Marketing toolkit
February 8, 2011 by Barbara · 6 Comments
Don’t get overwhelmed. This is a menu of options, and you can’t possibly do everything at once. Pick things that fit you, your business, and your audience. Start by focusing on what you want to make happen, and let that guide your next steps and the details. Read more
Would you like 340º vision?
January 24, 2011 by Barbara · 9 Comments
With eyes on the sides of their heads, horses have 340º vision. As prey animals, they need it for survival.
Whether your business is one person or one thousand people, taking time to learn from the past will help you survive too. We’re all so busy, it is tempting to jump right into planning the brilliant future. I’m speaking as one who has done this – often.
We lose something when the lure of the future causes us to bypass reviewing the past and developing a clear vision for the year. It is like starting your kitchen remodel by knocking down a wall before you have a blueprint, or starting a marketing plan with specific actions instead of big picture objectives and strategies. It can be REALLY fun, but it may not serve you best in the long run. Read more
Appreciating baby steps
January 19, 2011 by Barbara · 13 Comments
It’s 5 pm on January 19th and it is still daylight outside, sort of. It feels like a victory over Seattle’s winter darkness when we only have light for 8 1/2 hours. At the solstice on December 21st, the sun seems to stand still for a few days. Today we have 9 whole hours of light. That is a big half hour to me, but we got here through tiny increases in the light each day.
For some of us (including yours truly) it is easy at the beginning of a project or business to see our end result. It seems so real and tangible: it must be close at hand. In the excitement, we sometimes miss a few intermediate steps. I know I do, and I am very good at translating big ideas into detailed plans of action. Read more
Architects’ Forum: food for collaboration
November 30, 2010 by Barbara · 11 Comments
The second Biznik Architects’ Forum took place yesterday with 20 in attendance. We had a great mix of people and perspectives; contributions were lively and heartfelt. Clearly this group appreciated the opportunity to talk with their peers about business. Read more
When someone says they don’t have the money . . .
August 24, 2010 by Barbara · 3 Comments
When someone tells you they don’t have the money to do something, it can mean many different things. This applies to all relationships, not only to prospective clients and customers.
They might mean, “I don’t have as much money as I used to, and that makes me afraid even though I still have enough.” Or, “I can’t pay the mortgage and my credit cards are maxed out. There is no cash.” Or they could be saying, “If I understood the value of your offering, it would become a priority, but so far it isn’t.”
How can we understand their meaning more clearly and know how to respond appropriately? Read more
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As a 25-year veteran of marketing professional services, Barbara Breckenfeld is a strategist and a storyteller. She helps helps businesses grow as a consultant, marketing coach, and seminar leader.
