Starting over: Growing Business Slowly, But Surely
Areas of San Francisco are known for their lineup of gourmet food trucks. The old style “roach coach” has made way for some of the best ethnic food in town. Many of the food truck owners emigrated from other countries. They found their way to building a small business based upon serving their hometown food.…
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Get a Job
Don’t misunderstand the title of this blog. It’s not about sexual preference. It’s about networking. Every morning, when I take my walk, I observe groups of teenagers waiting at street corners for their school buses. Two things are common to these groups. The kids are not talking to each other, and the majority of them …
Why People Don’t Buy: No Trust
If you have been around the sales and business owner block for a while, you understand the mental strength necessary to cope with rejection. Sometimes becoming numb to the rejection can be both a blessing and a curse. How many times have you submitted a proposal, giving free consults and went through presentations where the …
When You Stand Out, You Are Personal Branding
When you are visible, things happen. People seek you out because they’ve heard about you and your capabilities. They invite you into business meetings and conversations when they don’t have to. Your name pops up when people talk and gets passed upward and outward. You are top of the mind and tip of the tongue. …
Personal Branding Weekly – We Work Through People
A third party endorsement is gold to a personal and business brand. A recommendation or referral is the end result of someone lending their credibility and reputation to you.
While there are other activities we can do ourselves, a recommendation and referral must be done through someone. It’s their endorsement that’s the special sauce that …
Why Every Professional Should Have a Personal Marketing Plan
Successful business owners leverage marketing plans to gain clarity on market conditions, their brand positioning, and to create sound marketing strategy. The end results of a solid marketing plan are clear-cut goals with date-specific action items.
As we observe the shrinking U.S.workforce and greater job competition, savvy career professionals should invest time in creating personal …
How to Get Over a Job Search Slump
If you think of your job search like a sport, then it is natural to expect peaks and valleys in your own performance. Still, there is nothing more draining, humbling and dispiriting than consistent rejection and non-responsiveness during a job search.
I’ve learned that when interviewing, challenges or problems will always arise and there are …
Use Criticism to Improve Your Brand
In today’s world, consumers have greater control than ever. Through reviews and social media, they can learn and leave feedback about your business. Many entrepreneurs fear receiving criticism; however, negative comments can provide important clues to improving your business. Here’s how to use negative comments to expand your brand.
1. Remove yourself from the comment. …
Use the “F” Word to Boost Your Creativity
Could failure lead you to your next success?
“It is not the critic who counts. It is not the man who sits and points out how the doer of deeds could have done things better and how he falls and stumbles. The credit goes to the man in the arena whose face is marred with …
Ditch the Pitch: An Interview with Steve Yastrow
Recently, I had the privilege to connect with Steve Yastrow, a former marketing executive and the founder of Yastrow & Company, a consulting organization that helps businesses improve results through breakthrough marketing, customer relationship, and sales ideas. Steve’s new book, Ditch the Pitch: The Art of Improvised Persuasion, makes the case against a standard sales …