Not every business is capital intensive which is good news for the many people out there right now interested in starting a business, but feeling hampered by lack of capital. There are a number of things that many would-be small business owners — particularly service-related business owners (e.g. consultants, accountants, attorneys, etc.) can do these days to start their businesses on a small budget. Continue reading “Starting a Business on a Shoestring Budget”
Tag: Business development
What Results Are You Looking For? Do You Know Your Maximum Capacity?
I’ve recently encountered situations with clients in two very diverse industries, with two very different marketing challenges, that were both embarking on major marketing initiatives in the absence of some very important information. They hadn’t clearly identified the specific results they were looking for.
They thought they knew. In fact, when I asked them they both provided me with a lengthy explanation of what they were hoping to achieve. The trouble is that Continue reading “What Results Are You Looking For? Do You Know Your Maximum Capacity?”
Business Plan Best Practices
Whether starting a new business, expanding an existing business, or simply introducing a new product or service, it’s a good idea to start with a plan – a business plan. To some, developing a business plan may seem like an extremely time-consuming and unnecessary task. It doesn’t have to be. Business plans can range from the simple to the complex–but should include the same core elements. Here are “7 Critical Business Plan Elements”: Continue reading “Business Plan Best Practices”
Business Development Through Speaking
Have you ever attended a seminar, webinar or other presentation where you felt “tricked” into listening to what could best be described as a “sales presentation”? Haven’t we all… As a marketing/communication consultant I often do speaking engagements both “live” and via webinar. And, over the years, I’ve attended a lot of these presentations. While I do think that these types of activities can be good for business development, it’s best approached as a long-term approach and not a “quick sell.” Continue reading “Business Development Through Speaking”
Different Strokes For “Special Folks”? Good Idea or Bad Promotional Move?
Look up the phrase “new customers only” on Google and you’ll turn up more than 38,000,000 results. Look up “existing customer deals” and you’ll find 19,000. It comes as no surprise that companies often turn to special incentives when trying to lure new customers to their fold. Chances are, most of us have even taken advantage of those deals from time to time. But, when you’re an *existing* customer Continue reading “Different Strokes For “Special Folks”? Good Idea or Bad Promotional Move?”