Eight million small businesses are formed each year and five million of them – or roughly 60% – go out of business. Why is that? Well, if you ask the companies that are filing for bankruptcy, they will tell you that it’s because they’re under-capitalized, but I have a different theory. These companies aren’t acquiring […]
Read More »What Does ‘Downturn’ Mean for Marketers?
With so many stories and articles about the impact of the current recession, I couldn’t resist reaching out to all of you to get your take.
For me, downturn means an exciting challenge. Downturn is a great opportunity to look your current programs square in the eye and shove them up against the boards to […]
Smart Clients: Ready to Rule the CRM World
7 reasons why your next Customer Relationship Management system is likely to use Smart Client architecture
By Charles Martin
Each new generation of CRM software emerges not from the brains of programmers, but from the wish lists of users. When enough people insist they need to drill down into data faster, or drag and drop files to […]
How to Hire the Best People for Your SMB
Hiring the right people—and not the wrong—can be a company’s surest path to success. These 7 tips can guide you to hiring greatness.
By Robert Lindsay
For small-to-midsize businesses, hiring the right employees is a matter of survival. SMBs live or die by their ability to hire top-qualified candidates who can thrive in a “roller coaster” business […]
What Do You Need?
How listening to the customer can help you to boost sales, improve products and services—and find new customers
Too many salespeople make the mistake of not listening to their customers. They get so caught up in selling the benefits of their products or services that they forget they are in business to meet the customer’s needs, not their own. If the customer perceives that the salesperson is not really listening to them, they may jump to a better product or service.
To keep a customer, salespeople must demonstrate that they can provide effective solutions for the customer’s individual needs and problems. And that requires having the patience to listen to the customer from the very beginning. Here are strategies to help salespeople to just that—listen.
Read More »Small Business, Big Bang
Think only large enterprises can capitalize on search engine marketing? Think again.
Attention SMBs! Your customers are seeking you online. It takes just a few smart moves to make your business conspicuous and Web-savvy, so you can capture this made-to-order customer base.
Case in point: A marketing executive in Kirkland, WA, received a challenge from his daughter, a hair stylist at a local salon. Could he help her win a prize the salon was offering to the employee who could bring in the most customers? “Have you thought of search engines?” the executive asked his daughter. “Who would use Google to find a hair salon?” she replied.
Here are some Web-marketing strategies that small businesses can afford, and which they can’t afford to ignore.
Read More »Life in an Unfiltered World
CRM taps into Social Networking to blend users’ lifestyles and work styles
By Charles Martin
It might not be the Prime Directive, but it’s a rule that works: to improve business software, look everywhere except at business software. In other words, take your cue from the fields that are driving people’s actions and shaping their ideas—not […]
Vertical View
CRM lends value to banking industry
By Doug Self
From adding machines to ATMs, the banking industry has long looked to technology to improve efficiency and provide a high level of customer service. One technology that is proving invaluable to banks of all sizes is CRM—Customer Relationship Management software.
According to the International Data Corporation, banking is one […]
Loading ...