Growth Topics Articles

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Kevin Sinclair @ Saturday, 26th January 2008 @ 5:13 PM

When owning your own business, it is essential for your business, that you possess a route map which signifies exactly how you will achieve your business goals. Without such a plan in place, your business could be jeopardy and may well fail. The development of a plan is greatly important for your business. It is essential that it is a living document, which is checked and updated on a regular basis. If the plan is not checked on a regular basis, then there is no point in generating one... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Dave Kauppi @ Wednesday, 23rd January 2008 @ 2:07 AM

We are often approached by business owners at a crossroads of taking the company to the next level. The decision in most cases is whether they should bring on the one or two hot shot sales people or channel development people necessary to bring the company sales to a level that will allow the company to reach critical mass. For a smaller company with sales below $5 million this can be a critical decision. For frame of reference, prior to embarking on my merger and acquisition advisor ca... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By gregory burrus @ Tuesday, 15th January 2008 @ 1:07 AM

Before we get started in this thought process, I want you to think about how hard it is for you to change your life by changing your mind. If you need a reference point, think about what your spouse said to you the last time you had one of those wonderful compatibility discussions. This is important because when you change your mind and start to duplicate the exact steps of those who have gone before you; it is possible that a substantial income from home can become a reality. What... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Michael Greeves @ Sunday, 16th December 2007 @ 6:13 AM

As a fitness professional, you are most likely always looking for ideas and ways to discover new markets, find new clients and most importantly, keep the clients you have. Anticipating new fitness trends, as well as emerging markets, is essential to keeping your business growing and moving into the future. Trends can help you determine where to focus marketing efforts and what new services you should offer. You need to have the resources or ability to do market research as well as us... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Jack Deal @ Tuesday, 11th December 2007 @ 1:00 AM

The Buddhists believe that greed is the primary obstacle to enlightenment. I've come to the conclusion there is a greed gene. There simply can be no other explanation. Greed is the evolutionary consequence of the 'hoarding instinct'; a dynamic in the social evolution of greedy humans. In the very old days those that hoarded for the winter did not starve as readily as those that did not. This hoarding instinct is a species trait even though most of us don't face daily st... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Sunday, 9th December 2007 @ 12:38 AM

You have a product or service to sell. Although he/she may not know it yet, your target customer has a need. Now, it is your job to connect with your prospective consumer. Learn the 5 steps on how to successfully practice consultative selling and your business will grow and prosper. In order to practice consultative selling, the principle must first be defined. According to Wikipedia.org, "Consultative selling emphasizes customer needs and meeting those needs with solutions combini... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Saturday, 8th December 2007 @ 2:00 AM

When starting a business, many entrepreneurs empty their nest egg, or use all available collateral, to get a new venture up and running on the plus side of the ledger. Yet, they have forgotten to consider the key to unlocking the door to success. Themselves! If you want to be a professional and personal success, you need to take the time and learn how to invest in yourself. How do you invest in yourself, when you have just spent your life savings on starting the new business? Fortunate... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Saturday, 8th December 2007 @ 1:53 AM

Do remember hearing this saying when you were a kid: "Sticks and stones will break my bones; but, words can never hurt me"? As a child, you needed to believe those words, to protect your heart and maintain your self esteem. However, in the business world, words can definitely hurt. If you want to omit failure from your vocabulary, seven words or phrases must be erased from your business language: forgot, blame, excuse, curse, do not care, will not do, and no. Telling you cust... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Friday, 7th December 2007 @ 4:08 AM

You do not wake up one morning with the idea for an excellent product or service and automatically know the skills required for equally exciting sales and marketing techniques. Like anything else in your life, it is a learning process; one of the best learning tools come from the experiences of already successful business people. For example, experience has told other sales and marketing experts what eight habits will help you reach success in sales and marketing. First, you must believe... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Friday, 7th December 2007 @ 3:45 AM

As a youngster, you know you have to study to do well in school. If you want to get a good grade, you work hard to learn, grow, and use the information you have acquired to pass the exams. As a child, you simply wanted a good grade. How much more important is sales and marketing to your business, the source of your livelihood? If you want to get an A+ and succeed in business, you need to do your homework in marketing research, customer wants, and how to surpass the competition. You ha... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Friday, 7th December 2007 @ 3:38 AM

