re expanding. But stepping up to a management role requires a new and unique set of abilities. Sheer determination will only take you so far. For this next phase of growth, exceptional communication and an intuitive ability to respond to difficult situations are needed. A…
Read MoreSmall Biz Interviews: Cannonball Productions
As the adage goes: when one door closes, another opens. Kate Levenstien was laid off from her job at LivingSocial and was thinking on offers from various other companies. It turned out to be an auspicious moment in her career. She started Cannonball Productions having recognized a gap in the market while at LivingSocial, and…
Read MoreThe True Cost of Small Business Mobile App Development
There are 258 million people glued to their mobile devices for approximately 174 minutes each day. To an entrepreneur, that’s a math problem that yields a profit potential of, well, a lot. To a business owner that means close to 750 million hours of marketing time is available each day if you can break into…
Read MoreIs Cold Calling Contrary to Being a Go-Giver?
A reader recently emailed me the following: “Hi Bob, I love being in sales and want to make a difference. The company I just started working for is very focused on cold calling, and closing on the first appointment, which seems contrary to the approach in your and John’s book? I love this company but how…
Read MoreHow to Land Big-Name Contracts (Regardless of Your Company Size)
The secret to landing big contracts isn’t deeper pockets or more manpower—it’s getting prospects to trust you. Understanding this fact has not only helped our startup marketing company land on the Inc. 5000 list, but it has helped the roughly 2,000 small businesses we’ve coached to compete with the world’s largest financial institutions. Based on our experience, here are six ways…
Read More7 Core Website Ingredients You Should Never Mess Up
Building a website that is able to drive visitor engagement, lead generation and conversions isn’t easy these days. Blame it on the number of sites that are competing against each other to get a slice of attention from their target audience. According to Internet Live Stats, there are 1,063,766,000 websites online right now; that is…
Read MoreBe a Winner of “The Waiting Game”
A recent family illness sent me to a place where I haven’t been in a while—a doctor’s office waiting room. There I was grouped with many people sitting and patiently waiting their turn to be seen by the physician. Such a situation gives you plenty of time to think about where else might people be…
Read MoreEye of the Needle? Why to Worry Over Your Bottlenecks
Think for a minute whether there is any process or person that could be classed as the eye of the needle in your organization. Is there anything, process or person, that stalls the flow of work from start to finish? A CEO once told me that she was ‘the eye of the needle’ in her organization,…
Read MoreHow Can Small Businesses Deal with Big Data?
The term ‘big data’ may sound intimidating, particularly to small businesses. Still, big data can give small businesses powerful leverage over larger companies. In today’s modern world, businesses have access to a large amount of structured and unstructured data that enables them to solve problems and enhance their efficiency. What’s more, big data allows small…
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