Archive for Measuring Marketing
Leverage for Success
Recently, after spending the weekend talking to other business owners, social media folks and marketing leaders in different industries, I visited a client’s restaurant for a very late lunch on Monday. It was perfect timing. As it happened, we ran into the bakery manager who was testing out some new treats, and she let us [...]
Seven Reasons to Keep Using E-Mail Marketing
To paraphrase Mark Twain, “The rumor of [e-mail marketing's] death has been greatly exaggerated.” E-mail marketing is NOT dead.
Consider your toolbox. You know, the old fashioned handyman tools that you keep around in case a picture needs to be hung or the sink clogs or a drawer knob gets loose. The hammer, the screwdriver, the [...]
Are You Monitoring Your World?
At a conference back in the spring, I heard a presenter recommend Google Alerts like they were the latest, newest toy in the toy box. Exasperated and somewhat depressed to have endured such “old news” – I wondered to myself: “Have you been using the tools so long that because they are old news to [...]
Are you operating without a Market Analysis?
Too often businesses spend thousands starting a new business, sustaining a business, investing in new product development or new product lines or just marketing their product/business without any real market information.
Although the quality of the products and business experience
is critical, your development of the best product on the market will not necessarily
correlate with the most [...]
Making the Most of a Conference
Andy and I arrived in Chicago this morning to mix and mingle among the conference goers at the National Main Streets Conference happening now through Wednesday of next week. Notice, I didn't say that we came here to attend the conference. Because we really didn't.
Hopefully, that statement doesn't highly offend those of you reading [...]
Managing your budget closely will lead to profits even in fluctuating times
In this article from E-Myth Worldwide, the first recommendation is to start with expenses – not revenues. We couldn't agree more.
Budgeting for Fluctuating Revenue | E-Myth Worldwide.
At a recent Q&A session with small business owners, Andy and I challenged these small business owners to tightly manage their businesses "above the line" and "below the [...]
Are you getting the most out of your employees?
Lately, we’ve advised several clients during the hiring process of management or key position employees. Several key recommendations ring true regardless of the position or situation.
Always have a written job description – both specific to the job and specific expectations that you have for every member of your team.
Always have a written employee guideline [...]
Understanding Your Customer Pays
Several years ago, I read Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell’s terrific book, Creating Customer Evangelists. Their message resonated with me, and it’s mantra has long been integrated into our consulting philosophy working with small businesses and non-profits organizations. In their book, the very first rule of thumb is to "continuously gather customer feedback."
This week, [...]
News From Main Street America
Study reveals several empty downtown units – Marietta, Ohio (great investment opportunity!)
Lumberton to seek redeveloper for 8-acre site on Main Street – Lumberton, New Jersey
Commission approves two new projects in Main Street Corridor (including Starbucks) – Bloomington, Illinois
Upscale Tresca tempts Main Street diners – Hillsboro, Oregon
Report: Tennessee’s State Main Street communities generate $82 million
Restaurateur [...]
Lean Marketing – the Results Revolution – and Toyota
Sometimes I get blurry eyes when I present the idea of Lean Thinking at my small business marketing seminars. At HALO, our entire marketing philosophy and coaching programs are based on lean thinking.
Matt over at 37signals wrote an article that might help remove some of the haze – he summarized the Toyota way of [...]
