How Solopreneurs Can Look Professional on a Tight Budget
When I started my first home business in the early 1990s, working from home was considered suspect and technology wasn’t as advanced as it is today. As a result, I spent a fortune on services to make it look like my business was run from a traditional office. I hired a service to answer my …
Become an Expert. Share Your Expertise
When it comes to building a brand, a great deal of emphasis is put on credibility. To be credible, you need to know what you’re talking about and doing, which means you should be an expert. But in a crowded global marketplace, many people tout themselves as experts, who may not in fact be experts, …
What is a Platform?
This weekend I attended a book festival that offered a session on platform building for authors. The panelists launched into a discussion of the importance of platform to sell books, but it wasn’t until an audience member asked for the definition of platform that they actually attempted to explain what it was. The definitions varied …
How to Repair a Tarnished Brand
It takes years to build a reputable brand; one that people trust and talk about positively. Unfortunately, a brand image can be ruined in an instant. Just ask Paula Deen or Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, whose careless remarks sparked outrage and damaged their otherwise positive images. It’s Murphy’s Law that says things …
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. …
Leaders: Get the Most From Your Team
The best teams are greater than the sum of their parts. But for that to happen, they need a leader who can inspire and motivate every member to fulfill their potential. Some leaders struggle to provide the leadership needed to get the most out of members. To achieve maximum results, team leaders need to treat …
Reboot a Sagging Business
I belong to a mastermind group, in which a member recently shared that he was suffering near financial ruin after lagging sales in his business. Business profits ebb and flow and it can be hard to know how much to save during flow times to survive the ebbs. When business slows down, not only do …
Getting Perks At Work
In a world in which job security is scarce, you may not want to approach your employer asking for perks such as a flexible schedule, telecommuting, extra days of leave or educational opportunities. Nevertheless, many employers are opting to give perks over raises to attract and retain valuable employees. Obtaining these perks requires more than …
Don’t Be Shy: Brand Building for Introverts
There is little doubt that building a personal brand goes a long way in establishing your career or business. However, for people who are shy or are prone to social anxiety, many of the strategies suggested in brand building, such as attending networking events or public speaking, can be stressful. Here are tips to building …
Go Viral! Tips to Creating Content People Share
Word-of-mouth, buzz, referral, viral marketing, whatever you call it, there’s no doubt that people are more likely to take a look at something suggested by a friend. The challenge is to create content that people want to share. There is a bit of stardust involved when it comes to having something that catches fire versus …