By Steve Tobak If you ask 10 entrepreneurs to tell you the key to business success, you’re likely to get 10 different answers. I’m sure one would say product innovation, and while that’s definitely a significant factor, it’s not the right answer. And, yes, there is a right answer. The key to business success is […]

When you’re meeting with a customer or prospective customer (particularly if you haven’t met them before): Ask if it’s OK to ask some questions Ask “open questions”, i.e. those that require more than a yes/no answer Ask for clarification or elaboration of a customer’s statement Ask if it’s OK to take written notes – this […]

by Jacqueline Whitmore Frustrated. Annoyed. Ignored. These are the feelings you may have felt the last time you phoned or sent out an email or text and never received a response. It’s extremely irritating when a request goes unanswered. How do you follow up without being a pest? There could be myriad reasons why you […]

by Jonathan Long We all make mistakes — it’s part of life, especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. This game is far from a cakewalk. Mistakes can end up costing you time and money, while also causing you to miss out on opportunities. I’ve made plenty of mistakes in the early days of my entrepreneurial journey. […]

Receptionists and other front-line personnel usually have more contact with customers than do more senior people.  When we fly, we have more contact with the skycap than we will ever have with the pilot. Expected and encourage EVERYONE to be a marketer.  Everyone – from the receptionist to the CEO – is there to provide […]

by Kimberly de Silva Investing in building an online presence can be one of the wisest decisions for any business in today’s times. With the majority of your customers active on the internet, online elements — executed appropriately — can make all the difference to your business marketing campaign. That being said, having a strong online presence […]

Saying that you’re “BUSY” is the quickest way to dry up referrals.  Using the “B” word reinforces any reservations people may have about your level of service and discourages them from sending your more business.  If you appear unable to handle the work, why would anyone want to send you more? When you’re asked “how […]

It’s The Not Knowing That Hurts Salespeople, Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners I don’t know what I don’t know. All I can say is ouch! You hear so many small business owners, sales people and entrepreneurs talk about how much their PHD cost them. That is the PHD from the school of hard knocks. I […]

Congratulations, you’ve joined a networking group.  You get to come in once a week and the referrals will be dropped in your lap…Wouldn’t that be great? It takes time and effort to become part of a sales team.  When you first join TEAM, we ask that you start with getting to know everyone by having […]

Start paying attention to the way you develop the network of people that you’re working with. It isn’t so much the number of people you come into contact with, although that is important, but what’s really, truly “Relationship Marketing’ or networking that will GET referrals for your business really is about making a connection to […]