Business to business sales techniques are different than selling to consumers. First, you are more likely to reach a gatekeeper or lower-level manager. The first challenge is catching your prospect at the right time. For cold calling, the best times to call are the first hour of…
This week over 80 years ago, Frank Sinatra cut his first single as a vocalist in the Harry James Band. It flopped. Big time. The song sold only 8,000 copies, but Sinatra continued in his music career and has now sold over 150 million records worldwide.…
Customer reviews are important. The Yelp effect shows that reviews affect revenue. A one star increase on Yelp translates to about 5 to 9 percent increase of revenue. 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business. And 88% of consumers trust online reviews as…
This is Part 2 of a Business Essentials Series: Part 1 Being the owner of a small business means you have some experience with rapid business growth. One day it’s business as usual, and the next it’s wondering how to fulfill a massive purchase order for a…
Start-ups are a hot topic these days, with many small players having rocketed to the top of the marketplace in the past couple of decades. Here are the foundation elements you need to turn a good idea into a viable business. Things You Need to Start a…
Always consider the customer experience. Making your on-boarding process as painless as possible means greater customer satisfaction and potentially customer referrals. An important process is communicating timelines to meet your customer’s expectations. How to Meet Team Deadlines Set reasonable time frames and deadlines for your team…
Employee retention is increasingly important to businesses both large and small. With low unemployment rates, companies are competing for both attracting and retaining top talent. It costs an average of 33% of an employee’s salary to find a replacement, and it can increase to 50% when…
One of the biggest challenges for new and growing companies is managing their working capital. Businesses with slow paying customers can struggle to build enough working capital to build assets as the company grows. One method to help with this issue is through working capital financing.…
What is Inc. 5000? The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the independent small business segment. Microsoft, Dell, Pandora, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names were all former honorees. Eligibility for honoree consideration is reliant on revenue and growth.…
Hiring top talent is important, especially in a competitive market that is short on skilled laborers. Equally important is retaining top talent and engaging top talent. Motivating your employees starts at the top and pervades company culture. When 1 in 3 “high potential” employees admit putting…