Know What You Are Doing and Prove It!

September 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/CMBS Global

 

Boy…do I remember those schoolyard bullies who were always making life miserable for the rest of us! I remember their annoying challenge consisting of just two words – “Prove it!”

As an entrepreneur, you may know what you are doing, but business can be a bully when it comes to performance.

As an entrepreneur, you may NOT know what you are doing in some very important areas of business communication and marketing – but don’t let it back you up against the wall and intimidate like those bullies. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, CMBS Global, Online Marketing · Tagged With: , , , ,

Business Buzzwords Don’t Communicate Concisely to Your Market

September 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/CMBS Global

If you desire to communicate concisely to your market, avoid business buzzwords that don’t really say much and may be hindering growth.

While certain words may sound impressive when linked together, the resulting message can be vague, failing to articulate what you do for the customer and why clients should find you to be a better choice.

Content is important. It cannot be too complicated and it should not be too simple. Tone is crucial. Speaking over someone’s head or speaking in a condescending manner can both cause offense – but    bloviating just leaves the reader empty-handed and looking elsewhere for real solutions and real information.

Numbers, statistics, comparisons and facts help to form quality content that your market can use. If you are to capture a person’s attention and get them to surrender some of their precious time to read your marketing message, view your portfolio or consider your services, it is important that you speak their language and reward them with more than generalizations and opinions.

What do you do and how do you do it better? Show and tell with a sincere confidence that connects and meets your market’s requirements. In other words, give them what they want in a way they can understand – with benefits. Business buzzwords don’t communicate concisely and are best left to those who just like to hear themselves talk.

“Bee On A Daisy Flower” by Christian Meyn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: Blog, Business Growth, CMBS Global, Communication · Tagged With: , ,

No Time to Fall Short of Goals -Update Communication, Marketing and Business Solutions

September 5, 2012 by 1 Comment

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/CMBS Global

Description: Woman Playing Laptop by Just2shutter FreeDigitalPhotosdotnet ID-10059575.jpg

It’s that time of year when young people go back to school and most of us just wish we could go back to bed. Fall may be in the air, but it’s no time to fall short of goals – time to update your communication, marketing and business solutions, instead.

*        Revisit your goals. It is okay to revisit your accomplishments – as long as you don’t camp out there. If your goals have changed, no problem…as long as you have adjusted your marketing efforts accordingly. Get back to the basics in your online marketing. Don’t rely on content that may no longer be relevant to your business goals. Check your SEO – dust off your press releases, take some of your best ideas off the shelf and polish up your best business practices.

 *        Take inventory of your social media skills. Do you have a business blog? Do your posts reflect your business goals and consistently engage your market? Are you actively using Facebook or Twitter? Your social presence on the web is important to reaching your goals – be everywhere and make your brand’s voice heard. 

*        Update those lists. Your lists must be current for your campaigns to be effective – but that alone will not increase your open rates. If you want those on your lists to also read the emails you send, create more compelling subject lines and keep the content concise and informative.

 *        Exercise your focus. It’s easy to get distracted when the weather is wonderful and the activities of summer beckon…but just as nature recognizes that fall is time of preparation – so should the savvy business owner. Before the holidays come with their own distractions – before a possible cold spell in sales – before any temptation to hibernate…strengthen your focus. Look forward no matter how tempting it may be to look back. Keep your eyes on the prize and your mind on what matters.

Knowing that you should and knowing how can mean all the difference in your success. If you know that it’s time to update your business communication and marketing, but need some real solutions provided by real people – connect with CMBS Global and we’ll take you to your goals this fall.

 

Image: “Woman Playing Laptop” by Just2shutter/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Filed Under: Blog, Business Goals, Business Growth, CMBS Global, Communication, Marketing Plan · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

How Putting Out Fires Interferes With Running Your Business

August 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

The better your communication and marketing, the better your business runs. Wise management understands that constantly putting out fires wastes too much time and energy and interferes with momentum. How you communicate with your staff and market says much about the way you are running your business. What’s yours saying?
Running a business is about leading. Great leaders use:

  • Awareness
  • Commitment
  • Communication
  • Creativity
  • Discernment
  • Example
  • Experience
  • Foresight
  • Insight
  • Integrity
  • Knowledge
  • Patience
  • Perseverance
  • Skill
  • Strategies
  • Understanding
  • Wisdom

…just to name a few! And yet, the fact is that no one human possesses all of these characteristics – or strengths – so, how do you keep your business running and effectively market as though you do?
Leaders with integrity, whose character reflects their honesty, will not hesitate to surround themselves with others who possess what they lack. They are quick to admit their needs and not above relying on the strengths of others to assist them in their leadership role, while continuing to build on their own strengths – and learn. Learning is essential to leading…and living. Learning provides growth…a sure sign of life. Cease to learn and you die…and your business dies right alongside you.
Even the best leaders find themselves occasionally putting out fires, but preparing for possible seasons of draught in running your business will prevent additional stresses when something unexpected erupts. Instead, a deep well of the above resources from which to draw will keep virtually any threat from overtaking you.

 "Flame" by Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Filed Under: Blog, CMBS Global, Communication, Marketing, Marketing Plan · Tagged With: , , ,

Pricing Isn’t The Problem – Customers Care About Value

August 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

Noticing a slump in sales? You may suspect your pricing. This is generally where marketers tend to focus, however it is more often the case that pricing isn’t the problem. Customers care about value. How the perceived value of an item measures against its price tag usually determines the sale.

