Running any business requires strong fundamentals. Of the primary processes found in any enterprise customer finding [marketing] drives everything else. Without it, no business can expect to survive. Knowing where you stand and where you need to make progress is found in your marketing plan. Building a robust and sustainable “customer development machine,” is an […]

Creating the trust that purchase decisions depend on
Marketing is a strategy to help your business find new customers while captivating the ones you already have. This requires listening – really listening – to what your customers’ needs are now and anticipating their future expectations. This success component requires constant attention and nurturing. And, in order for your marketing to be successful, you […]

Business Mechanic – Small Company 911
Success today requires delivering on the promise of your brand. To do that each business function must support the other. Your people and your operational protocols must meet the expectations that your sales and promotional activities are generating. Resisting change is normal There are a ton of reasons why businesses underperform. In a smaller company […]

Make Your Marketing Work Better
Here is another important business development suggestion from Steve Lauterback. I hope you find it informative and useful. Pass it on to friends and colleagues who might need help in growing their businesses. Identifying your target market and motivating them to action is probably the greatest need and weakest skill for businesses large and small. […]

Is Advertising another word for Marketing?
Recently I was asked by a prospect to explain the difference between advertising and marketing. It made me realize that marketing really is a mystery to many small business people. Advertising is one part of the marketing function. It’s the part where you use different means (like TV or online ads, postcards, etc), with words […]

Are you inside the circle or out?
In today’s “excess capacity” economy, potential buyers have more choices then ever. They have loads of competing products or services to choose from, plus an excess of substitutes like joining a country club instead of installing a swimming pool. Over the last few years, with more and more sellers chasing better-educated buyers, the inundated buyer […]