Celebrating the Small Business Community

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday. It’s a day that may not necessarily be on the radar of of many consumers, but it is one that is especially important for local small businesses. Small Business Saturday is an initiative that was created to bring greater awareness to the small businesses that form the foundation of the […]

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How Selling Builds Your Tribe

The practice of selling is traditionally considered a transaction or event in which there is an exchange of value between the buyer and seller, and presumably close to equal value. If selling it is indeed an event, then by definition it has to be considered an ending. No wonder most people find selling and associated […]

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Build Confidence and Trust with Sales and Marketing Debriefs

When I began my career as an entry level salesperson for a major oil company I was required to debrief every single sales call. Back then I dictated everything into a recording device. It was then transcribed and circulated to the sales and management team. The debrief is a skill that surprisingly few people practice.  The […]

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How to Write Emails that Get a Response

Email is invaluable for communicating with customers, with its effectiveness significantly increased when care is taken to adapt to the new expectations of this powerful form or communication. Many of the web marketing practices you are using to get your online content read and acted upon will also work equally well to do the same […]

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Collaborative Sales Practices that Engage Buyers

Selling directly to buyers is a standard business practice that is being transformed into a more collaborative sales process. Progressive businesses are now working together with customers to create shared experiences by co-creating solutions with buyers to give them what is often greater or more exciting than they would have imagined. Buyers do not always know […]

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More is Not a Content Marketing Strategy

Marketers often comment that they are overwhelmed with the demands of creating content to fuel their online marketing. Does your audience really want more content – or more relevant content? Tweet This The noise and clutter online tells us the problem is not a shortage of content, but finding the content that specifically addresses our needs. […]

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Preparing Your Business for Digital Disruption

In a recent guest post about the intersection of customer service and marketing I realized this: There are two questions every business should be asking: #1 – How will digital change or even eliminate proven business practices? #2 – How soon could that happen – and what then? The premise of the aforementioned article was […]

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Intimacy Sells

One of the illusions of online marketing is that your thousands of fans and followers  can actually be moved to action. Consider that the more your networks grow the weaker every connection becomes. It’s almost as if your business growth cannibalizes the value of your network relationships. Of course, this has been a problem for […]

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Using Trigger Words To Connect with Buyers

One of the secrets of successful selling is making emotional connections. One specific technique for accomplishing this is tuning into the specific words and phrases that your buyer uses. These keywords are a powerful means for literally speaking the same language. This is one of those situations where the buyer is indeed right. Whatever words […]

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Elevate Your Business Growth Practices to The Web

Business consultants, coaches, and authors are fond of admonishing that what got you here won’t get you there. Their reasons often stem from their desire to teach you their methods, thereby helping you to break free from your past. The flaw in this reasoning is your past is precisely what got you here. Why would you […]

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