Posts Tagged ‘Business development’
Thursday, May 22nd, 2014
Social media – and particularly LinkedIn – has emerged as THE new method of job search, providing significant benefits to both job seekers and recruiters. I’ve been a long-time LinkedIn proponent and use it extensively for my own professional communication needs. I also highly recommend it to the students I work with each semester as the “go to” resource for job search–whether looking for internships, freelance opportunities or full-time jobs.
In fact, at the beginning of each semester in one of my classes I like to use it as an introduction to “selling something” — in this case themselves. And, truthfully, the steps and process for selling yourself or your business services via LinkedIn are absolutely the same as best practice marketing for any product or service. (more…)
Tags: Brand Management, Business development, career advice, career development, job search, LinkedIn profile, recruitment
Posted in Business Development, Career Advice, Competition | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 20th, 2014
I saw an interesting comment on a blog site recently in response to an article about 6 effective marketing tips for small businesses. One poster noted that, among the small businesses she works with, her focus is on providing strong customer service and trusting that the rest will come. (Sort of a Field of Dreams approach I guess…)
There is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on customer service–in fact I’m all in favor of it. But (more…)
Tags: Business development, customer satisfaction, Customer Service, customers, effective marketing, retaining customers
Posted in Business Development, Marketing and Branding, Marketing Communication | No Comments »
Thursday, March 27th, 2014
I was recently contacted by a potential client who told me he had been receiving and reading my monthly eletter for a few years. I didn’t know him and neither of us could think of how he might have come to be on the list, but when I took a look at my email list I found that he had joined the list on July 29, 2009–more than four years ago!
This experience highlights the long-tail sales cycle that consultants–and others–often experience. Landing clients can take time. Consequently, it pays to be patient. It also (more…)
Tags: Business development, content management, content marketing
Posted in Business Development, Content Marketing, Internet Marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, January 23rd, 2014
I’ve wanted to be an entrepreneur ever since I was in grade school. I grew up in a family-owned business so the notion of “working for myself” was both familiar and appealing. For years I dabbled in various entrepreneurial ventures, primarily freelance writing which provided a very nice “second income” while I worked in traditional corporate environments. And, for the past 5.5 years I’ve been “on my own” and I can’t imagine ever going back to a “real job.”
Entrepreneurship is freeing primarily due to (more…)
Tags: Business development, entrepreneurship, starting your own business
Posted in Business Development | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 9th, 2013
As someone who grew up in a family-owned business and then worked in the field of PR/corporate communications for a number of years I’ve long been well aware of how my actions, or inaction, impact not only my reputation, but the reputation of the organizations I serve. From the day long ago when my father chastised me for not returning a greeting from a classmate we ran into at a local department store to early training as a PR/media relations rep I’ve known that what I did — on or off the job — made an impression. While that knowledge, especially as a child, was sometimes burdensome, in hindsight it has served me well.
Some other early lessons: (more…)
Tags: brand, Brand Management, Business development, networking, personal branding, reputation
Posted in Business Development, Client Relations | No Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
In our technology-driven world, the good news for marketers is that lead generation does not have to take a huge investment. Traditional media still have a place, but the Internet and social media make it more cost-effective than ever to raise awareness, generate leads and ultimately create sales.
The process of lead generation is the same as it ever was, but
(more…)
Tags: Advertising, Brand Management, branding, Business development, communication tactics, competition, email marketing, Innovation, Marketing, marketing strategy, media relations, pr, public relations, Social Media
Posted in Business Development, Internet Marketing, Marketing and Branding, Marketing Communication, PR and Media Relations, Strategic Communications | No Comments »
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
I recently did a presentation for a group of Young Professionals that are part of a local Chamber of Commerce on how to create and deliver effective “elevator speeches.” Elevator speeches are those brief introductions that we’re all called upon to give from time to time, particularly in networking situations when we’re asked: “What do you do?”
For business owners, consultants and business leaders in any field, the opportunity to deliver an “elevator speech” is an opportunity to support your desired brand perception. We often fail to think of it that way, though–instead, we tend to think of it as simply a requirement to provide some general information about what it is we do.
Interestingly, as I worked on the presentation for this group it became very clear to me that just as when thinking about organizational brand impact, individually we have an opportunity to define and manage our personal brands. The steps are very similar to the steps I take when working with clients on branding-related issues. They are: (more…)
Tags: Brand Management, branding, Business development, career, careers, Customer Communication, elevator speech, networking, personal brand, professional networking
Posted in Business Development, Client Relations, Marketing and Branding, Media Relations/PR | No Comments »
Thursday, February 7th, 2013
For those in consultative roles, clients are everything. As consultants consider the launch of their businesses, obviously one of the first questions is: “where will my first client come from?” My answer, based on my own experience, as well as discussions with consultants in a variety of fields is: from those you know. Many consultants and freelancers have launched their businesses, initially, by reaching an agreement with a current employer to take on work on a contract basis and that can be a great starting point. If that isn’t possible, another channel to pursue
(more…)
Tags: Advertising, Business development, client relations, Marketing
Posted in Business Development, Client Relations, Marketing and Branding | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
In the generation of the iPhone, Apple users are always looking for new, interesting, and most importantly, free apps to explore. Joining the popular Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is Foursquare, a check-in app and website that makes the most of where you go. FourSquare, like many social media options is “fun,” but it’s also a practical option for businesses hoping to connect with various audiences. (more…)
Tags: app, Business development, Customer Service, iphone, Marketing, phone application, promotions, small business, Social Media, Technology
Posted in Business Development, Internet Marketing, Marketing Communication, Marketing Research, Promotions | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 1st, 2013
I love a new year. Although I realize that, technically, every day is the beginning of a new year, there’s something about the New Year that makes me both reflective and optimistic about what lies ahead. As a pretty goal-oriented person, I enjoy the process of looking back, learning, and looking forward. It’s the basis of strategic planning, after all, a personal passion of mine. Each year I spend time to commit my goals to writing and I track my progress throughout the year. I don’t achieve every goal, but I do belief that I’m more effective than I would be if I didn’t take the time to plan. I had some great successes in 2012 and a lot of very rewarding experiences–both personally and professionally. But there’s always room for improvement and, regardless of what I achieve, I always want to achieve more. So, in 2013, there are a number of things I’d like to do better: (more…)
Tags: Business development, client development, Customer Service, Innovation, Marketing, marketing strategy, personal development, planning, professional development, resolutions, Sales, Strategic Planning, Strategy
Posted in Business Development, Client Relations, Strategic Communications | No Comments »
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