Most micro and small businesses started a company website at launch in order to establish a brand identity, build credibility with potential buyers, cross temporal communication barriers, create another opportunity for lead generation or customer education, or even conduct online sales. However, as the company has grown and more information has been added, the site …
Criterion # 1: Sufficient Experience . . . As Evidenced by LinkedIn (or other professional online network) Background: I get asked sometimes by friends (even those who have made hiring mistakes in the past) about how they can “screen” an independent contractor or small marketing agency based on its leadership and what to look for. This …
While I strongly believe in investing in professional relationships, I realize I cannot have coffee or lunch with everyone who suggests it. While I understand the importance of networking, there’s no way I can attend all of the networking events where my target market hangs out. I guess I’m not too different from any other small business owner, solo service …
Bob Reiss’ article, “Write Your Business Plan in Pencil” from Entrepreneur.com, has some good points about when and how small businesses might approach business plan development. Reiss advocates constructing a plan that will be flexible (hence the “in pencil” directive) but explains that “a detailed plan is only required if you want to raise money from a bank or …
Ron Ashkenas has a brillant post “Do You Have Too Much on Your Plate?” from Harvard Business Review yesterday in which he advises larger organizations on how to streamline and manage projects. His first point, “Review the workload across strategic priorities,” has more meaning for companies who have multiple management levels, a departmental structure, and a strategic plan. …