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4 Traits Make Sure You Have the Right Customers

July 9, 2010 By 1 Comment

A penny saved attracts other benefits.


Everyone wants and needs sales to have a profitable and successful business. But, sales from the wrong customers can kill a business.  If you doubt me, read Angel Customers and Demon Customers by Larry Selden and Geoffrey Colvin.

What should you look for? Basically, there are two options:

  • Low hanging fruit — the most responsive, easiest sale, shortest sales cycle
  • High value  —  the most lucrative, harder sale, longer, requires more thorough sales process so longer sales cycle

How do you decide who is right and who is wrong? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Financials, Marketing Strategy, Sales Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

22+ Reasons Your Small Business Is Keeping You Up at Night

February 16, 2010 By 2 Comments

 

Restless Owner

News 8 reporter Harlan Schmidt interviewed me about why Austin is a good place to start a business. I told him it was Austin’s “can do & it’s ok to fail” culture. And it is also about the fact that we have a highly educated population which means we can learn from our mistakes.

Then he asked me what needs to be done to improve our ability to sustain businesses. After all, it is not about starting — anyone can start one. It is about keeping it going — although not necessarily growing as large as, say Dell. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Management Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Urbane Direct Mail Piece That You Gotta See

February 5, 2010 By 2 Comments

I have done direct mail pieces over the years that I liked and got great results with. One memorable black and white piece even got a 20% conversion  because we had the right list, the right offer, as well as the right creative graphic.

You may not agree, but I really think direct mail still has an important role to play in marketing strategy. No, Virginia, it’s not dead and this piece proves it.

Just look at it. It’s a Happy New Year card with a purpose. It came in a clear wrapping to intrigue me. Sent to my home address. I LOVE IT. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Marketing Strategy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Selective Marketing

January 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Below is a presentation I gave at a local Austin meetup. It deals with how to use sales and marketing strategies and processes to save money and increase sales.
Filed Under: Sales Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Choosing Business Entity Should Not Be a Popularity Contest

September 3, 2009 By 1 Comment

Paperwork sucks!

Everyone has an opinion and they are passionate about what kind of legal form your business should take.

All you have to do is read a somewhat contentious set of recent posts on Refresh Austin. Back and forth they went for several days. The person who posted that query probably did not think she would raise a firestorm. She did. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Management, Legal Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,