Small Biz Fuel

As a kid we were all taught to “Stop, look, and listen” before crossing the street.  “Stop” before crossing, and possibly making a tragic mistake, without first gathering critical information.  “Look” at the situation to assess as much visual information as possible, primarily regarding the oncoming traffic.  “Listen” for auditory signals that may either [...]

Are you working fast and furious? Burning the candle at both ends? Yet, you don’t feel like you are making progress. Years ago, before Stephen Covey wrote “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” I learned a very important lesson from an unlikely source.
While I still struggle every day to heed this sage advice, [...]

I am sure you’ve heard it said that you need to know your audience. This is important because you’re able to communicate better to an audience you really know. But what does it really mean to know your audience and what can you do to learn about your audience?  Whether simply networking or building a [...]

I can’t stay silent any longer. This is one of those small business topics that drive me crazy! While it is so simple to address, it is consistently left on the back burner. At least weekly, I speak with a small business owner or manager about their computer back-up system (or lack [...]

Making the headlines in traditional media can be challenging. How many times have you sent a press release (I use “press release” rather than “news release”, because it is not news until printed by the press) to local media, eager to help them inform the community about something valuable for their readers or listeners? [...]

I’m in. Are you? For the past year or so, I’ve been a participant in the fastest growing on-line business network on the web. But, I was only dipping my toe. While I joined Linkedin at the invitation of a friend, I hadn’t taken the time to really understand its real value. In fact, I [...]

100 participants. 97 opt-ins to my mailing list. 8 consulting jobs. 4 personal referrals for national speaking opportunities. All reslulting from four “free” marketing presentations I recently delivered to local chamber of commerces or other business organizations. And they say “talk is cheap.”
“Free” talks can be a powerful source of [...]

This week was one of my most invigorating in recent memory.  I delivered marketing training to three different organizations – a business women’s network, a local chamber of commerce marketing group, and a seminar audience of networking group members.  Each comprised small-business owners and managers who chose to voluntarily participate in a session designed to [...]

Last week at a local coffee shop I met Kathy. I was introduced to her by a friend of mine, with whom she just finished a meeting. My friend runs a growing marketing business and he was helping her think through the identity of the retail business she is on the verge of launching. He [...]