by Courtney Ramirez on April 5, 2011
A recent study in Psychological Science sheds light on an interesting way to make better decisions. According to research conducted by the University of Twente in the Netherlands, people make better decisions when they have to “go.” Researchers had study participants drink five cups of water and then answer a series of questions forty minutes later. The participants were more likely to make better choices when their bladders were full.
But rather than wait until your decision makers have to “go” to make decisions, there are other ways that can drive great decision making for your organization. Good decisions are critical in leading a business toward success, so owners and managers should pay close attention to these keys.
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by Courtney Ramirez on January 25, 2011
There’s a lot on your plate when you are CEO/Owner/Head Honcho of your own business. Taking responsibility for your business and every decision can be both empowering and draining. If you love what you do and are passionate about making your business a success, it can sometimes be hard to balance your work life and your home life. In fact, without careful planning you can find yourself so focused on your business that you forget to nurture your relationships and your own sense of well-being.
Whether a solo professional or CEO of a growing company, you need to take time to balance your life. Without time to relax and restore, you’ll find yourself stretched beyond the limit – unable to make the right decisions, unable to be fully involved in your business or your life.
Now is the perfect time of year to take stock of how you’re doing and restore balance back into your life. The follow tips will help you move forward in 2011 with a better work/life balance:
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by Courtney Ramirez on September 28, 2010
Many marketing tools and sales techniques exist to help business sell to the public. But the general public buys differently than business, so you must use different strategies to be successful. There are several keys to connecting with B2B prospects combining Internet technology and basic marketing principles:
Help your customers become experts on what you offer.
People don’t know how much they need your business until they know all you can do for them. No matter what type of B2B business, prospects need to be educated on the ins and outs of what you offer. As they become knowledgeable and confident about what you can offer them, they are more likely to buy. Think about it this way – if a general consumer walks into a pet store looking for a fish, they are more likely to buy the 60 gallon saltwater tank filled with exotic fish if they know that hobby can involve more than a ten cent goldfish and a bowl of water. This applies to your B2B marketing as well. Educate your prospects and they’ll feel more comfortable buying.
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by Courtney Ramirez on September 1, 2010
Productivity is a major concern in the modern workplace. Without this efficiency, your business will stagnate and lose its competitiveness. But, productivity doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Satisfied employees are more likely to be productive, so you need to hire people who are a perfect match for the job and create conditions that lead to more satisfied employees.
For the hiring process:
- Write a clear description of the job. Include logistical details of the position including each task required, as well as the values and behaviors that would be best suited for the position.
- Share this description with each potential candidate. Ask each how they might fulfill the tasks required for the position. Watch for their enthusiasm about the tasks and the passion for the position. Evaluate both their potential to complete the basics of the task, as well as their interest in doing the task.
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by Nick DeGraff on March 3, 2010
Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are all the rage, but for most businesses Outlook is a still the tool that they cannot live without. E-mail is so integrated into our lives we don’t even think about the impact it has on how we do business. But did you know that the majority of professionals don’t fully leverage the simple productivity tools within Outlook?
Here are 3 quick tips to put you ahead of the curve:
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by Laurent Dhollande and Nick DeGraff on February 23, 2010
Startups are the fuel that powers the global economy with over half a million new businesses created each year. However, 50% of these startups fail within the first 4 years - a harsh statistic that weighs on any entrepreneur. What can you do as an entrepreneur to keep your startup from becoming a part of this statistic?
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