Business Development Archives

The Top 5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Was 21

When I was 21 I thought I knew everything. Now that I’m “older” I look back and still think I knew quite a bit. Actually, as I work with college students, I’m often impressed at how fearless they are in terms of what they believe they know and can do–and they can. Somehow, along the way, as we age I think we become overly cautious. We learn more about what we don’t know and begin to second-guess ourselves. That’s unfortunate. I’d like to still be as fearless and “brilliant” as I was back then! Recently, I responded to a reporter’s query about “the Top 5 things” I wish I had known at 21. Here’s my list: Continue reading “The Top 5 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Was 21”

What I’d Like To Do Better in 2013: New Year’s Resolutions

I love a new year. Although I realize that, technically, every day is the beginning of a new year, there’s something about the New Year that makes me both reflective and optimistic about what lies ahead. As a pretty goal-oriented person, I enjoy the process of looking back, learning, and looking forward. It’s the basis of strategic planning, after all, a personal passion of mine. Each year I spend time to commit my goals to writing and I track my progress throughout the year. I don’t achieve every goal, but I do belief that I’m more effective than I would be if I didn’t take the time to plan. I had some great successes in 2012 and a lot of very rewarding experiences–both personally and professionally. But there’s always room for improvement and, regardless of what I achieve, I always want to achieve more. So, in 2013, there are a number of things I’d like to do better: Continue reading “What I’d Like To Do Better in 2013: New Year’s Resolutions”

Marketing Resolutions for the New Year

As the New Year approaches it’s time to begin thinking about New Year’s resolutions, which might also be referred to as “strategic planning” — although those words tend to strike fear into the hearts of even the most focused of business professionals. I don’t know why, but I’m coming to accept it as a given. One of my resolutions for the New Year is to come up with a way of making planning less intimidating. “Good luck” say my business colleagues. But, I digress…

As you look forward to 2013, what are the fundamental issues that most impact your organization? What are the opportunities you hope to take advantage of? What are the challenges you hope to overcome? Here are a few tips to get you started: Continue reading “Marketing Resolutions for the New Year”

Tips for Working Productively From Home or Telecommuting

I’ve been working productively from home for a number of years, first as a freelance writer (part-time) on nights and weekends and, for the past four years, as a full time marketing communication consultant. My interest in remote work, or telecommuting, stems back many years to when I worked with an organization that was going through a merger. It was highly likely that the corporate headquarters would be in a new location and I was not interested, or able, at that time to relocate. So I was curious.

Based on my own experience as a freelance writer for a number of years I knew firsthand that, yes, it was possible to establish client relationships and deliver value to those clients from a distance. But, would that same model be embraced incorporate settings? Could I, for instance, find a role as a director of corporate Continue reading “Tips for Working Productively From Home or Telecommuting”

Are You Talking to Yourself on Social Media?

As I work with clients, or evaluate social media sites as part of the research I do on the topic, I frequently find that many sites–even those owned and managed by some top organizations–are more engaged in conversations with themselves than with interested followers or fans. They’re not sharing information that is of interest or value to their audience–they’re talking about themselves! That’s a strategy destined to fail. Why? Continue reading “Are You Talking to Yourself on Social Media?”

Connecting With Your Audiences Through Social Media

As hard as it may be to believe, not everybody is engaged in social media these days. And, even those who have profiles established on sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter may not be active participants and, importantly, may not be seeing your communications, regardless of how frequently you post or how brilliant your insights are.

In my work as a marketing communication consultant I work with clients regularly to assess and improve their communications, including online communications. The first area of discussion Continue reading “Connecting With Your Audiences Through Social Media”

Markets Can’t Really Tell Us How They’re Influenced

I’m a proponent of marketing research and the use of data to drive business decisions at every level and in every aspect of organizational performance. I recognize, though, that sometimes the predictive value of research can be questionable and that it can be most useful to evaluate actual behaviors to support future decisions.

Advertising efforts are a good example of this. Continue reading “Markets Can’t Really Tell Us How They’re Influenced”

Are You Prepared to Become Obsolete?

While watching the local news my husband made a comment about the weatherman: “You know – who really needs him anymore? You can just look at the radar yourself any time you want to online.”

True. You can. Wonder if people going to school to be “weather people” have thought about that. Wonder if the schools that teach them have thought about that. And, most pertinent for this blog, wonder if all of us have given Continue reading “Are You Prepared to Become Obsolete?”