Bad performance reviews are rarely welcomed—especially when they're unexpected. Employees who believe they are performing satisfactorily, only to receive poor reviews, will not be happy. Worse, they could lose faith...
How you respond to change in the current economic landscape will determine your company's prospects as the economy begins its recovery. What changes can you make to strengthen both yourself...
My definition of communication is the transfer of information and emotion: every time, every conversation, every person, and every topic. If we want strong relationships, we must learn to allow...
You may be tempted to put off finding a solution to a problem if you do not have to fix it right away. But procrastination is a fatal characteristic in...
These days, we are all looking for ways to reduce expenses, increase margins, and generally make our businesses work smarter. There are a few simple tactics you can use to...
It's no secret the economy is slumping. I have told the companies I'm involved with that for 2009 let's not worry so much about growth as much as maintaining the...
As the economy continues its downward slide and companies slash budgets left and right, marketers are forced to do more with much less. For businesses of all sizes, the Web...
As investors and lenders continue to tighten their purse strings, it is more important then ever for small business owners seeking capital to create credible business plans. What business owners...
As a sales professional you need to ask yourself if you've established a rhythm that will drive the results you're looking for. Start by taking a look at your selling...
Many sales professionals have the bad habit of assuming what their customers' needs are and thus missing valuable opportunities to expand their business. I find this especially true when the...
Many business leaders say they coach employee performance as a part of their day-to-day routine. We know by observing sporting events that coaches do many things while the game is...
At first glance, you'd think our company would be a prime candidate to feel the recession's pinch. We're in technology. We're consultants. And we're based in Connecticut, a state with...
You know how important good customer service is. If you cannot satisfy your customers, you may not have a reason to be in business. Part of that customer service responsibility...
As a small business owner, there are many ways that you can make a decision. Taking a page from the experience and expertise of others, the decision-making process can be...
Does a business need passion in order to thrive? There are many ingredients that go into creating a winning business, including a great idea, a great team, great passion, and...
Business owners know that if competition was limited to companies that have a product or service exactly like theirs, the business environment would be a friendlier place. But companies compete...
The U.S. economy has hit hard times and short-term growth isn't going to be easy for most of us business owners. While it's tempting to cut back on your sales...
As with many tools, PDAs have the potential to increase efficiency and productivity. However, if not properly managed they also have the potential to waste your time. To ensure that...
If it seems like you and your employees are spending too much of your time fielding e-mail, you are not alone. Here are six tips for streamlining your e-mail handling...
There are many methods you can use to gauge customer opinions about your business—such as asking about the quality of your products, services, or processes, the benefits you offer, your...
Most of us spend a good deal of our work time trying to find the sources of problems and fixing them. Sometimes problems are pointed out to us; in other...
The definition of "to work with meaning" is unique to each leader, and the leaders of small businesses are no exception. It's helpful to reflect on this from time to...
Want to improve the way you run your business? Entrepreneurs, academics, and consultants from diverse industries offer practical advice on a variety of topics each business day.
To submit a tip for consideration, first check our archive of previous tips to make sure you're not repeating a tip someone has already contributed. Then send the tip to Small Business channel contributor Michelle Dammon Loyalka. Because of the volume of material she receives, she may not respond to each individual.
