No More Cold Calls: 10 Simple Ways To Find Customers Online
At the age of nine, I became an entrepreneur by selling Christmas cards door-to-door during the summer. The more doors I knocked on, the more sales I made. Maybe it was because I grew up with Charles...
View ArticleCustomer Loyalty Programs: Should Your Business Have One?
United has one. So does American. So does Southwest. Yep, we’re talking about loyalty programs. When frequent travelers are looking for a flight, they select the airline whose loyalty program has...
View Article6 Do’s and Don’ts for Small Business Credit Card Transactions
Small business can’t afford the financial setbacks caused by credit card fraud. Years ago you had to look up every number in little books that came monthly to ensure that customer wasn’t trying to rip...
View ArticleSelling Products Online: A Quick Start Checklist
I get it. You have a daughter (or nephew, girlfriend’s brother, you name it) who says they can put up a website and sales will just roll in. Far too often their lack of information, training and...
View ArticleFour Guerrilla Marketing Tricks for Small Business
Are you looking for an affordable yet effective way to draw more consumers to your small business? Join the club. Although the goal of attracting new customers and growing your company is clear,...
View ArticleWhat Is a Marketing Plan and Do You Need One?
In the past a well-meaning friend that suggested you needed an expensive marketing plan for your small business may have approached you. Or maybe you reviewed a few marketing plan examples, hoping...
View Article6 Skills Every Small Business Manager Needs to Succeed
In business, success is determined by the bottom line, your profits. What is needed to increase that bottom line may not be clear-cut, but there are certain skills that go a long way to ensure any...
View Article7 Of the Biggest Problems Small Retail Businesses Face – and How to Avoid Them
There is nothing sadder than going by one of your favorite small retailers only to find an empty store with a For Lease sign posted in the window. It means someone’s dream came to an end and several...
View ArticleHow to Hire Great Retail Employees
Prior to a recent retail opening, I was asked to visit a franchisee to evaluate his new crew. I discovered all of the employees were bland, boring and bad. The problem is that none of them were...
View ArticleRetail Sales Training: How to Get Started and What to Expect
Imagine being in an airplane and overhearing a voice from the cockpit that says, “Just keep the nose in the air and if the warning lights don’t go off, call me.” You, as a flight attendant, might begin...
View ArticleMall Kiosks: Bad or Good for Your Business?
I got my start working in retail malls in southern California, back when shopping corridors were uncluttered with kiosks of cell phone cases, carts of perfumes and tables of sunglasses. In the 70’s,...
View ArticleShould You Open Your Independent Retail Store Early on Black Friday?
There’s a petition going around aimed at stopping big retailers from opening early on Black Friday because it is unfair to workers. Though it’s been reported in the news that workers were given plenty...
View ArticleHow to Harness the Power of Customer Reviews
One of my first clients was a little inn in Newport Beach. We worked hard to create a culture of exceptional experiences for travelers. Since the property had no pool, no bar, no concierge and no...
View ArticleWhy You Should Apply For A Small Business Credit Card Before You Need It
I’ve had a small business bank account for over twenty years with a major lender. When I first opened the account, one of the questions on the form was, “Do you want a business credit card?” I answered...
View ArticleThis Is Not A Blog About Living With Cancer
As you know MasterCard® and I partnered together for this blog. Betty Barionuevo was a model small business boss who loved life and shared her life journey freely. She was the fun type who dressed up...
View ArticleStart Prepping Now for Black Friday on November 28
Yes, there will be an extra selling day between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, but Black Friday weekend will still come late. While many small retailers maintain Black Friday is more for the big...
View ArticleHow a Devil Competitor Can Make Your Small Business an Angel
As customers, we love to root for the underdog. That’s why we can watch a film like “Rocky” again and again. That’s why “Buy Local” campaigns are so successful. A McDonald’s franchisee put up a...
View Article7 Of the Biggest Problems Small Retail Businesses Face – and How to Avoid Them
There is nothing sadder than going by one of your favorite small retailers only to find an empty store with a For Lease sign posted in the window. It means someone’s dream came to an end and several...
View ArticleHow to Hire Great Retail Employees
Prior to a recent retail opening, I was asked to visit a franchisee to evaluate his new crew. I discovered all of the employees were bland, boring and bad. The problem is that none of them were...
View ArticleRetail Sales Training: How to Get Started and What to Expect
Imagine being in an airplane and overhearing a voice from the cockpit that says, “Just keep the nose in the air and if the warning lights don’t go off, call me.” You, as a flight attendant, might begin...
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