The secret to standing out to your ideal customers is to develop marketing, sales, and service around some wanted and valued aspects of your company. The best way to approach discovering the thing you do that is wanted and valued by ideal clients and making that a central part of…

A lot of business owners and CEOs get caught in the trap of figuring out what to say to get the sale. Then, well, then things go south a bit. Long term, marketing is really more about what you do, deliver, execute, or innovate than it is about a new…

The biggest disruption I’m seeing across all industries right now is convenience — just being easier to do business with. Auto Part stores now want to service all your auto needs by entering the car repair and maintenance business. Hardware retailers don’t just want to sell you material but now…

Recently I received an email from a savvy restaurant owner who said they attended one of my virtual speaking engagements a while ago. She brought up my idea of “diagnosis before prescription” and how the “5 Questions You Should Ask Every Customer” slide gave her the ability to grow by…

Marketing is the number one thing (besides hiring) I hear small business owners struggle with. So a lot of times, working with a consultant is the right move. You’re probably not (or shouldn’t try to be) an expert in SEO, PPC, social media, website design, digital marketing, copywriting, etc., …

When you’re planning MARKETING — offering the right services with the right benefits to the right prospects, plan SALES — convincing your prospects buy your services and closing business opportunities. Marketing and sales are no longer separate silos. They co-exist. So, when you’re working on your marketing plan, whether with outside help or not, have a sales plan to go along with it. One does not replace the other.

Recently I was speaking with the CEO of a 100-year-old manufacturer and distributor in the South East part of the country. Our conversation revolved around the development and installation of a “marketing” focused sales strategy. You see, being in business over a certain period of time often brings its own…

Let Me Explain: — The secret to winning the content game isn’t quantity but intention, especially for small businesses. The best way to produce content that achieves business objectives is to have it focus on two core things and in this order: brand positioning problems and desires of prospects and customers It’s all about…

Remember the importance of educating your buyer. — This is why I advocate for small businesses to organize their customer journey (buying process) around an education phase. An educated customer that changes the way they think about getting a result is a great customer. Most small business marketers view the customer journey from a very traditional and outdated…