When a small business or start up approaches a bank for a loan, you need to be able to answer the following eight questions: 1. How much money do you want? 2. Why do you want the money? 3. How will the money be used? 4. How will you repay the loan? 5. What is…
Angel investors are people who have the money to help start ups. This help comes at a high cost in that the angel typically takes a stake or ownership position in the start up in the form of equity or stock ownership. For the angel investor, the investment is more than just a pure investment;…
Forecasting sales at a start-up is part educated guess and part in-depth research. Forecasting can be tougher for a niche marketer since little existing data will be available. In this case, the entrepreneur knows best—assuming he or she knows the target market intimately. There is no substitute for knowing your customers and why they will…
“You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.” -Colette I love that quote. Entrepreneurs need to take chances and do unconventional things and risk looking foolish. The mundane mass market is not the domain of the entrepreneur. Instead, it is the under served or overlooked customer segment which begs for a solution. The…
Keywords are how people find you on the web. They function as the language of online search and are a must have feature on your site. The critical question to ask is what are the keywords used by your customers and prospects when they want to find you? The process to determine these terms involves…
A basic teaching of Zen Buddhism is that things are always changing. Just because we can see, hear, or feel something today does not mean that it will be there tomorrow. Essentially, nothing is permanent. And, so it is with our economic slowdown or meltdown or whatever you want to call it. Just because it…
Which option shall you take? It is your choice. Choice is the process of deciding between options. Many people think that having choices is a positive thing since it gives you a feeling of control. Yet, choices can be confusing or frightening. If you have too many choices it can be daunting. What if you…
A great way to create and explore new ideas is to brainstorm with a group people. A diverse group has the ability to run with an individual idea, while adding depth and texture that an individual may miss. Groups are also good at creating a large volume of ideas; some ideas may be absurd while…
So how can you differentiate your service or product from the thundering herd? Better stated, how can you create a clear competitive advantage that makes choosing your offering over the others an easy decision? Michael Porter, acclaimed Harvard strategist, describes a competitive advantage as something about a product or service that is perceived as different…
Yes, it is hard to lose an order. I hate it also. Yet, losing a sale graciously is the ticket to be considered for the next opportunity. Sales gurus and trainers have long argued for sales people to always be “closing” and, in effect, to never give up on the order. Positive thinking is a…