We all can become emotional at work; a favorite project was canceled after you put a lot of work into it, a friend is fired, problems with a coworker, difficult customers, a difficult boss, etc. The extent to which these things bother some varies but everyone feels these things. The problem is of course that while at work you cannot let it affect your performance. This is especially vital for managers, directors, and others in a position of authority because those sorts of negative feelings can begin to infiltrate the entire office.

Ignoring it or trying to build a shell around yourself are both short term solutions and are as likely to cause an even worse blowup over time, so instead let’s look at ways to handle things (more…)

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It’s the most basic type of marketing collateral in many ways:

– It speaks directly to a prospect because it is personal.

– It demands some WOW factor because, unlike billboards, television, radio, even the Internet to an extent, the reader is never in a passive mode and is always on the verge of disregarding the message if you do not keep their interest.

– These pieces are most effective when simple – with a clear benefit, call to action, and deadline. (more…)

Content creation should go beyond your website. For most businesses there is value in letting the customers or clients know that you are an authority in your area, and that means that your expertise should be on display online as well as in the shop. This is also one of the essential elements in online placement. The more quality content that is associated with your products and your business, the more likely it is that those online pages will be ranked high in various searches related to your business, and the better the chances that any links from those pages to your site will help to bump up the placement of your actual website. That’s a huge plus.

So how do you do that?

Contribute to a related blog – If there are already popular blogs related to your business or your product you may want to contact that blogger about contributing. Most are looking for quality content. Each blog will have their own rules concerning the types of articles which may be submitted, and usually they need to be informative pieces as opposed to promotional. Only choose quality blogs for this. A bad link today can do more harm than good. (more…)

1. Pricing and why. Finding pricing is as easy as calling or checking out your competitor’s website, but also look for any hidden fees for services if applicable. Many industries are notorious for this. That information can be helpful in marketing materials for example. It can also give you an idea of where your business is at by comparison. That’s the easy part. Next, try to find out why competitors charge what they do. Maybe they have to charge X due to overhead and other costs, maybe they are able to charge more because they are better known or more trusted, maybe they charge less than you are able to. Whatever the case, understanding why they set their prices where they do will let you know what your options are. Maybe you can start charging more. Maybe you need to figure out ways to lower your prices or to better justify prices. Maybe you’ll discover methods that will allow you to lower your prices. This information will change regularly, so try to keep up to date. (more…)

1. Stay positive but cool. Nothing numbs any potential excitement someone else may or may not have about what you’re saying than being negative.

2. Smile. But mix in other facial expressions now and then. Too much smiling hurts and will give you wrinkles. More important, too much smiling is off-putting and creepy.

3. Okay now we’ll do the real advice. (more…)