Don't reject learning or advice, simply because it seems simple. The secrets to building a successful business lie not in exotic new ideas, but in consistently implementing straight forward rules and ideas that have changed little over time. I can almost hear you saying, qWhy is he saying that, it is so obvious?q ....But are you guilty of doing this? Let me tell you a story..... ....The other

Are You Revealing Your Price Too Soon? A common mistake made by copywriters and advertisers is to start by making a big promise in your headline or at the beginning of your copy, and then follow with qfor only $499.95!q Bringing up price is wrong at this point. The only time this is appropriate is when you are selling something that is a household name and needs no explanation. Street-Smart

When it comes to websites, most business owners make the mistake of confusing glitz with effectiveness. If your primary objective is to sell, then the single most important issue is text. Not graphics and definitely not fancy flash technology. Graphic designers may disagree with me on this, but words are what count. Stanford University and The Poynter Institute have just completed a four year

When you think of growing your business or of increasing your profits, do you immediately think of finding new clients. If so you are not alone. Obviously if you are a start-up, bringing in new clients is likely to be a preoccupation for you. However, Street-Smart Marketers know that bringing in new customers is a most time consuming and expensive way for any organization to increase their

If you want to continuously create marketing that delivers, you should tune up your marketing engine at least once a year. I like to do it early in each new year. a#61558; The first step is to take a mental inventory of the advertising you've been seeing in the press and on TV and hearing on radio. If you have a swipe file, something every serious marketer should develop, spend a few hours

I have always believed that marketing starts with the product, not what you say about it. If you develop an excellent product with value that is right for your customers, then marketing it should not be difficult. qWe promise value for money, and we try to do things in an innovative way, in areas where consumers are often ripped off, or not getting the most for their money. I believe we

Where are we going? What's expected of me? What's in it for me? Where do I go when I need help? If your staff, particularly the customer facing ones, don't know the answers to these four simple questions, they may be moving your organization in directions you don't want to go. I believe that one of the most important jobs for a business leader is to answer these 4 questions for each and every

Here is another strategy you can use when you're cold calling and get a voice mail message instead of reaching the prospect. 1. Prepare the message that you will leave. Think of a question that you would like your prospect to answer. 2. Leave a a non-salesy message with the question to which you're trying to get the answer. e.g., qI wanted to know if you have a current will? q or qI am