When asked about what makes them successful, nearly every professional athlete, author, actor and entrepreneur has one trait in common: confidence. Regardless of the profession, experts often discuss how confidence is an essential quality that empowers them to take risks, challenge the status quo, push past adversity, or get up and try again
While creativity is important for individuals who work in the arts, it is just as necessary in business. Without it, businesses will become stagnant and unable to compete in an evolving marketplace.
In the B2B marketplace, purchase decisions can be complex. They often involve multiple decision-makers, complicated budgets and long-term commitments. As such, strategic thinking and calculated moves are the keys to winning marketing efforts that drive business success. Much like a game of chess, B2B marketing requires careful planning, foresight, and adaptability to outmaneuver competitors.
When most leaders think about growing their businesses, revenue and profits are typically top of mind. In a traditional “performance” culture, company and individual success is measured by accomplishments and financial impact. But research shows that this performance-based culture may not be the most sustainable way to drive results.
Whether an important email, sales proposal, bylined article or video script, developing content is a universal need. Even with tools such as spell check, Thesaurus or supportive artificial intelligence (AI), quality writing can be difficult to produce. The way a brand communicates with the written word can have a significant impact on brand reputation, the success of marketing goals and professional interactions.
Communication is at the heart of any business relationship. Whether it’s with a new prospect or a longstanding business partner, the manner in which a brand communicates can make or break a sale. More than a color scheme or logo, a brand’s identity conveys who they are, what they stand for and what they do for their customers. This includes multiple factors such as brand tone and voice.
In 2020, we faced significant challenges in the way we communicated, engaged and conducted business. From a marketing perspective, trade shows, conferences and other events were among the traditional initiatives that suffered the greatest losses. Cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected revenue and profits for hotels, convention centers, restaurants, transportation, travel and others that sell at these venues or support events on a global scale. To compensate, event marketers needed to adapt quickly. And one of the solutions that evolved was the shift from in-person to virtual events.
The end of the year is rapidly approaching. Planning for the new year might feel like a daunting task, one steeped in uncertainty. Even so, now is the time to start. Statistics show that documenting your strategies gives you a 538 percent greater chance of achieving success. Tapping into lessons learned from 2020, recognize that the flexibility, adaptability and agility practiced this year will continue in 2021. With that new mindset, we encourage you to review your 2020 strategy.
For much of the United States, the stay-at-home order is expected to be lifted next week. While the re-opening will look different depending on individual states, governments and the private sector, companies and individuals are still trying to understand exactly what this change will mean. But, one thing we can agree on is there will be confusion, challenges and conversations.
When General Motors released the Chevy Nova in the 1970s, it performed poorly in South American countries. One reason was due to the name, which loosely translates to “no va” or “doesn’t go” in Spanish. Although since proven to be an urban legend, the story gained popularity as a cautionary tale about understanding foreign markets and cultures before entering them. With the proliferation of digital communication, today’s global marketplace is even bigger, but selling globally still requires time, research and consideration of cultures, languages and buyer personas. This process is known as localization, and if your company works internationally, it needs to be a well-thought-out part of your marketing strategy.
Yes, marketing has changed, but so has virtually every other aspect of conducting business. So what’s new? Putting marketing into a different perspective. There are no absolutes, but what is essential is a commitment to agility, innovation and serving the vastly different needs of every customer. That’s a tall order, but it can be accomplished by avoiding these seven sins.
As has been true in previous generations, today a college degree is practically a must, even for an entry-level hire. As more and more college graduates are flooding the job market with education under their belt, some wonder how well prepared they are in terms of skills and experiences to adjust to the realities of corporate America. Those born between 1980 and 2000 are often referred to as the “entitled” or “me” generation. Yet that perception is not completely accurate. Rather, millennials have a lot to offer the workplace. They just need to be effectively channeled, supported and motivated.
There’s no question about it. The daily news provides a heavy dose of economic, societal and political woes. In the face of all that negativity, it’s a good time to focus on the positive and remember the value of gratitude. If you’re having trouble visualizing or verbalizing what to be happy about, here are some ideas to consider.
There are three essentials for being a good writer. They are talent and skill, perseverance and determination, and realistic expectations minus the ego. While many individuals who author books, newsletters, articles, white papers and other forms of communication have the subject-matter expertise to produce content, they may not have the other attributes. As a result, the end product doesn’t result in the quality the author seeks.
