I attended a business roundtable just before Thanksgiving. We were asked: “What’s one of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered growing your business?” The answer: Spending years targeting the wrong audience. Trying to generate revenue from people who were familiar to us. In our comfort zone. Who couldn’t — and wouldn’t — make us any money. … Read More
How to get out of jail
What do bandages and oceans have in common? They’re best when you deal with them quickly. Removing a Band-Aid? Rip it off. When you pick at it bit-by-bit, that only prolongs the pain. Jumping into the ocean? Dive in. It takes longer to get used to the water when you go in one toe at … Read More
Surefire way to lose your clients
Did you ever lose a client when you thought you’d done nothing wrong? Sure, you can understand it if you completely muck up an assignment. But sometimes, it’s the breach of “micro-commitments” that turns a client off. This happened to Chris, who runs a web development firm. Overall, they’re terrific. Solid problem-solvers. Efficient. Current with … Read More
What’s monkeying with your business growth?
“Every time I call, it’s a [expletive] debate,” Devon fumed. “And I gotta call every month to get paid. I can’t stand it!” My client, Devon, runs a tech support and solutions business. He’s been grumbling about this business customer for many months. How the company never pays on time. Or follows the “rules” in … Read More