In nearly every business book I read and from the lips of nearly every business guru I listen to is the premise that you have to grow your business. Grow, grow, grow -- think big -- and you'll feel successful. More products, more services, more revenue -- and you'll be happy. Bigger is better, right? Here's a secret that I'm going to start …
Can You Explain Your Target Audience in 15 Minutes?
I had a tough discussion with a client yesterday. She needs to hire a marketing manager, but would rather find a person who knows her narrowly niched target audience intimately and then teach them marketing skills. I suggested to her that she turn it around. It would be far easier to first find a marketing expert who had all the skills she needed …
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How to Be a Small Business Consultant – 18 Step Checklist
How do you grow your small business consulting practice? What skills do you need? Here are 18 steps to becoming a small business consultant. Whether you call yourself a consultant, coach, advisor or mentor, these steps will help you develop skill sets and grow your business. I've been a small business consultant a long time, and these are the …
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The 7-Question Sales Script
When speaking with prospective clients or mastermind group members, it’s helpful to know in advance how to frame the conversation and design the flow of the meeting. The goal of the sales conversation is to determine the needs of the client and to see which of your products and services are the best fit for them. Selling has gotten a bad …
Checklist: Getting Ready for the New Year
It's the most wonderful time of the year...time to think about your business plans for next year. This is a great time of year to work on your business, as December is usually a slower time of year for most small businesses (except retailers, of course!). It's also the time of year that we personally pause and reflect on the past year and set …
Cleanup and Planning: Quarterly and Year-End Checklists
It's here -- the end of quarter and the end of the year! It's time to do some "good housekeeping" in preparation for the year-end of your business. At the end of the year, it’s important to both close-out the old year properly as well as plan for the new year. I recommend you start this process early so that there isn’t a last-minute rush to …
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