Do Business Well

If you are a manager, you may want to try this exercise. On the left-hand side of a blank sheet of paper write down the names of the people who report to you in descending order of productivity, the most productive at the top, the least productive at the bottom. On the right-hand side, write down the same names, but this time in descending order of “time you spend with them,” the most time at the top, the least time at the bottom. Now draw straight lines joining the names on the left with the appropriate names on the right. Continue Reading »

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Types of Media

1. Direct mail. Direct mail can be very effective, though you’ll be fighting hard for attention in a medium that is saturated with highly sophisticated competition. What follows are some general rules for reaching a list of known customers, whether business to business or consumer:

A. Start with the envelope. Print something intriguing on the outside that will make your target curious about the contents. One mass mailer who sends our company at least two or three mailings per week puts “personal and confidential” on the envelope. It’s amazing, but folks are actually more likely to open that envelope first. Continue Reading »

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To create an image for my wholesale business, we constructed a four-hundred-square-foot bike shop on the floor of the show. It was complete with a brick facade exterior, shingle roof, display windows, and fully outfitted interior.

To draw attention in a show where the booths and product were becoming increasingly high-tech, we went against the trend. We built a four-booth island display to look like a circus. The product was displayed on a carousel. We had clowns handing out balloons with our name and phone number on them. Continue Reading »

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