Reinvent Your Strategy

Barbara Eldridge | August 25, 2015

Is your business doing well?

Do you have your finger on the “pulse” of your market? What does it take to dominate a market? Let’s look at Southwest Airlines. Although it took years of fighting the competition in court, it also fought it in the domain of ideas. It flies from small local airports, has lower fares, they offer peak and off peak pricing, and opened the market back in the 70’s to a whole new market of passengers (people who could not previously afford to fly).
I might suggest that in this fast paced world of the 21st Century … Read More

Innovation: The Magic Behind Disney’s Sales Success

Barbara Eldridge | July 28, 2015

Although most of us are not aiming at a global market, the ideas in this article are great reminders of what it takes to add and keep customers.

By Michelle Caspole MCaspole@assessmentspecialists.com

Mickey Mouse and Disney’s successful ventures are known worldwide. Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons, said “I went to Bali, and I was in a small village, and somebody who was with me showed a woman a little figurine of Bart and asked: ‘Do you know who this is?’ And she said: ‘Mickey Mouse.’” That’s just how strong the Disney brand is.

Maurice Sendak, author of Where the … Read More

How Does Branding Differ from Sales and Marketing?

Barbara Eldridge | June 30, 2015

Sales is convincing, overcoming objections, and getting a check. You’re doing the talking.

Marketing is the process of generating leads that get you in front of those prospects.

Branding is influencing, pre-selling. Branding appeals to desires and touches emotions. Its first goal: to emotionally predispose consumers into entering a business relationship with you.
Today, we live in a skeptical culture – a culture that doesn’t want to be sold anything. When your branding is done correctly, the sale is made virtually without effort. Prospects arrive “pre-sold.”

Branding doesn’t happen right out of the box. As your own marketer you have … Read More

Get Customers to Talk for You

Barbara Eldridge | April 28, 2015

If you had to guess, what percentage of people are visually oriented: that is, they need to see something before buying it – you know they need to drive a car, feel the material of a suit/dress or preview a house before purchasing it? More than 95% of people are visual consumers. So how do you a service provider create this opportunity?

Why not start with a testimonial from a client who has had a very positive experience working with you? How many times have you heard, “I don’t know how to thank you”? That is the perfect time to … Read More

Do Dreams Come True?

Barbara Eldridge | March 31, 2015

As I was growing up, the only thing I learned to focus on because my parents said that was what was important was getting good grades. Maybe because I was more of a dreamer I experienced doing and having the things that dreams are made of. Goal setting was not formalized for me until later. But one of my members recently shared the real experience of setting the goal.

She had just gotten back from a wonderful trip she had set a goal for. She had spent the time setting money aside, planning the activities so she and her Mom … Read More

Do Dreams Come True & Your “Engine that Could!”

Barbara Eldridge | February 25, 2015

Do Dreams Come True?

She had just gotten back from a wonderful trip she had set a goal for. She had spent the time setting money aside, planning the activities so … Read More

Are You Productive or Just Busy?

Barbara Eldridge | January 27, 2015

Are you off to a fast start pursuing the high priority, high pay off areas of your business? Or are you still bogged down in last year’s stuff? As business owners managing your time and the productive work is the game you play daily. In order to move forward you need to understand what keeps you productive.

Productivity takes being engaged in actions that are leading you towards your goals and results so you can daily focus on the work to get there,
The “trick” then is deciding what you’re going to work on at some point other than in … Read More

Hard Won Lessons!

Barbara Eldridge | December 3, 2014

By Barbara Eldridge

The year has moved in warp speed, I’ve heard many say they are grateful it’s almost over. Weekly as we share challenges and ideas in our Mind Masters groups there are several things that have proven to be big lessons learned.

Getting paid: Several people spent valuable time chasing money, sometimes because they did not have the wording to come across professionally when asking for payment. Sometimes because they waited too long to even send the invoice. The lesson here is asking for what you are worth, but also putting the policies in place (be they contracts, … Read More

Cut Out the Risk

Barbara Eldridge | October 28, 2014

Keeping up to date on legal matters is usually the last thing on the to-do list of most small business owners; unless of course we need a lawyer fast. As small business owners risk management sounds too corporate, so I am often asked, how risk management affects us?

Generally, Risk Management is the process of measuring, or assessing risk and then developing strategies to manage the risk, that business owners need to stay on top of. Look at the structure of the business, which in some cases will dictate what kind and amount of insurance is needed to protect us … Read More

Build Your Business from the Inside #2

Barbara Eldridge | September 29, 2014

Last time I wrote about organization, delegation and planning which are the internal structures that help you get the work done consistently. But there is a deeper internal component that helps you stand out in the market place. Simon Sinek in his book Start with Why, How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action addresses how to stay inspired by the work you do. He equates understanding your WHY, not to the want to make money why, (which is a result), but why you get out of bed every day. Your purpose, the cause or belief for the existence of … Read More