Build a Stronger Business

Show Your Expertise, Don't Just Tell

2011-06-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

Instead of a book signing, you can use a demonstration of your technique or expertise like Tam Gerlach is doing when she kicks off her national tour in Philadelphia with a Radiant Body Stretch class.

Event management for Radiant Body Stretch Workshop

How could you demonstrate your expertise?
Come up with a way to show, not just tell, and you'll build a stronger business.

Do Good, Serve Well, Become Successful All in an Underserved Market

2010-12-16T15:43:00.001-05:00

Cater to a niche market for rewards on many levels. Dr. Kandor, founder and president of Enabling Devices, has used his background as a biomedical engineer to help him design toys for children with a range of special needs, according to “Toys for Disabled, Step 1: What Can a Child Still Do”, reported by Charkes in The New York Times,. As the number of children with special needs grows, the need for appropriate toys increases. Other toy companies, such as the New York-based Toy Industry Association are also beginning to acknowledge this trend. However, Dr. Kandor’s company is the only one in the field who solely creates toys for children with special needs. The company sells approximately 100,000 toys and devices per year to schools, institutions and families, while predicting revenues of $6 million for the 2006 fiscal year.

Finding an untapped market can build a stronger business.

Membership Has Its Benefits

2010-12-09T15:42:00.002-05:00

How can you show auxiliary benefits of being a customer? According to “For Card-Carrying Members, Lounging at the Mall” in The New York Times, The American Express Members Lounge, at the Mall in Short Hills, provided respite to holiday shoppers between November 7, 2006 and January 14, 2007. Ralph Andretta, senior vice president and general manager of membership rewards for American Express explained that “this [was] a test, our way of demonstrating why it’s important to keep that card in your wallet.” This was American Express’s first attempt at "customer-coddling,” outside a trade show venue. This way-station gives American Express members a second wind for shopping.

Build a stronger business by meeting the secondary needs of your clients.

Go Slightly Off the Beaten Path to Find Opportunities

2010-12-02T17:00:00.001-05:00

You can find terrific sources of movie reviews sites other than the greatgrandfather site, Internet Movie Database, aka IMDB. Here are three other movie review websites:

Rottentomatoes.com
Moviereviewintelligence.com
Metacritic.com

These sites are gathering momentum because they offer features that differ from the market leader, and you can take away a lesson in this strategy. When you are building a stronger business, understand what the competition is doing and find a way to differentiate based on an underserved market or overlooked feature that you can exploit to your advantage.

Reinvigorate Your Business to Grow It

2010-11-25T16:51:00.002-05:00

According to Patricia Ryan Madson, author of "Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up," an effective way to improve your business to take a fresh look at what and how you are doing in your business. Learn to work with situations that used to be interpreted as mistakes in a new light. Improv consultants can help alter a work environment by creating novel situations and encouraging individuals to react in new ways. This addition of humor and decrease of the fear of making mistakes can help reduce tension in the workplace. Ms. Madson and other improv consultants, including a team out of Portland, Ore., called On Your Feet (www.oyf.com), are hoping to create "a culture of yes." Developing a culture of yes can allow entrepreneurs to consider ideas that they previously may have discarded. Often "happy mistakes" can occur when one idea opens the door to another pathway of thinking. Robert Poynton, a co-founder of On Your Feet said "if anything, we know rather less about what is coming next, and how it will affect us, than our ancestors did," in "A Turtle and a Guitar Case: Improvisation and the Joys of Uncertainty." The On Your Feet site also refers to a "cool mistake," something seemingly negative that has a positive outcome when interpreted in a different light. As all business owners know, even the best made plans can fail. According to Ms. Madson, "improvisers avoid spinning their wheels because they see quickly what isn't working, or simultaneously, what might be successful that didn't occur to them at first. Improvisers, by definition, take risks and make mistakes, lots of them, but that's what leads them in fresh directions." Ms. Madson acknowledges that this change away from structured planning can be difficult; however, she suggests that this method can still help your business move forward. Mike Kwatinetz, a venture capitalist who is co-founder and general partner at Azure Capital Partners in Palo Alto, embraces improvisational thinking as a way to get companies moving. This way you are reacting to what is happening around you and making appropriate changes and improvements.

Build a stronger business by letting go of the future.

Understand First In Order to Motivate Yourself and Others

2010-11-18T16:45:00.002-05:00

According to Parker-Pope, in "In You Find the Motivation, Exercise Follows", in The New York Times, a Consumer Reports survey found that 40% of individuals who own home exercise equipment use then less than they expected. This is a massive population, considering consumers spend an estimated $4 billion on home exercise equipment, yearly. The purchase of home exercise equipment appears to influence whether people start an exercise regime, but research suggests that those with home exercise equipment are less likely to stick with an exercise program, over time. These studies are showing that ownership of personal is not the most important factor in sticking with an exercise plan; rather, self-efficacy is more influential. Self-efficacy is one's true belief that they have the ability to achieve their goals. The journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine reported that individuals who scored high on measures of self-efficacy were "nearly three times as likely to be exercising after a year as those with lower self-efficacy scores, whether or not they owned an exercise machine." Your ability to meet your own expectations was also shown in influence whether you stuck to your exercise plan.

