Businesses Tips
When it comes to Businesses, we've been there, done that, now serving 149 tips in 13 categories ranging from Business Plan to Retail/Sales.
Resources for Managing Long-Term Employees
Managing tenured employees is only a slight change from managing new employees. Employees respond to open communication, motivation, and especially to consistency in management. There are not a lot of resources on managing tenured employees because most authors assume that if you have tenured employees then you have a good management strategy.
If you are a new manager with tenured employees, "The First Time Manager" by Loren B. Becker (1997) retails for about 10 dollars at Amazon.
If you are a tenured manager looking for ways to create better tenured employees, another good book that retails for about 10$ is "How To Manage Problem Employees: A Step by Step Guide For Turning Difficult Employees Into Performers" By Glenn Shepard (2005)
Press Release Distribution
Distribute your press release (PR) to small publications geared towards your industry's niche. You can find a better response (rate of return) when you seek individual editors (or journalists) to deliver your press release. Just reword the headline and restructure your press release to meet that publication's needs. Then submit your press release via snail mail, fax, and/or email (no attachments).
Market With A Newsletter
Whether you have a thousand subscribers or only a few handful, an e-Newsletter is a captured audience. You can advertise in every issue, free of charge. You can promote your services, offer subscriber discounts, or give new product updates. Just make sure you include something else of value, like an article, interview or tips related to your business and your target audience.
Don't Yell At Your Customers
Let's face it. Sometimes customers get under our skin. They either just don't get it, or we're having a really bad day. The fastest way to lose a customer and customers with listening ears is to "go off" on your customer. Don't yell. Don't make snide remarks, and most definitely don't call your customer names. If you can't deal with a customer, find an employee who can.
Listen To Your Customers
We're often so busy trying to grow a business with marketing and advertising that we forget to really listen to our customers. What are your customers telling you? Do you get constant negatives? How can you turn them into positives? Do you get requests for a product or service you don't offer? Are they enough you are missing the boat? How can you offer them in a cost-effective way?
Don't Sell Yourself, Sell Your Story
You can gain media attention by writing a newsworthy story. You may want to announce a great product or service you've just developed, but that is advertising. If you want to get the attention of the media you need to sell a story related to your product or service. Can you tie your story into current news or trends? Think outside the box and I bet you'll come up with a great idea.
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| Ray Lokar |
