One of my clients is in a transition stage with her business. Her practice has become so successful that she no longer has the time to do her administrative work or even the marketing work that helped her become successful.

You have goals, you know the steps that need to be taken to get there, but how do you find time to do them?

Two things that business people find very challenging: thinking ahead and doing things in order of importance.
Doing these two things makes the difference between success in business and just surviving. And the same is true for all areas of our lives.

 Gift shops. Floorings. Manufacturers. Furniture Retailers. Telecommunications companies. Consulting Firms. Attorneys - What do all these companies have in common? Cash. Or should I say a lack thereof. 

I just read about a retailer who was trying to move a certain line of jewelry. She had tried moving the display, asking salespeople to push the items, and running a few traditional sales but nothing was helping. These items were just not selling.

I just came across an old story about Charles Schwab when he was chairman of Bethlehem Steel in the 1920s.  Supposedly, he was concerned about his own lack of productivity and that of his management team.  So he met with a consultant to ask for advice.

No matter how hard a company tries, once in a while something will happen that causes a customer to complain.  The way in which this complaint is handled can make a big difference in future sales.

We know that our body movements send signals, even when we don’t mean to.  Research indicates that nonverbal communication has a much greater impact and reliability than spoken words. 

Visualization is a very powerful tool, especially when done consistently and in detail. But today I want you to step back and analyze this vision a little. Think about one area of your life that you would like to improve, and visualize what you want in that area.

Sales scripts are absolutely essential whatever business you’re in. Once you find the right (or very close to right) way to sell something to someone, why change it? Write down exactly what you said, and do that every time. And make sure your team does the same.

As the owner or chief executive in your company, how much time do you spend on leading and not just managing? If your goal is to create a growing, profitable business that can work without you, strong leadership is a must.  Leaders come in all shapes, sizes and from all ways of life, but they do have common characteristics.  How many of these describe you?

Are you satisfied with your business results this quarter? What are you going to do differently next quarter? You’ve heard the saying: “Most businesses don’t plan to fail; they just fail to plan.” Well, it’s true.

It is very easy to overlook the last half-hour of the day, but it is actually one of the most important windows of opportunity for making your dreams a reality.

You are more responsible for your success than anyone else.  In fact, the only person or thing that you can really control, is you.  To get the most out of your business, you need to get the most out of yourself.  And while that sounds kind of trite, here are some things you can do to improve your personal effectiveness.

Successful networking requires genuine effort and a plan of action.  I know this from first-hand experience as I have grown my business.   If your business is not where you want it to be and you are not attending multiple networking events (at the very least one a week) – invest some time in getting out there in your community.  Referrals and networking are our two greatest client sources – so if you are avoiding networking then you are trying to run a marathon with a broken leg!

I just finished reading The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande which is an intriguing book that makes the case that any discipline can be improved with the use of checklists.

Raving fans are customers who are so happy with your business and the service you provide that they will not only tell all their friends and colleagues about you, but will actually go out of their way to help you sell.  Virtually every client of mine in every industry believes that their customers love them.  And then they are shocked (shocked!) when they leave. 

I meet many business owners every week. Some are wildly successful and others are struggling. It makes me wonder, “Why are some so successful and others not?” There are of course several different reasons, but one thing that successful people seem to have mastered is the right mind set.

When I work with some clients, I often find myself asking, “Why are they not doing the things they need to do?” We’ve identified the top priority items, why not get them done? Of course, I can also look at my own To-Do list and ask myself why I’m not doing that top priority item…