This week for our Write by the Rails blog tour, we have the pleasure of introducing author and business owner Victor Rook who gives us a little tutorial on writing business emails. A man of many talents, Victor has written and produced films as well as authored, designed and published books. Victor’s recent books include…
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There are times in our work when we aren’t the experts. Yep. You read that correctly. Sounds like the worst marketing tagline ever, eh? But it’s the truth, and the other truth is we know how to excel in these situations, too. Our marketing is getting better now, right? Language Is Our Jam As writers…
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Let’s be brutally honest with ourselves. When natural or human-made disaster strikes or when something catastrophic happens that turns the country’s (or world’s) eyes in the direction of the event, your content marketing isn’t the first thing on people’s minds. There are just some things that are more pressing than your most recent article or…
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Real estate is a tough business. We know because many of our clients are in the industry. From brokers to agents to financial experts, we’ve become familiar with the challenges facing professionals in this competitive field. And one of those challenges is keeping up with online marketing. While this is an issue for many businesses,…
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Jeff Bezos of Amazon says, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” I love that quote. It’s simple, it’s true and it’s easy to understand. So here’s another idea that is simple, true and easy to understand. What you do on LinkedIn is part of your branding.…
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Like everything else in life, your business is going to go through ups and downs. When you’re riding on the upswing of things, life is great and it’s easy to build momentum. But when the chips are down, it can be very discouraging when you’re a business owner. You don’t have the security of a…
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Chances are the reason you are in business is to make money. After all, your good looks won’t pay the mortgage, and the electric company doesn’t accept coupons. And even if you’re not in it for the loot (like a nonprofit), you still need to keep track of your business funds that are coming in…
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We know you’ve heard something like this or might have even said it. “Investing in social media isn’t worth it.” Or, “I don’t get any return from posting on Facebook.” Or “I can do it myself.” Then there’s my favorite. “I can get someone on Fivrr to do it for $10.” Now, I’ve heard these…
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If you’ve been networking for a while, you have no doubt seen a lot of variety in how professionals approach it. But if you are a newbie, networking can be confusing. It seems there’s a protocol, but are there unwritten rules to networking? The answer is “absolutely.” Here are some hints that should get you…
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We’ve all sat through well-organized, productive meetings during our careers — ones in which you leave feeling accomplished. I also bet you’ve suffered through your fair share of unproductive, inefficient ones — meetings in which you find yourself thinking about anything but the task at hand, like what delicious meal you’re going to cook for…
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Networking scenario. You’re in your usual restaurant or conference room with a group of professionals. You’re having a good time, sharing ideas, contact information and smiles. Then someone decides to get political. You’re the facilitator. What do you do? You could engage in respectful dialogue. Or if you disagree vehemently, you could launch into a…
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Have you ever written a press release that no one read? Well, there’s probably a reason for that, and it has something to do with the way reporters’ and editors’ minds work. Here are a few tips to help you write a press release that gets you noticed. Make it story-worthy. The media is not…
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Business Coach and Investment Capitalist Bill Walsh tells business owners, “Make at least 20 new quality connections per day.” The easiest way to do this is through networking in order to mix and mingle with other professionals, to exchange information on your business and to create relationships deeper than sales so you can grow strong…
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Experienced managers know what to look for in a poor employee or one who may be looking for a new job — showing up late, not meeting deadlines, a poor attitude, wasting time. But what about those who have mentally checked out but choose to stay? They may not be as easy to spot and…
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Tracking employee time can be a major challenge for small to mid-sized businesses. As a business owner, you should be aware of all the labor compliance issues that can cost you a lot of money if you aren’t carefully tracking employee time. Incorrect or misrecorded wages are unfair to employees and can cost you a…
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