CC asks, “What’s the most valuable analysis overall for a small business to perform?” If we define a small business as an enterprise with less than $1 million in sales and fewer than 10 employees, then from an overall business perspective it’s got to be RFM analysis. Nothing else comes close in terms of helping…
Summary In today's episode, I explore how exceeding customer expectations transforms satisfied buyers into a powerful army of advocates who fuel business growth. Here's what this means for you. You discover that the single most efficient growth mechanism is hiding inside your existing customer base, not buried in your marketing budget. You'll also learn these…
The line between success and failure is sometimes how long you can remain in the game. In competition, how many competitors can you outlast? In general business, how long you can remain profitable? In startups, how long can you make your funding last? In marketing, how fast you can go without burning out? To accomplish…
Mads asks, “What do you feel is the number 1 most important management lesson that you have learned?” Believe the data, doubly so if you pulled it yourself. This requires massive amounts of self-awareness and getting comfortable being uncomfortable, especially with change, especially when the data tells you something that opposes your emotional investments. Watch…
People familiar with sales and marketing know of the Golden Rolodex, the list of high-level contacts that truly successful salespeople bring with them to each new position. They have a treasure trove of contacts who they call on to drum up business and make a huge impact from the day they’re hired. Salespeople who are…
Many marketing professionals have never experienced a merger or acquisition. All they’ve heard are the downsides from peers – job loss, heavier workloads, confusion. What are the basics of mergers? Let’s look at mergers and acquisitions 101: why companies do it, what you should know about your own career prospects, and how to prepare for…
Alex asks, “Can you automate culture? Corporate culture and automation are two of the most prolific terms in the business lexicon, but what is their relationship?” HJ Leavitt’s 1964 framework for people, process, and platform shows how these different areas interact. Culture is very much a people thing, while automation is a process and platform…
It’s the day after April Fool’s Day, but thanks to news readers, inboxes, and social networks, we’re not consuming information in chronological order. Be sure to mark as read every news and information gathering system you use to prevent you from mistakenly sharing April Fool’s pranks as real news. Can’t see anything? Watch it on…
One of management’s longest-standing tropes is the expression, “think outside the box”, a reference to the 9 dots problem. In this problem, a businessperson is given a sheet of paper with nine dots on it, and directed to connect all the dots by drawing four lines, without the pen ever leaving the paper. In order…
