E-mail Marketing Still Effective in 2023

Does email marketing still work for marketing? Compared to AI-driven content marketing campaigns, video streaming, and social media, email marketing can seem pretty outdated. Of course, just because something is a little old doesn’t mean it’s not useful. Email still has power as a small business promotional tool. About 102.6 trillion emails are sent out every year.  Research claims an average user receives about 13 commercial emails in their inbox each day.  I don’t know about you, but I regularly get four or five times that number in my Inbox. Approximately 99% of people of all ages check their email [...]

By |2023-02-21T00:50:45-05:00February 21st, 2023|Market Planning, Marketing, Newsletter|

Fears and Concerns Scaring the Bejeebers Out of Entrepreneurs

                                November - December, 2022               Volume 19 -- Issue 111   Small Business Fears and Concerns Most entrepreneurs, no matter the size, industry or operational model of their company, have their own  fears and concerns. Small business owners are no different.  If anything, most have more than their share of things to keep them up at night.  We face what sometimes seem like unlimited challenges, often alone or with minimal employees to help carry the burdens of the business.  Call [...]

By |2022-11-08T17:27:39-05:00November 17th, 2022|Business Management|

Economy or Retirement:  Preparing To Sell Your Small Business

O s                                       September - October, 2022                     Volume 17 -- Issue 97   There are major investment opportunities in many people’s lives.  Big time purchases should always be considered from the investment side of their bank statements and ledger pages.  Buying a home is a big one.  Investment in property or real estate is another.  Investing in art or precious metals are others.  Starting and ending a business is yet one more big time investment.  If you are at the end of the line with your company you need to be preparing to sell your [...]

By |2022-09-26T04:49:15-04:00October 10th, 2022|Sales, Strategic Management, Strategy, Succession Planning|

3 Things Small Business Leaders Can Control

            July - August, 2022                         Volume 17 -- Issue 96   There are 3 things business leaders can control, even small business leaders.  Yes, even when it feels like the world is going to Hell in a handbasket. Honestly.  Right now, that is pretty hard to believe, isn’t it? It is no secret that much of the world as we knew it is out of control. Supply chain issues are creating havoc with our ability to run our businesses.  Shortages of everything from automobiles to baby formula, food products to building products and lumber are rampant.  Even shipping pallets that [...]

Customers Stop Calling:10 Effective Tactics To Wake Them Up

                                  May - June, 2022                              Volume 18 - Issue 107 Have Your Customers stop calling?  Did you have a nice flow of new customers going for a while?  New prospects were calling regularly.  Your conversion rate was pretty high for turning prospects into buyers.  Then, nothing but ‘crickets’ or total silence.  Customers stopped calling! Your normal number of email inquiries and contacts calling drops then dwindles to a complete stop.  [...]

By |2022-06-07T21:48:25-04:00May 26th, 2022|Customers, Market Planning, Marketing, Newsletter|

Mind-Blowing Qualities and Characteristics of Exceptional Employees

March - April, 2022                    Volume 17 -- Issue 94                       What are the mind-blowing qualities and characteristics of exceptional employees? Really think about it. Set company standards. When searching for top talent to join your team, it is crucial to watch for exceptional personal skills and characteristics. Recruiting and hiring top talent is something of a fine art.  Understand what mind-bowing employee characteristics are for your firm to recognize them in candidates. Your recruitment process will become stronger as  employee retention [...]

By |2022-05-05T21:13:01-04:00April 2nd, 2022|Employees, Leadership, Newsletter|

The Future of Business Success – What Comes Next?

January-February 2022                 Volume 18 - Issue 105   Well, we have made it through 2020, 2021 and have begun trying to keep our small businesses afloat and maybe even growing in 2022.  Two full years of pandemic, lockdowns, limited socialization and more are behind us.  The question now is:  what’s next for the future of business success?  Needless to say, so much has already changed that it is a complex issue to grapple with.  Survival is no longer enough, thriving and growth are more ‘necessary’. Traditional systems and biz-think have already been left [...]

Know-Like-Trust to Improve Prospect and Customer Conversion

                                 November - December 2021               Volume 17 - Issue 104   Build Your Know-Like-Trust Factors A number of times we have mentioned the Know-Like-Trust factor in our newsletters and in other articles on the 'Designing Strategies' blog.  These three important elements go a long way in creating a comfort zone for those already in, or considering, doing business with you.  One of the three being evident in your marketing helps, but combine all three and you have hit a [...]

By |2022-05-05T21:14:51-04:00November 22nd, 2021|Customer Relationships, Marketing, Newsletter, Strategic Planning|

6 Common Business Risks that are Often Overlooked

  Without a doubt, opening a business offers possibilities and rewards for budding entrepreneurs. But, there are also common business risks.  Some of those an entrepreneur can easily overlook.  The opportunity to become your own boss is the primary reason cited by 26% of entrepreneurs surveyed.  Making all of the rules and key decisions are other reasons entrepreneurs open a business.  Assuming you will be able to make more money and set your own schedule show up in other entrepreneurial studies as well. Business Risk Types When wallowing in positive business opportunities, it is also important to understand there are [...]

By |2022-05-05T21:16:13-04:00November 17th, 2021|Business Management, Leadership|

Opportunities are all around – be alert, aware and poised for action.

                       May - June, 2021                     Volume 17 - Issue 101   Everyone remembers that saying:  'If Life throws lemons at you, make lemonade.'  For those in the small business world, perhaps we might add:  "Create a business and sell some lemon based products."  During difficult times, disruptions to life occur and new needs facing consumers bubble to the top. But, opportunities are all around us, all the time. Those who are alert, aware and poised for action can turn those needs [...]

By |2022-02-07T02:39:59-05:00June 5th, 2021|COVID Business Survival, Innovation, Newsletter|
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