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Relationships: Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Long time readers of this blog as well as newbies have probably figured out by now that relationships are important to me, whether we’re talking about business relationships, personal relationships, or something in-between. Relationships are intrinsic to human nature. Even if you choose NOT to have a relationship with someone—you still have a relationship with…
Are you likeable?
Most of us prefer to think that business is all about dollars and cents, profits and loss, but it isn’t. Business is about relationships, and more specifically about nurturing those relationships so that there’s something “in it” for all parties. Profit and loss are just byproducts of that relationship . . . and likeability is…
It Pays To Get Noticed
It seems like there are lots of folks out there who will pretty much do anything to get noticed. I’m thinking of the Paris Hiltons and the Kardashians of the world (though Paris has been “quiet” as of late), plus all those pseudo-celebrities filling out the casts of the dozens of reality shows dominating our…
Time to Take The Opportunity Blinders Off
Perusing the Web the other day, I found this quote: “…Opportunities! Every life is full of them. Every newspaper article is an opportunity. Every client is an opportunity. Every sermon is an opportunity. Every business transaction.” Now that’s music to my ears! The quote comes from Orison Swett Marden. Maybe you’ve heard of him. Born…
Low Prices: Too Much of a Good Thing?
Prices seem to be on the rise again after a few years of holding steady following the economic collapse of 2008. From food prices, to entertainment, to fuel, to housing, to this and that, everything seems to be on the uptick. If you’re like me, you’re thinking, “How can a guy get a break?” Surely…
There’s No Marketing Silver Bullet
If there were such a thing as a marketing “silver bullet,” then I’d either need to find a different line of work—because everyone could do it—or I’d be super rich, because I’d be the keeper and dispenser of marketing’s secret sauce recipe. But marketing is not easy and automatic. It’s much more than a press…
Unplug and Get Creative
I never know, week to week, from where the seeds of my next blog might come. Sometimes, something will catch my eye—a news article, TV show, chance encounter, LinkedIn post, or some other social media share. It’s all part of the creative process, and this week I’ve been thinking about creativity—go figure!—which brought my attention to…
Are You Prepared for Success?
Be prepared. It’s one surefire way to improve your chances for success. Parents prepare. Teachers prepare. Students prepare. Chefs and shoppers prepare. Businesses and leaders prepare. Doctors and athletes prepare. Heck, “Be prepared” is even the Boy Scouts long-time motto. Sure, some folks find success out of sheer luck, but I tend to believe even…
Leading the Way
The notion of “leadership” seems to come up a lot these days, whether it’s in casual conversation, business discussions, the news, or politics. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot, which got me to thinking that it’s probably not understood all that well … which would explain a lot! Leadership is about getting…
Marketers Shouldn’t Be Complacent . . . But if It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It!
As marketers, we’ve probably all faced one or more of these situations: We’re not converting Web traffic to sales No one’s subscribing to our email list Our free download just sits there with no suitors, like a wallflower at the high school dance We’re getting no takers on our offer of a free consult No…
Hopping on the Brand Wagon
A blog on the topic of personal branding seemed like a natural follow-up to last week’s “I Know My Brand … Do You Know Yours?” As I started to ponder what to write, I had the strangest sense of Déjà vu. Seems I’d touched on that subject a few years back, so why re-create the…
I Know My Brand . . . Do You Know Yours?
Feedback is how we know we are doing something right; it’s also how we know when we’re doing something wrong. Feedback is necessary. It’s how we improve our relationships and raise our golf (or in my case, volleyball) game to the next level; it’s also how we fine-tune our business offerings and hone our brands.…
Making the A-List
The calendar tells me it’s spring—though some of my northern and mid-western buddies might disagree—and the days are getting longer and warmer. Another true sign of spring is that the Major League baseball season is upon us (Go Dodgers!). For baseball fans across the land, hope springs eternal and anything, at least for a week…
Does Your Business/Brand Pass the Referral Test?
Nothing beats good word-of-mouth. Whether you’re looking to find a good deal on a purchase, a nice meal out, a plumber you can trust, a new job, or to hire someone to build-up your online presence, when someone you know and trust refers you to a specific vendor or individual, his or her words carry…
Change: It’s One of Life’s Constants
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” These are words we’re all likely familiar with, even if we don’t know their source or true meaning. Attributed to theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in a 1943 sermon, the roots of…
Do Something
I’m a doer. I like to get things done. I suspect most of you are doers, too. That’s why you visit my blog. You want some insight on how to get things done. Theodore Roosevelt (26th President of the United States) once said, “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is…
