April 21, 2015, marked a new beginning for how people search for, and find your website. Google, which owns 83% of the mobile-search market, will now make mobile-friendliness a major ranking criteria for websites on its search platform. The change boils down to one important distinction: whether your website is fully optimized for mobile devices.…
“People chronically misappraise the limits of their own knowledge; that’s one of the most basic parts of human nature. Knowing the edge of your circle of competence is one of the most difficult things for a human being to do. Knowing what you don’t know is much more useful in life and business than being…
Pop quiz: What social media platform has the most influence on consumers as they make purchase decisions? What’s your guess? Facebook, with its billions of likes and massive user base? Twitter, with its immediacy and concise messaging? Maybe Pinterest, with its emphasis on the visual? The answer is YouTube. According to a study by Ogilvy,…
Bond. James Bond. Who out there has never thought about being part of the exciting, glamorous world of espionage and spy-craft? While Bond has spent the last 50 years fighting against terrorists, enemy nations, and Victorian morality, today’s small business person can use some spy-work of their own to take on their competition. True, the…
Let’s talk about you for the next few minutes, about your “Personal Brand,” the “Brand of You.” There’s real value in identifying your personal brand, giving yourself a recognizable voice, and then leveraging it appropriately. It can also be a very challenging, introspective, and yet rewarding process. We’re going to find out more about you,…
A business doesn’t exist until someone sells something. And sustainable sales can’t happen without a qualified lead. Generating and nurturing sales leads are the lifeblood for every company. As a small business, marketing dollars can be scarce. And when you spend those dollars on acquiring new leads, it’s vital that you convert a high percentage…
Consumer reviews pack a punch. And it’s no wonder—word of mouth has long been one of the most effective and reliable forms of advertising. Online consumer reviews? Well, those can deliver a knockout punch. The internet, combined with social media, can blast consumer comments into the “social-sphere” more widely and rapidly than ever before. Every…
Sometimes we make things harder than they need to be. When it comes to sales, we often think we have to be the flashiest, the funniest, the pushiest or the most eloquent in order to close the deal. But it’s actually a lot simpler than that. Find out what a person wants, needs, or desires…
Free stuff is great. Free stuff that helps your business is awesome. Here are 8 free online services that a small business can use to make life a little less complicated. MailChimp “Forever Free.” Love it. That’s MailChimp’s promise to its subscribers. The “Forever Free” plan allows up to 2,000 email subscribers and 12,000 emails…
Color plays an important role in our daily lives, and over time, we’ve developed specific emotional reactions to different colors. These reactions have been shaped since birth and can vary based on geographical location, age, and gender. Color has a direct effect on our mood and how we feel. Research suggests that color can even…
Have you ever had that moment when you listen to someone speak and you realize just how inept your communication skills really are? I’m continually humbled by people who are far more gifted, skilled, prepared, and just flat-out smarter than me. If you’ll indulge me for just a moment, I want to share such an…
The elevator doors slide open. A few people pile in. We assess our surroundings and then act decisively. We press the buttons of our respective floors; heads drop and phones light-up. The doors shut and the awkward ride begins. A ride in an elevator is such an odd but predictable social experience. And for many…
It’s Saturday afternoon and I’ve already spent more than 5 hours working on work—things that could have waited until Monday. So I started to think about it: about work, and its impact on me, my family, friends, hobbies, and time. After some self-reflection, I jotted-down a few questions that I’ll pose to you. Do you…
Finding and keeping the right people is critical to your business’s success and ability to grow. To do so, you must have the ability to effectively recruit, hire, train, and develop talent, as well as assess, coach, and retain skilled employees. In a previous post, I shared 10 steps to follow when building a culture…
I have the good fortune to meet and work with some extraordinary entrepreneurs. Without doubt, one of my favorites is Lara Hodgson. When Lara is in the room, I shut-up and listen. She always shares such powerful and practical advice on all things business. Here are few tips she shared with me while shooting a…
Business Babble 