Collaborating our way into the future
October 29, 2010 by Barbara · 6 Comments
Architects and all their colleagues in the design and construction industry are professional collaborators. If they weren’t, buildings and structures would not get designed or built. Fifteen of us gathered yesterday for an Architects’ Forum sponsored through Biznik to discuss a few questions:
The economy has changed and so have the rules – but what are they changing to?
What is working right now?
What would really be possible if people in the same industry came together?
How can we support one another and enhance our individual businesses?
Collaboration is in the air these days. It is increasingly clear that solutions to many current problems are not likely to arise from a single person, but from people in community, collaborating to find new and different ways of being and doing. Architects have the skills and the mindset to solve problems together online or offline. Read more
Market research secrets, continued
August 13, 2010 by Barbara · 2 Comments
Here, in Part 2 of a post about market research, are several suggestions for ways to employ market research to strengthen your marketing no matter how small your business:
Ask your clients how you are doing. Be prepared with 4 – 6 questions. Be succinct. Be respectful of their time. Email or online surveys are too easy to ignore. To get the most nuanced information, telephone them and ask them if they’d be willing to spend 10 minutes answering your questions. Suspect they have an issue and won’t talk with you directly about it? Ask someone you know with good listening or interview skills to conduct the interview on your behalf. If you uncover a problem, act quickly to address it. Gather testimonials from satisfied clients to use on your web site or brochure. Remember that most of us love to give our opinion. Read more
Market research secrets: these powerful tools are not just for big companies
As I work with clients to develop their marketing messages and strategies, we arrive at the question of their clients’ needs, perceptions, or concerns. While some regularly survey their clients on a variety of topics, most smaller businesses don’t, in part because they don’t know how.
Many of us have participated in a focus group about a product or service, or agreed to partake in a telephone survey. When we use the term ‘market research’, this is often what comes to mind.
If you are a small business owner, you may be thinking, “What does market research have to do with my business?”
It has a lot to do with your business because there are many ways you can conduct this research on your own behalf, and it is very smart to do so. Read more
How small businesses use social media
July 21, 2010 by Barbara · Leave a Comment
No question that small businesses are embracing social media. If you wondered how many or which ones, here’s a good summary posted in March by Mashable’s Jennifer Van Grove:
How small business is using social media [STATS]
The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business looked at the relationship between social media and small businesses and found that the technology adoption rates in the U.S. have doubled in the past year from 12% to 24%. 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.
