We all know that an ideal prospective hire would be intelligent, competent, sensitive, curious, spirited, able, and confident. These attributes are at the top of our list. What should also...
We all need to know that we are valued. One simple expression such as "Nice job" or "Way to go" can make our day. Recognizing employees and colleagues is not...
Today job stress poses a threat to the health of workers and, in turn, to the health of organizations. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, job...
A large and fast-growing segment of the workforce—about 1 out of 8—is faced with elder-care responsibilities, and this number is expected to triple in the next five to seven years....
It's time to evaluate the fiscal health of your small business and to shore up practices in case of a financial storm. Some areas for your attention might include: ...
Appearing in search engine results is increasingly important for growing your small business—whether your business is online or offline. You can improve the way search engines display information about your...
As U.S. companies seek to expand their revenue from a broader range of markets and geographies, there has been a big uptick in the number of languages on Web sites....
Sometimes you discover that a product that once generated revenue and was beloved by customers and staff no longer holds the same viability in the marketplace. You now face a...
As entrepreneurs, we often think we should have a hand in everything. Unfortunately, we're not Superman (and even he needed help sometimes). When the growth picks up, don't try to...
In business, growth is always a good thing. But if you don't plan properly, you may find yourself struggling when growth happens fast. When you're growing quickly, be sure you...
Like any relationship, partner/agent relationships can be a roller coaster. What may start off as a love fest can easily deteriorate into hard feelings and anger when expectations are not...
In any advertising or marketing campaign, success boils down to engagement. This is particularly true for small businesses, which lack the huge marketing budgets of more established brands. If your...
Have you ever considered outsourcing some, or even all, of your marketing? Doing so can help you achieve your business goals if you don't have a marketing department, or it...
If deals are the currency of good partnerships, then lists are the currency of good marketing. Without good lists, good content, and good timing, you'll quickly find your company among...
Today, the highest-impact marketing campaigns strategically combine direct mail with online marketing to yield impressive results. If direct mail is well targeted, conceived, written, and designed, it has a much...
In the marketing industry there is a lot of follow-the-leader being played. During my 23-year marketing career there have been countless times when I'd make an aggressive move, just to...
Location is one of the most important, but perhaps least thought about, decisions a small business owner must consider. While there is no definitive answer on how to choose where...
To be competitive in a new market, you don't want to start from scratch. The quickest way to learn how to be successful is to check the playbook of your...
A marketing plan must be highly detailed and also explain what strategies you will use to reach out to customers. Before you can develop a strategy, however, you need to...
Understanding your customers' values will lead you to develop products and services that can provide high profit-potential for your business. While you already believe your services or products are superior,...
When you develop a persona for use in Web site design, you create a fictionalized customer with a personality and a list of goals. Then you pretend to be this...
A new employee's first days on the job provide a host of wonderful "teachable moments." To take full advantage of this special time, it's important that you don't ignore new-employee...
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.