For instance, let’s say that you need a desk chair. You already know that you want comfort and durability for your money and you know what you are willing to spend to get that. You may even know what color you want. So, what will sell you on the right desk chair? I can almost guarantee that it will not be the price and here’s why: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Business Goals, Business Growth, Business Success, CMBS Global · Tagged With: , , , ,

Successful People Play Nice and Hire Wisely

August 27, 2012 by 1 Comment

 

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

Successful teams are comprised of successful people. In building a business or building a team, hiring good people who play nice should be a top priority. I recently read that the late Jim Rohn, known as America’s foremost business philosopher, once said, “Good people are found, not changed.” What a wise idea – hire nice people instead of struggling to teach employees how to play nice.

It eliminates wasted time and energy to hire quality people, because the truth is that we can’t make people change – unless they want to be changed. It’s a bit like trying to force-feed spinach to a baby. Even if you get the spinach in the baby’s mouth – you can’t make them swallow it. You may feel successful the moment the spinach goes in, but when wearing the spinach a few minutes later, the baby will most likely be the only one who approves of the results.

Those who want to lead because they enjoy the power trip, wanting others to listen only to them and recognize them for what they do…are just selfish. Selfish people are only successful in their own minds and even though they may acquire much in their lifetime – they rarely have any pleasure in it because the true enjoyment comes from sharing.

Those who want to change the world by helping others, and who realize the benefits of working alongside others to attain a mutual goal of providing helpful solutions, genuine services and products that make a difference – these are successful people. They recognize that they can’t possibly accomplish enough all by themselves and when building a team, they make it a point to choose from a list of truly nice people who enjoy doing good work.

In today’s economy, you can afford to be picky about whom you hire. Too many good people (who know how to play nice) are still waiting for the opportunity to align with other successful people as part of a great, unstoppable team. Hire wisely!

Image: “Goal Text In Wooden Block” by Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: Blog, CMBS Global, Marketing · Tagged With: , , ,

What Every Marketer Needs to be Effective When Time is of the Essence

August 24, 2012 by 2 Comments

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

Every marketer needs an assistant like CMBS Global for effective handling and management of back office tasks, keeping your daily business activities running smoothly, while freeing you to concentrate on the bigger tasks of reaching out to prospective clients and customers, developing products and services and, of course, telling your story.
 
If you have been neglecting the telling of your story because you are just too busy – you have been neglecting one of the most important marketing tools you personally possess for growing your business. Being too busy to share what you do and why you do it, means you absolutely need assistance with your marketing. While there are many directions in which you can take the telling of your story, today’s technology affords an exciting array of choices for making your online marketing more effective by saving you time. And for those who wish to get their story out to their particular market effectively and creatively, time is of the essence! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Back Office Services, Blog, CMBS Global, Marketing, Marketing Plan · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Practice What You Preach or Your Elevator Speech is Just Another Sales Pitch

August 22, 2012 by 1 Comment

 

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

Entrepreneurs of any type must sell. You are daily selling others on you, your services, your products – or all of the above. Great salespeople are necessary to business – but practice what you preach or your elevator speech will be just another sales pitch that people do not care to hear.

It goes without saying that the brands that have survived and enjoyed many fruitful years of being in the public eye are those that have provided the perfect pitch – and then remained totally in tune with their customers and clients desires and needs. Those who continually hit sour notes within their market are soon kicked out of the choir.

There are many referring to themselves as ‘evangelists’ in today’s business market. An admittedly catchy title when linked with such terms as Marketing, Social Media, Product, Brand, etc. You name it and the term evangelist has probably been attached at some point. But as catchy as it may be sound, the truth continues to be that much more is expected of an evangelist than is required of the common, ordinary layperson. The average pew sitter will always be permitted many more mistakes and shown much more forgiveness for his or her sins (when discovered) than the guy standing behind the pulpit. It has, at times, proven to be too much pressure even for the most gifted of leaders.

No person knows you any better than you know yourself, however letting others do the preaching for you is often wiser than touting your own horn – only to fall short of your proclamations. Good intentions are not enough to build a strong brand and keep it standing no matter what storms come. You must absolutely deliver the goods that you have declared yourself capable of delivering. If you aren’t convinced that it is possible for you to do this – you need to change your message, change your skill set or get reliable assistance from those who can help you to perform at peak level.

It is not impossible to practice what you preach when you believe in what you do and are committed to representing your message honestly via actions, words and deeds. Don’t set yourself up to be worshiped lest you set yourself up for a very hard fall. Instead, be the one your niche is free to trust and they will sing your praises to all who will listen for years to come.

Image: Maya Picture/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: Back Office Services, Blog, Business Success, CMBS Global, Niche Market · Tagged With: , ,

The Online World That Many of Us Live In

August 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

By now, many have heard about the horrific hacking of Mat Honan’s online world. How his digital life was wiped out in the span of an hour is both frightening and enlightening. What his story means to us is sobering, a personal assault to the online world we live in.

As the online market continues to grow, Mr. Honan’s experience is a gruesome reminder that senseless acts of violence can happen to those who least deserve it. Your online presence, as an entrepreneur, is as inviting to those who enjoy committing crimes against others as any physical storefront can be. Worse yet, you are exposed to those who seek to ruin the lives of others just for the fun of it on a much grander scale than if you simply owned a shop on Main Street somewhere. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, CMBS Global, Website Design & Development · Tagged With: , , , , ,

Communication, Marketing and Business Solutions

August 17, 2012 by 4 Comments

by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global

 

When weighing effective business solutions, two of the most important tools you will ever implement are Communication and Marketing. Skills within these areas are a must and in today’s online marketplace, often governed by technology. Even ‘word of mouth’ (a great form of advertising) is widely accomplished via Social Media.

Here are some simple steps to ensure better communication and marketing for your business:

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Back Office Services, Blog, Business Growth, CMBS Global, Communication, Marketing, Speaker Management, Website Design & Development · Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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