Where else could I chat about Facebook’s domination, my upcoming book, “How to Start Your Business with $100,” dating, and super heroes? Only on Hubspot TV. What a riot. You guys have to check it out and tell me what you think. Thanks again to Hubspot, Mike Volpe (@MVolpe), Karen Rubin (@KarenRubin), and my new favorite a capella singer, Rebecca Corliss (@Repcor). I had a great time.
Entrepreneurs, small business owners and large corporations all have one social media basic in common: They all want to know how to measure it. Previously, I posted a social media metrics map and a post on the one metric that really counts when engaging your customers. If you or the company you work for is looking for case studies or reasons why you should time (and money) in social, please watch Erik Qualman’s Socialnomics video. It rocks. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Sounds ironic, huh? For me, the benefits of outsourcing menial tasks to other professionals are clear – outsourcing saves me time and allows me to work on more substantive projects. Outsourcing also utilizes someone else’s expertise, offering me professional-looking outputs. But of course, if outsourcing is not done correctly, it can lead to mayhem. The person to whom I’ve outsourced my work can go missing-in-action. The company to whom I’ve outsourced my presentation hasn’t gotten the final product to me by the deadline. That is why I, and many other entrepreneurs, have chosen to enlist the help of an outsourcing broker. Outsourcing brokers (the art of outsourcing brokerage is often referred to as Outsourcing Relationship Management or ORM. They serve as middlemen/women between you and the service provider. They can set entrepreneurs up with the right contractors to help ensure a good fit and to help manage the working relationship. They also help with any problems that might pop up. Outsourcing brokers can offer a great deal of comfort to the businesses that use their services. One outsourcing broker that believes small business can, and should, utilize outsourcing services is Janeeva™. Janeeva™ charges an up-front consulting fee, and gives their [...]
Entrepreneurs and/or those of you who are starting a business: You may not realize it but every Industry has an ebb and a flow. When your industry has a slow period, do you take advantage of it? If not, here are two ways when you can do just that: Surveys and polls – Use this time to see what your customers really want and need. Why not conduct one during the holiday sales season and announce the results during the slow week? You can even submit the polls and surveys to PR outlets. This way, you find out what your customers REALLY want AND you get PR out of it. Trends – Have you seen a trend these past few month? Was there something that flew off your shelves that you didn’t expect to? Look at your sales and reevaluate what you are offering your customers. Though these are small things, they can yield buid ROI’s for your company.
You’ve heard the saying that “people are a company’s greatest asset,” right? It’s true! Your company (no matter if you work from home or have a small business) is only as good as the people running it – on all levels. That is why is it vital to pick the right people. Even if you’re outsourcing your work. So, who are the right people? How do you know whether or not a person will work out? This answer varies from company to company. The first step is to sit down and look at your company’s long term goals. How is your company looking to grow? What are the qualities that you would like in your ideal employee? What skills and assets are absolutely essential for each employee to embody? Your answers will allow you to determine the qualifications you expect of your employees. For example, if expansion and growth are important, you may want employees who are flexible (because growth requires change), innovative (because growth requires creativity), and looking for advancement (because growth offers opportunities). If you want to specialize in a specific niche, you’ll need employees with specialized skills to match. If you’re trying to improve quality, hiring employees [...]
Are you looking for ways to hone your time management skills and have more freedom? I had the pleasure to meet the late Carnegie Mellon professor, Randy Pausch (author of The Last Lecture). He was a wealth of knowledge. Here is a wonderful Youtube video where he shows his tricks on gaining more time back.
I outsource a ton of things. As an entrepreneur it makes sense. As a strategist, my clients constantly ask if they can outsource their social media engagements (Here are some thoughts on ghost writing and blogging). Here are my thoughts. What are yours? I would love to hear from you. Feel free to post below, Tweet me, or Facebook me.
Many people I know are looking for financial freedom or to retire early. These are the same people who are loyal fans of Ramit Sethi and Tim Ferriss. Well, if you fall into that category, then I ask you: Who Are Your Top 5?
Your instincts are your best friend, whether you are a leader, working a 9 to 5 or a working from home entrepreneur. Check out my video about how to follow your instincts and let me know what you think.
Are you on Facebook? With “How to Start Your Business with $100” coming out soon, I wanted a place to give free business tips. Check out the Video and what I am thinking! Also, if you just want to check out the fan page: How to Start Your Business with $100 Promote Your Page Too
