Public Relations: A Necessary Tool in Your Marketing Kit

Interviewing businessman or politician, press conferencePublic relations, by it’s most basic and simplistic definition, is using media contacts and exposure to make a person or business famous. It’s an important facet of any marketing strategy, and is, unfortunately, also one of the least practiced and understood.

So, what are public relations? Well, it’s basically an effort to influence the public or target demographic in some way. This could mean drafting a press release, pitching media or coordinating media outreach for an event.

The key to an effective PR campaign is understanding what IS a story and what is not a story. This can be a tricky task if you have no experience working with media. But there are a few guidelines that, if followed, may help you better how to navigate these muddy waters. Continue reading “Public Relations: A Necessary Tool in Your Marketing Kit”

Top Three Advantages of Video-Conferencing

Businessman video confrencing with colleguesThe business world thrives off of communication. In many instances, the failure of a business can be traced back to a lack of communication between its different divisions, and an inability to execute its mission effectively. Businesses, small or big, need to find an effective option when it comes to communicating with different levels of management. A popular format that many businesses are turning to is video-conferencing.

Video conferencing has been a staple of the corporate since the 1980s, and its use has slowly perfused into the small business across America. If you are convinced that video-conferencing is right for you, the reasons below will help persuade you to make the switch. Continue reading “Top Three Advantages of Video-Conferencing”

7 Tactics to Beat the Competition

Business Practices

It’s often far easier to rest where you are than to push yourself to the next level. Complacency, however, leads to mediocrity; which almost always leads to disaster. So, if this is true, how can you keep yourself responsive, resourceful, and recharged to keep up with the competitive business environment you are part of? Here are seven tactics to help you move ahead, even while others fall behind:
1. Practice self-discipline versus self-indulgence. Self-indulgence is thinking about how you feel at a given moment, then deciding what action, if any to take and worrying about the consequences later. Self-discipline is thinking first about the consequences; then taking appropriate action, and feeling great about your decision. Think about it this way:
Continue reading “7 Tactics to Beat the Competition”

What My Customers Have Taught Me

Kent BoehmOver the years I have had the pleasure of coaching and teaching many businesses throughout Calgary and Western Canada how to get the best results possible. What some of you don’t know is that my clients also teach me every day. I have learned that you should:

  1. Do Business as Often as Possible with Your Customers

Although this sounds like a given, it is frequently forgotten. I have met dozens of business owners who want to grow sales, yet never invite past customers back or track the frequency of the business they have done with their past customers. Save time and money by tapping into the network you have already established. Continue reading “What My Customers Have Taught Me”