Skip to content

A Small Business is Like Running a Half-Marathon

  • 4 min read

I recently completed a half-marathon. It was my, I don’t know, ninth or tenth half marathon. This one was special as it was the first one after a long time off due to an injury. (Hamstring.) During my drive home, partially in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas, I reflected on the event and the training up to the event. I found there were many similarities to the training for and running of the half-marathon and the starting and operating of a small business. Please allow me to share. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. This cliché is used frequently in many settings.… 

Read MoreA Small Business is Like Running a Half-Marathon

Customer Service – Best Reads Week of June 20

  • 3 min read

Customer service is at an all-time low and customer satisfaction in dealing with a product or service issue is just as low, about 40 percent. Two of three consumers are likely to experience rage during an interaction with a customer service rep. In addition, 63 percent of consumers are likely to experience no satisfaction whatsoever in dealing with a product or service complaint. For retailers the outcome is not good as it is putting about $202 billion in revenue at stake and can slash consumer repeat business and loyalty to shreds. Multiple good reads on improving customer service. We start with Stop Training… 

Read MoreCustomer Service – Best Reads Week of June 20

Email Marketing – Best Reads Week of June 20

  • 2 min read

Email marketing is consistently ranked as the best channel in terms of return on investment. 68% of companies rate the channel as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. (1) For every $1 spent, email marketing generates $38 in ROI. (2) Email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter. (3) You have your Constant Contact subscription and you’re sending emails. Here’s 23 Hacks To Optimize Your Email Marketing Campaign Converting leads require you to optimize and improve your emails so that readers open them and also click through on them. Here are some useful ways in which you can fully… 

Read MoreEmail Marketing – Best Reads Week of June 20

Social Media – Pinterest Contests, 5 Management Tools and Maximizing ROI

  • 2 min read

You’ve started your social media accounts. You’re posting. You’re tweeting. You’re pinning. Take your social media campaign to a new level with a contest on Pinterest. Here’s How to Win With Pinterest Contests Pinterest contests can increase your followers, boost engagement, and promote your brand and products. In the article above, you’ll discover how to easily host and manage a winning contest on Pinterest. 5 Up-and-Coming Social Media Tools You Should Know About We want to show you five incredibly powerful up-and-coming social media tools you should be using to enhance your campaign. A CEO’s Tips for Maximizing Social Media ROI The… 

Read MoreSocial Media – Pinterest Contests, 5 Management Tools and Maximizing ROI

Customer Service – Best Reads Week of June 13

  • 2 min read

Customer service is at an all-time low and customer satisfaction in dealing with a product or service issue is just as low, about 40 percent. Two of three consumers are likely to experience rage during an interaction with a customer service rep. In addition, 63 percent of consumers are likely to experience no satisfaction whatsoever in dealing with a product or service complaint. For retailers the outcome is not good as it is putting about $202 billion in revenue at stake and can slash consumer repeat business and loyalty to shreds. Multiple good reads on improving customer service. We start with 13 Ways… 

Read MoreCustomer Service – Best Reads Week of June 13

Email Marketing – You’re Doing It Wrong; 18 Awesome Tips

  • 2 min read

Email marketing is consistently ranked as the best channel in terms of return on investment. 68% of companies rate the channel as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. (1) For every $1 spent, email marketing generates $38 in ROI. (2) Email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter. (3) In case you need further convincing, try this read: Master Email Marketing Because It’s Not Going Anywhere For the last 20 years of changing marketing trends, email has remained as popular as ever. You need to master email marketing: It’s one marketing technique you won’t say goodbye to in just a few… 

Read MoreEmail Marketing – You’re Doing It Wrong; 18 Awesome Tips

Tourism Best Practices – Week of June 13

  • 2 min read

Tourism professionals at Convention and Visitors Bureaus – CVBs (or Destination Marketing Organizations – DMOs) are implementing some innovative programs to increase visitation in their destinations. We call them Tourism Best Practices. While some debate whether DMOs should be engaged in event management, some communities show that the tourism office managing festivals can be effective: PolkaFest Looks To A New Generation To Keep Traditions Alive Organized by St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the event draws thousands to Cambria City each year. Orange Barrel Art Project Extended The project, created by the Stevens Point Area Convention… 

Read MoreTourism Best Practices – Week of June 13

Are You Experienced?

  • 4 min read

(Originally written in May, 2012, while at the Norman, Okla., CVB.) My Achilles Heel is ice cream. And when I HAVE to drive by a Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Story to get to our office, that’s a problem. Every once in a while I cave and drive through. The young gal the other day handed me my peanut butter cup mix and said, “Wow! That looks good!” I retorted, “What? You’ve never had one?” She responded, “No.” And I drove off thinking ‘how in the world can she adequately sell their products if she’s never eaten them!?’ Then I… 

Read MoreAre You Experienced?

Tourism Best Practices – Week of May 30

  • 2 min read

Tourism professionals at Convention and Visitors Bureaus – CVBs (or Destination Marketing Organizations – DMOs) are implementing some innovative programs to increase visitation in their destinations. We call them Tourism Best Practices: Smith Center Plans Fundraiser for ‘Home on the Range’ Documentary The CVB/Economic Development office brings a movie star with ties to Kansas to community to help raise money for a documentary on the “Home on the Range” cabin. Greater Palm Springs Convention Visitors Bureau’s “Find Your Own Oasis” Summer Campaign ‘Visitor’s Playbook’ to Provide Free Online Listing for Battle at Bristol Activities Visitor’s Bureau Installs Kiosk in Downtown… 

Read MoreTourism Best Practices – Week of May 30