Out of office messages (OOMs) serve a simple purpose but it's not always easy to craft one that's both personal and professional. OOMs are messages you set up that automatically deliver to people when they send you an email, instant message, or some
How Marketers Can Craft Irresistible Sales Stories Using Freytag’s Pyramid
If I show you a picture of myself smiling, what would your reaction be? You’ll likely either have no reaction, or something along the lines of “okay.” But what if I show you that same picture, but with a caption describing how I was born blind and
What’s Your USP? How To Finesse Your Unique Value Proposition
There are over 30 million small businesses in the U.S. alone and competition for attention is fierce. You only have a few seconds -- at most -- to capture the attention of your website visitors. A compelling unique value proposition is a powerful
Work-Life Balance: What Does It Really Mean In 2019?
It's been 20-some years since work-life balance discussions went mainstream. Back then some bosses sent salaried employees home at 5 pm sharp because research showed that work-life balance led to increased productivity. So why is there such a renewed
Remote Work: What Do CEOs of Remote Teams Wish They’d Known Earlier?
The "gig economy" is on the rise and it appears to be all the rage. Are you in on it? Or on the outside looking in? Could your business benefit from having a remote workforce? Perhaps even having global employees? Small and medium sized businesses
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Why It Still Matters In 2019
You're likely familiar with the iconic pyramid representing Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: In short, Maslow's Hierarchy is a visual representation of a theory put forth by psychology Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper for Psychological Review,
What Is A SWOT Analysis & How Can It Help Your Small Business?
Despite sounding similar, SWOT is very different than SWAT. Instead of armor and weapons, businesses are armed SWOT analysis to assess a business, industry, or product. SWOT stands for: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats A SWOT
What Is Leadership? We Asked The Greatest Leaders In History (+ Skill Development Guide )
leadership. noun. the action of leading a group of people or an organization; the state or position of being a leader. If you looked up the word leadership in a dictionary, you will likely find a definition similar to the one we provided above. If
Landing Pages: Everything You Need To Know To Start Using Them Today [Plus 20 Legendary Examples]
Are you looking for ways to turn your website traffic into real sales? A great landing page can help you do just that. And this article will walk you through how to do it. A landing page is a stand-alone web page with a single objective or
Active Listening: What Is It and How To Master It
We all know at least one person where anything that you tell them goes in one ear and out the other. Sometimes we’re that person. It's normal to not listen well occasionally but if it's a habit, it will become a problem both
How to Create a Time-Saving Meeting Agenda [Plus Free Template]
I can’t count the number of times I’ve almost fallen asleep in meetings due to boredom. The large number of unproductive meetings that I used to have to participate in was a key factor in my decision to create my own business. Harvard Business
Profit & Loss (P&L) Statements: What Every Small Businesses Owner Needs to Know
Very few small business owners have an interest in accounting. But as everyone finds out, understanding the basics of accounting can be the difference between success and failure of your company. There are three particular financial statements
How To Start Email Marketing Your Business Today (With Real World Templates)
Most marketers tell you that you need to be using email marketing to grow your business. But they rarely tell you the specifics of how to do it. That changes today. This guide was designed for small business owners and marketers looking to
Net Promoter Scores: A Statistician Debunks The Startup’s Favorite Metric
It’s impossible to escape. Everyone, at some point, has been asked: How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or colleague? This simple question is the basis for calculating a Net Promoter Score (NPS) and has been used by
Marketing Ideas on a Budget: 25 Best Tips and Tactics
Most marketing advice is for businesses who can afford to spend at least a few thousand dollars a month. But, not all businesses have a large budget. The strategies here are affordable or free. They will help you grow your business to the point
Why Corporate Social Responsibility Matters for Small Business
As a consumer, stakeholder, or employee, all your decisions and emotions are driven by your personal beliefs. It shouldn’t be surprising that many people care a lot about things like the environment, their community, and other people. That’s