Your customers are the lifeblood of your business. Their needs and wants impact every aspect of your business, from product development to content marketing to sales to customer service.
John Rampton
A cardinal rule in budgeting and saving is to pay yourself first. Once your paycheck hits your account, wisdom has it that you should move some amount to savings even before you pay the bills.
When you do snack, stick with healthier options like fruits, veggies, nuts, and low-fat, whole-grain products.
Just because you're married doesn't mean that you have to spend 24/7 together and can't have separate interests and hobbies. In a healthy relationship, you both understand - and respect - that you need time apart doing what you want to do.
Living a frugal lifestyle gives you the opportunity to invest more money towards your future.
As a small business owner, I've had to find ways to keep costs as low as possible while still providing customers with the ability to use their credit cards for payments. Many credit card processing companies are so expensive when it comes to fees that it started to feel like a losing proposition to offer this payment option.
The way that customers pay businesses is constantly evolving. Instead of paying with paper, like cash and checks, businesses are expected to accept a variety of payment methods ranging from credit cards to digital payments.
Having emotional intelligence allows you to manage your emotions, show empathy, and prevent you from getting distracted. It also helps you solve problems and be a more likable person.
Make no mistake about it. Bad habits are called 'bad' for a reason. They kill our productivity and creativity. They slow us down. They hold us back from achieving our goals. And they're detrimental to our health.
We're surrounded by distractions. Whether it's emails, phone calls, text messages, social media notifications, or people entering and leaving your workspace, those distractions end up eating a good portion of your time.
Empowerment isn't a buzzword among leadership gurus. It's a proven technique where leaders give their teams the appropriate training, tools, resources, and guidance to succeed.
While digital wallets are paving the way for the future of payments, you still need to assess whether or not they'll work for your business. If your target audience are less tech-savvy or you're primarily a cash-only business, it may not be worth investing too much into accepting digital payments.
As an entrepreneur, I've come across countless articles and quotes proudly telling me that I should accept failure, smile, and keep my head up. In other words, I've been told to stay positive. The thing is, when you're forced to shut down a business and let really awesome people you care about go, staying positive is the last thing on your mind.
When you think of customer research, chances are you think of surveys. Used alongside other strategies, they can be an important way to learn more about your customer's needs, wants and habits.
Early in my career, I didn't want to disappoint my colleagues, clients, or family. So I said yes to everything. This ended up raising my stress level and shortchanging everyone else - including myself - because I couldn't give anyone 100 percent of my time, nor could I pay close attention.
Each piece of content you create should lead your readers further down the path to purchase. Typically, sales and leads won't happen until a prospect has had multiple points of contact with you, so don't expect sales after a single blog post.
The first step to take to wake up earlier is to have a nighttime routine that not only encourages you to fall asleep but also guarantees you'll sleep soundly each and every night.
At one point, you were that employee who looked like a deer in headlights. Confused, lost, and not understanding your purpose within the organization. Even though you have the appropriate skills, you felt like you were in over your head. That is, until an amazing boss empowered you.
Coming up with a ballpark figure on how much you need to pay your expenses, such as your mortgage or rent, insurance, and utilities, is the first place to start when developing your ultimate goal of becoming a multimillionaire.
During the negotiation process, it's common for misconceptions to occur, since both parties assume what the other person is saying or thinking. This can lead to conflicts or disagreements.
Procrastination doesn't work for everything. For instance, waiting to buy plane tickets at the last minute will typically end up costing you more.
When done correctly, gift and loyalty cards can improve your cash flow, acquire and retain customers, and increase your overall brand presence.
Like most successful businesses, you and your employees have a vast knowledge base and expertise in your vertical, as well as a lot of great video and text content to prove it. So, why not monetize your expertise and create digital products and membership courses?
Whether you write down your to-do lists in a notebook or use a tool like Evernote, to-do lists can be a real life-saver, since it reduces the stress of trying to remember things like a meeting or what you need to pick up at the grocery store.
Attention spans are short. Like, eight seconds short. That's why it's necessary to grab people's attention immediately.
The same way you can manipulate your environment to encourage sleep, you can also do it to wake up.
Sometimes success means having the right idea in the right place at the right time. Other times, it's about not being afraid to quit and move onto something new.
If you don't have the time or desire to do whatever is being asked of you, say, 'no.' Even if you want to bake those cookies for your kid's fundraiser or take on a new freelancing gig, sometimes you just have to politely decline until you do have the extra time. The other party may be disappointed, but it's not the end of the world.
Wealthy individuals are known for spending their money wisely. This means living below their means by skipping the McMansion and impractical luxury vehicles.
The relationship between you and your boss will change over time. When you just started out, that boss was your mentor and took you under their wing. As a seasoned employee, though, you no longer need your boss to guide you along. You should be able to handle tasks on your own.
Early rising will enhance your productivity, improve your mental outlook, and give you time to exercise, catch up on email, or just have breakfast with your family. In short, if you want to become more successful, it's a good idea to jump out of bed earlier.
Making great strides without a well-defined purpose will not bring positive results.
While having friends shouldn't be the main reason why you love your job, it definitely makes the work day run a lot more smoothly when you have a workplace buddy.
You may think having a cluttered desk isn't that big of a deal. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Disorganization can stunt your professional growth and decrease your productivity.
In order to handle rejection, we have to reflect on the past, analyze/study it. Next, just like a computer, we have to reboot. Next, get it out of our system by rejecting every aspect of it.
There was a time when just the thought of waking up before the sun rose sent chills down my spine. But once I actually started getting out of bed earlier, I noticed that it wasn't all that bad.
Don't eat because you're angry, bored, sad, or stressed.
If you're receiving fewer assignments, this could be an indicator that there was a decision from upper management that you shouldn't have as many responsibilities. Whether that means your employer has lost faith in you or that your job may be in jeopardy, this is a sign that you should start polishing up your resume.
I've made it clear that I have an open door policy - which means that the employee can tell me anything that is on their mind.
I see good personal financial management as setting - and keeping - a budget.
Negotiating isn't about getting what you want or giving in to what the other party wants. It's not an 'either/or situation.' It's about having both parties walk away satisfied. Over the years in both business and life, I've had to learn this hard lesson.
If you want to retire as a multimillionaire, then you need to start saving as early as you can.
Don't hide in the dark and let someone else make your boss look like a rock star.
It's amazing what people will give away for free just to get rid of it.
When it comes to video and pretty much everything else, the more personalized the content, the higher the chances of conversion.
I've had to listen to candidates tell me they are the most wonderful thing since the invention of sliced bread, and it bores me to death. It also makes me doubt that they are actually any good at all - plus it's an attitude that would never fly in the culture I've created in my company.
No matter what position you're in, if you are receiving poor feedback from clients, co-workers, or in performance evaluations, then that's one of the clearest signs that you're not cut out for the job, or it's not right for you.
For me, personally, waking up before everyone else in my home allows me to work, respond to emails, or read up on current events without any distractions.
The world of marketing is all about trends and the ability of marketers to identify and cultivate them.
While social media is a one of the best tools to spread brand awareness, network, stay updated on the latest industry news, and catch up with friends or family, it's another huge time waster.
