You can make the most of the opportunities presented by social CRM (SCRM) and social media by avoiding these four common mistakes. Social Media — It’s Not A Broadcast Network Many companies fail to grasp the two-way nature of social media. So they use sites like Facebook and Twitter to saturate their audience with messages [...]

Ladies and gentlemen, the Peter Principle is alive and well in American business today. Many managers get promoted, but not many know how to become a great innovator in business. It seems the biggest sole contributor to attaining a position in management is to be absolutely devoid of people and communications skills. I know, that’s [...]

As the holiday season approaches, many retail stores begin to prepare for the sales ahead by getting ready with credit card processing systems and seasonal workers. However, one question that stores commonly deal with is how to set their sales schedule. When sales are placed too close to each other, customers may ignore or lose [...]

You can use social media and social CRM to build a stronger, more responsive business. But these new disciplines are not without risk. To keep your SCRM plans on track, avoid these all-too-frequent missteps. Social Media – It’s Not A Broadcast Network Many companies fail to grasp the two-way nature of social media. So they [...]

Anyone who makes their living in business either as an owner or marketer, has heard the term “niche” marketing. Niche marketing is a concept that is based on the idea that it is the little things (like little pockets of highly interested people) that we should be most concerned about appealing to. The concept recognizes [...]

The five steps to developing a social CRM (SCRM) strategy are oriented toward the specifics of the social media ecosystem you’ll be working in and the customers you’ll be working with. Your strategy should also fit the time and resources you have. Take an inventory of your staff resources and the budget you have for [...]

Communicating as a Leader in your company is to take a daily assessment on life, and you’d better know the regulations. Fail that leadership communications exam and you’ll wonder where the production went as your business pays for it in dropped revenues. Two days ago I got back from the office feeling refreshed and alive. [...]

If you are watching the news, you are seeing daily stories about how another government institution is in financial trouble. And while I despise the phrase “too big to fail,” it is true that governments are actually, “too important to fail.” At home and in business, we don’t have the luxury to be “too big” [...]

The old adage, “Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket,” is especially true in today’s economic climate for any business. Just as you would never let all of your income be derived from one or two clients, creating a diversified business where you have multiple streams of income is the key to success [...]

Today in business you don’t get what you request– you get what you bargain for. You see, everybody asks “What’s in it for me?” So for you to get what you want, you’d better expect to answer that doubt for the people you collaborate with by learning negotiation know-how. I have had plenty of success [...]