Being effective in sales is much more than a good product and advertising. Salesmanship includes the art of listening. While most people have the ability to hear, very few individuals practice really listening. So if you want to be effective in sales, and surpass the competition, consider the following four talents of a good listener: 1. Body Language As soon as you begin talking to a customer, a salesperson, listening for a good sale, will notice body language. Within 8 secon... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Thursday, 6th December 2007 @ 2:01 PM

Salesmanship is much more than quotas and concentrating on the bottom line. To become the best at sales and marketing, put the customer's wants and needs first, and you will sell your way to success. The best way to explain this concept is to relate the following true story: "Jane" is in an automobile accident. As a result she is in the market for different and affordable transportation-fast. Because "Jane" is in a wheelchair, her father-in-law helps her purchase a ... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Wednesday, 5th December 2007 @ 5:36 AM

Have you ever watched home shopping channels on television? Like me, have you been absolutely amazed by the amount of people willing to stay up late at night, whip out the credit card, and buy a product they do not really need, and probably will not use in the near future? What is the secret of their success? Here are five steps to successful marketing I believe the shopping channels exercise religiously: describe the product, tell why it is a superior item, explain how/why you can use ... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Wednesday, 5th December 2007 @ 5:32 AM

Sales and marketing go together. Without one, there is no need for the other. Unfortunately, many businesspeople have not figured out the formula for success. To realize true profit, the target consumer must be identified, successful marketing strategies implemented, and salesmanship exercised. So, who is your target consumer? Who is most likely to purchase your product or service? For example, toy companies obviously target children. Why would they want to target the kids, when the ... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Wednesday, 5th December 2007 @ 5:21 AM

You are a budding entrepreneur. You are just starting out. You already understand the need for excellent marketing strategies, in order to attract your customers. Unfortunately, understanding the need, and knowing how to implement successful marketing tools are two different concepts. So, how do you learn what you need to know? You begin marketing by example. Until you have the experience to guide you along the road to success, follow the leaders and begin marketing by their examples. I... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Dwayne Garrett @ Saturday, 1st December 2007 @ 11:06 PM

Aside from creating to do lists and using them as guidelines for your business day, you need to become better at time management on the whole. That means that you will have to learn what schedule works best for you and your business, how to set goals and follow through making them, and how to prioritize those goals. You will want to stay away from time drainers, especially if you work at home. It appears when you work at home that friends, neighbors, even family can sometimes get the ide... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Thursday, 29th November 2007 @ 12:58 AM

You have absolute no doubt you will be successful! You have faith in your product or service; you have already done a market survey, and you truly believe the public needs what you have to offer; you are in an optimal location; you have done everything you can possibly do, before the doors even opened, to ensure a profitable business. So, assuming your goals are just around the corner, how will you handle success? What would it mean to actually become successful? Maybe you will get out ... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Tuesday, 27th November 2007 @ 2:55 PM

Before investing time and money in a business, you already did a market analysis, to determine whether your business will have a fighting chance of surviving longer than the five-year benchmark. After all, every entrepreneur knows that the majority of new ventures close their doors within the first five years. You have considered all of the possible contingencies, but you have one major question to answer, before you embark upon the adventure of business ownership. Do you fly solo, or do you ta... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Saturday, 24th November 2007 @ 12:31 PM

According to Barclays, new business ventures in the UK rose by 25% in 2006. Unfortunately, business closures also rose 50%, compared to the previous year. While the statistics are not very promising, you can make a few choices giving your business a better chance at success. Although the concept seems impossible, you can run a debt free business by not risking more than you can afford to lose, budgeting for mistakes, and keeping your profits. Starting any new business means putting fin... more...

Business » Entrepreneurship » Growth Topics | By Paul Sutherland @ Saturday, 24th November 2007 @ 12:30 PM

Although you may not die, you business and your family may not survive. Many businesspersons, who have followed this path of errors, are now lamenting greater losses than they can comprehend. What could these hardworking individuals have done that was so awful? Unfortunately, it may be a simple matter of a few misspoken words. So, how do you avoid a potentially fatal mistake in your career? Do not make promises you cannot keep, to yourself, your customers, and your family. What... more...