Author Archives: Barbara Eldridge

Open the Curtain

| October 8, 2009

Dying has made Michael Jackson’s music even more popular now then when he was alive. What can we learn from this legend? Well, when it comes to marketing, it pays to build a buzz and then back that up by being the real deal. It’s important to get the word out about who you are and what you do. Jackson did it through record releases, public appearances, concerts, interviews, and fan clubs.

Yeah, but that was Michael Jackson, you say. It was easier for him. Is he really that different than us? If we build a buzz about our business, … Read More

Marketing–Just Do It!

| September 6, 2009

As I have worked with Mind Masters clients over the years, I have always stressed the importance of having 3 marketing tactics that you do consistently.

There are many perspectives on what marketing is, let me illustrate – a first definition of marketing: the business activity of presenting products and/or services to potential customers in such a way as to make them eager to buy. And there is: Marketing – the management of perception.

But what I have learned is that most marketing is haphazard. We’ll try a little of this, a little of that, then a little more of … Read More

Build on Experiences and Accomplishments

| May 2, 2009

As workers create the foundation for a new building site by laying out cinder blocks, they must first place cement between them before they can proceed to add others to build another level. At Mind Masters we encourage members to share their successes, achievements and things they learned in order to lay a foundation for their on going success. Jack Canfield says that “the more you acknowledge your past successes, the more confident you become in taking on and successfully accomplishing new ones”.

This is especially important now with so much chatter about the “bad economy” and businesses failing. If … Read More

Make Customers Your #1 Priority

| March 4, 2009

To maintain on going relationships with clients/customers requires a consistent program that delivers value and meaningful actions. If you are not working at strengthening those relationships you are making it easier for your competitors to insert themselves into your market place. So what values (that require specific behaviors for them to be visible) and actions are you taking to facilitate a memorable customer service process?

We frequent the same restaurants and fast food establishments because we get what we want consistently. When they don’t deliver, we move on elsewhere. A few years ago my favorite coffee chain introduced a new … Read More

Customer Relationship Management

| July 13, 2007

Over that last few weeks several articles and books have crossed my desk that deal with the relationships we develop with customers. Of all the ways to keep a business growing, increasing the frequency of interactions we have with clients is probably one of the most important. We would all love to boast a long list of loyal customers; when we increase the effectiveness of all of our business practices, the list increases.

To sustain profitability and customer loyalty, offering discounts or cutting prices may bring in new customers, but keeping them requires a different level of customer service. Good … Read More

Business Relationships that Work

| May 16, 2007

Business is all about relationships. In the rush to get something done, small business owners often find themselves with less then perfect outcomes. Too often I hear the complaints and laments of clients because doing business with a vendor, independent contractor or performing the work themselves required accountability on both sides but somehow got overlooked. Relationships are built on trust, trust is built when commitments are fulfilled to the satisfaction of all parties. Creating the agreements that go with the commitments is a fundamental skill. Unfortunately, most people have never learned how to articulate their desired results.

Recently a client … Read More

How Do You Set Priorities?

| April 14, 2007

As a business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the bustle of day-to-day
business. In the drive to make sure you will reach your monthly financial
goal, it can be tempting to spend a significant portion of your time fighting
the myriad fires that crop up every day. Instead, take the time to step
back and set “laser-sharp” priorities to focus on what’s really
important – and keep yourself from spending time on what’s not.

When you have set goals for the business the priorities should be unmistakably
clear and specific, you know what to focus on and, … Read More

Give Your Marketing Pull

| February 10, 2007

There are hundreds of books and articles too numerous to begin to count that deal with ways to get attention for your business. Most are predicated on delivering a message that speaks to your prospects’ needs. The difficulty for small business owners is to be able to use the internet to deliver that message, without chasing away other prospects. On line advertising is moving away from just display ads and into a more interactive (pull) model.

Have you seen some of the car company TV ads that direct you to go to
their web site and click on the car … Read More