Many people view this time of year as a good opportunity to assess, set goals and plan for the future.  But really any time is a good time to tackle the big work/life issues that may improve your life and deliver success.  Perhaps you want to lose weight or quit smoking. Maybe you want to increase your income.  Or possibly you just want to ramp up your efforts to get more done each day.  Whatever your lofty goals, there are a few key steps to follow that will increase your likelihood of success. Continue reading →

SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING SOCIAL MEDIA IN 2010

We’ve spent the last three weeks talking about protecting your online brand.  Some of the suggestions included going beyond dipping a toe into the waters of online interactive marketing and diving head-first into the depths of social media.  But the rising tide of social-media, which offers unparalleled access to word-of-mouth buzz among current and future customers, also comes with potential dangers.  Continue reading →

CONTROL YOUR GOOGLE 10

It’s becoming more and more important for small business owners to “own” their Google results. In a world where you are what Google says you are, when someone searches for your name they need to be able to find you. The real you. Not a look-alike, another company with the same name or some social profile gaff you thought you had taken care of ages ago. Business owners must protect their brand, and sometimes that means doing just a touch of proactive online reputation management to secure your Google 10. Continue reading →

WHEN AND HOW TO RESPOND TO NEGATIVE ONLINE REVIEWS

This year, Yelp – one of the most active and loyal review sites on the Web – began allowing businesses to respond to the critiques and not-so-glowing reviews made against them on the site.  This may be either good news or bad news, depending on your company.  Some companies have neither the social skills nor the right heart to respond to negative reviews. Giving those companies a microphone to address people vocally speaking out against them could go horribly wrong.  Other companies, educated on the finer points of reputation management, may be able to use this voice to their favor.  If your company has a strong command of its brand reputation and has good social skills and heart, this is for you. Continue reading →

QUICK TIPS FOR ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Online Disinhibition Effect.  That’s what an article in the Wall Street Journal called the phenomenon that is to blame for people acting badly on the Internet. It can turn ugly.  When it goes toxic, it turns normally mild-mannered folk into an angry mob capable of writing things they’d never speak in real life.  Business owners know this. Thanks to social media, business owners live in fear of what an angry Yelper, Twitterer or blogger might say about their brand.  Continue reading →

Under Construction

Under Construction.

Under Construction.

Under Construction

Given that this is the 100th issue of Monday Mornings, it seems a good time to examine the issue of customer loyalty.  Many businesses wonder if customer loyalty should be rewarded, and if so, how?  Marketing wisdom says it is important to reward customer loyalty.  Why?  It is a matter of dollars and sense.  According to market research, it costs five times as much money to find a new customer than it does to get a current customer to come back and do business with you. Continue reading →