Posts by mbaker
How to Use Connections As a Competitive Advantage
How to Use Connections As a Competitive Advantage It’s not what you know, but who you know. Sound familiar? Connections are—and have always been—a quick start to opportunity. In a world where customers can compare prices in seconds, scroll past ads without blinking, and research a business before ever making contact, relationships carry…
Read MoreYour Business Has Changed. Has Your Insurance?
Your Business Has Changed. Has Your Insurance? When you first opened your business, you probably checked a long list of boxes. Business license? Done. Website? Yep. Insurance? Handled. But here’s the thing about your businesses—you’re probably not the same business today as you were when you opened. Not if you’re successful. You’ve had to change,…
Read MoreHow to Harness the Power of Your Reviews to Increase Sales
How to Harness the Power of Your Reviews to Increase Sales A good review is a sales team member you didn’t have to train, pay, or gently remind to update the CRM. It’s also the most brilliant marketer you have. Hopefully you’re already collecting positive reviews. But it’s likely you read them, feel…
Read MoreNeed Money for Your Small Business?
Need Money for Your Small Business? Here’s What You Need to Know About SBA’s Patriot Pitch Competition The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched the Patriot Pitch Competition, a national pitch contest designed to spotlight innovative small businesses across the country. The competition includes a $1 million cash prize pool funded by Clover…
Read MoreAre You Accidentally Killing Your Business’ Unique Value Proposition?
Are You Accidentally Killing Your Business’ Unique Value Proposition? Are You Accidentally Killing Your Business’ Unique Value Proposition? Most businesses don’t lose their edge in one dramatic, cinematic moment. They lose it quietly. A tweak here. Following a trend there. A consultant recommendation that sounds smart but doesn’t fit. A few AI-generated ideas pasted into…
Read MoreHow to Turn One Happy Customer Into Three New Leads
How to Turn One Happy Customer Into Three New Leads Hopefully, your happiest customers are already doing some marketing for you. Maybe they’re mentioning your business to a neighbor or tagging you in a post. Perhaps they’ve told a friend, “You should call them.” The problem is that most small businesses leave those…
Read MoreOne of the Most Affordable (and effective!) Ways to Advertise Your Business
One of the Most Affordable (and effective!) Ways to Advertise Your Business Marketing gets expensive fast. Even social media, which used to be one of the cheapest avenues for exposure, requires paid placement these days. But while social media is still affordable, and targeting is pretty good, if you don’t choose your audience…
Read MoreSelling or Buying a Business? What You Need to Know!
Selling or Buying a Business? What You Need to Know! Selling or Buying a Business? What You Need to Know! “Successorship” or “successors in interest” are terms describing the takeover of one employer’s business by another, generally resulting from a change in ownership due to a purchase, acquisition, or merger. Both the predecessor (seller) and…
Read MoreSmart Ways to Use Summer Interns in Any Business
Smart Ways to Use Summer Interns in Any Business Summer is a great time to consider the advantage of temporary labor. You know that project you’ve been putting off? How about the organization structure you wanted to build? What about that technology trial? Or maybe there’s something you’ve been doing that could easily be managed…
Read More7 Ways to Capture Tax Refund Dollars This Month
7 Ways to Capture Tax Refund Dollars This Month Tax refund season creates a short spending window. The IRS writes that most refunds are issued within 21 days, and people can start checking status shortly after e-filing through the IRS refund tracker. In other words, your future customers are getting a little breathing room…
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