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How music and scents influence shopping behavior
Have you ever thought about “whiffs” and “riffs” for your business? Huh?! We’re talking about smells and music, which experts say can have a major impact on your customers’ shopping habits. SmartPlanet...
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Are you having fun? It’s a must for small business owners
There’s at least one guy who contends that you need to have fun to be successful. Actually, there are lots of people who agree with this. But this particular person, Ron Culberson, is a nationally...
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How do you talk to customers? First, understand and reach out
You can never ask the question enough: Are you doing enough to keep an ongoing dialogue going with your customers? And, are you talking to them in the most effective ways? For business owners, large...
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Smart business owners know that technology leads to growth
For small and medium-sized business owners, their top three business goals are growth, growth and growth—in that order. For most, although not all, setting and hitting growth targets is one of the most...
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Get a jump on seasonal changes with fall business checklist
Like it or not, Sunday marked the first day of fall. As the summer business cycle comes to a close, we’re moving headlong into the typically busy fall business cycle, when the pace of everything seems...
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Thinking of closing your business? How to know if it’s time
Few owners, when starting their businesses, give much thought to ending them. When you’ve committed everything you’ve got to launching and growing your business, closing it is the last thing on your...
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5 ways to approach boosting your business revenue in 2014
Boost. Revenue. Are there any two sweeter words to a business owner?! About now, you’ve probably start thinking about what kind of year your business will have in 2014. Should I increase my marketing...
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HR insights can boost productivity and employee satisfaction
Business people have all kinds of different ideas about HR; you probably have some yourself. After all, HR is a broad, evolving field that includes everything from hiring and firing to training and...
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Some must-have items to include in your 2014 marketing plan
We feel your pain. We’ve been there, too. You’re staring at a blank screen, trying to write your marketing plan for next year. Should you be coming up with entirely new stuff—or merely tweaking and...
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Business financing: Start the year with understanding & prep
If there’s one thing that can potentially sink a small business, it’s a lack of understanding and/or a lack of preparation for financing. Experts agree that sooner or later, most small businesses will...
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Is your technology up to snuff? Don’t let it lag behind
As a small business owner, you may have come to the party as a tech neophyte. Or maybe you were even a tech “non-ophyte”—plenty were! But because launching and running a business makes you a master of...
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January’s a good time to lay the groundwork for a great year!
On the personal side, January is a good time to scoop up some bargains or find your way to the gym again. But what about for your business? Does January lend itself to some specific kinds of...
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Building your brand, growing your business go hand-in-hand
Growing your business requires the intersection of a lot of different factors and actions and yes, some luck, too. But business owners sometimes overlook the impact of one important element in...
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Who offers the best marketing tips? The experts, of course!
Sometimes it seems like everybody’s a “marketing expert.” But there really are true marketing experts, and we went looking for some. And we hit the jackpot in a big way when we found 25 online...
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Set clear employee expectations, reap unexpected benefits
Why set clear expectations for your employees? It seems like a kind of no-brainer, doesn’t it? But the truth is, it’s one of the things we lose sight of as busy business owners. No one would disagree...
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Try some non-traditional Valentine’s Day marketing ideas
Hearts, flowers and chocolates as Valentine’s Day themes and promotional hooks will never go out of style. But as you’re getting ready to launch your Valentine’s Day marketing this year, consider that...
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Small business success means turning weaknesses to opportunities
You read a lot about disadvantages small businesses have as compared with larger ones. Things like smaller budgets and fewer staff are real factors; there’s no getting around them. But why focus on...
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National Hobby Month: Should you turn yours into a business?
January is National Hobby Month! With hobbies, we celebrate our passions—and try out new ones. Hobbyists of all stripes agree that there’s nothing quite like losing yourself in something you love. Once...
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Think you’re a good boss? Every boss can learn to be better
Sometimes it’s just easier to look at everything else: The sputtering economy…unmotivated employees … skyrocketing costs… But sooner or later, it’s wise to look in the mirror: What role am I playing in...
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What if you could boost marketing results with 10 steps?
We’re well into the New Year, and your marketing plan is either in place or launching in the very near future. You probably have a good sense of what works and what doesn’t. But what if there are steps...
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