Research has shown that individuals often fail to take these factors into account when they embark on a new exercise plan. David M. Williams, assistant professor at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, suggests the following to help increase your chance of sticking with an exercise plan:

work out with friends or family members
master an exercise
work with someone who motivates you (ex. a personal trainer)

These changes to your exercise plan can increase your confidence and improve your chance of continuing it. Along this line, Ravi Dhar, director of the Yale Center for Customer Insights and a professor of marketing and psychology, suggests that "'most goals we set for ourselves tend to be unrealistically high.'" Therefore, when one purchases a home exercise machine, they tend to focus only on the positive without taking the barriers into account, such as giving up spending time with friends or on the Internet. In a study of undergraduates, those who were guided in making decisions based in the reality of life were willing to spend less money for home exercise equipment, as they understood the disparity in their expectations and what they would more likely accomplish. It is important to understand the difference of an ideal setting and the actual life that you live. Kurt A. Carlson, assistant professor at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke, clarifies that "we're not telling people to stop buying treadmills. The question is how to get the right people to buy them. Everyone else should recognize they don't have the motivation, and take the money and use it on a personal trainer or something else that's going to get them motivated."

Build a stronger business by setting realistic expectations.

Avoid Looking for Excuses

2010-11-04T16:38:00.001-05:00

Do you find yourself always looking for an excuse when something goes wrong? According to Edward R. Hirt, a psychologist at Indiana University, "this is real self-sabotage, like drinking heavily before a test, skipping practice or using really poor equipment. Some people do this a lot, and often it's not clear whether they're entirely conscious of doing it - or of its costs." This type of self-sabotaging behavior was coined "self-handicapping" by psychologists Steven Berglas and Edward E. Jones, in 1978. According Dr. Hirt and other psychologists who have studied this tendency, this urge self-sabotage is more common in men than in women. Another study showed that if one thought that they had a good excuse for poor performance, they were predicted to have worse performance, since they could rationalize their execution. This phenomenon was studied by Dr. Dean McCrea, a psychologist at the University of Konstanz in Germany.

Build a stronger business by making commitments, not excuses.

Alternatives with Advantages

2010-10-21T16:35:00.000-05:00

Xylitol is a natural substance found in fruits (ex. raspberries). It only has 1/3 of the calories of sugar, but tastes similar. It is sold as a powder, approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a food additive, and harvested from birch wood or other natural substances. Items that utilize xylitol, such as sugar free gum or candy, can help one avoid sugar and therefore improve oral hygeine. Mutans streptococci is a bacteria that uses sugar to make energy. Lactic acid is released in this process, which can harm teeth by dissolving minerals. Xylitol does not feed these bacteria and can interfere with their funcitoning. The method in which this occurs is not fully understood. Jason Tanzer, a dentist and microbioligist at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Conn. suggests that the bacteria produce less lactic acid in the presence of xylitol. Other scientists believe that xylitol interferes with the bacteria's ability to adhere to teeth.

Build a stronger business by being aware of advantageous alternatives.

Buy a Movie and Load on Your Hard Drive

2010-10-07T16:32:00.001-05:00

Sites offering movies for sale:

* Movielink (owned by Warner Brothers, a unit of Time Warner; Sony Pictures, Universal; MGM; and Paramount, a unit of Viacom)
* CinemaNow (movies from Sony, MGM and Lions Gate)

Apple, Amazon.com and other sites are working to add downloadable movies to their sites.

Though downloading movies provides easy access, the process can be cumbersome. According to Hansell in "At Last, Movies to Keep Arrive on the Internet" in The New York Times, "'a movie will need about 1 gigabyte of hard-drive space and will take an hour or two to download using a high-speed internet connection.'" Additionaly, many of the movies have limited methods by which they can be watched. Other limitations include the downloads not having some of the features offered on DVDs (deleted scenes, bonus features and filmmaker interviews). These limitations concern industry executives since chain stores and Web retailers often discount movies below wholesale costs to gain customers; these low price items are known as "loss leaders." However, even with their limitations, about 400 films can currently be send to your hard drive.

Hotels Remembering Your Preferences to Gain Loyalty

2010-09-23T16:21:00.000-05:00

Ritz-Carlton:

* System: New database called "Mystique" catalogues employee observations about guests for all of the company's 60 hotels. Replaces an old system that couldn't share information as easily between hotels.
* Comment: Ritz doesn't ask guests to fill out a form - it instead relies on hotel staff to notice what guests like and dislike, and tailor services accordingly.

Marriott

* System: "Rewarding Welcome" system asks guests for their preferences in pillow type, bed type, room location, extra towels or refrigerator. It now shares the information with eight brands, and 2,600 hotels.
* Comment: Guests fill out a form to participate, so the system is entirely optional.

Hilton

* System: This year Hilton's guest recognition technology is being expanded to include in-room preferences, such as pillow, blanket, need for a crib or rollaway and early or late check in.
* Comment: In 2007, the hotel company hopes to roll out RFID-tagged cards for frequent guests to carry so that the hotel can track them around the property. Example: If the guest walks into the bar, the bartender can have his favorite drink ready before he has to ask. The company is also testing a way for its TVs to greet guests with a customized message when turned on.

Hyatt

* System: In April, Hyatt is rolling out an "e-concierge" system so that guests can tell the hotel in advance about their preferences for amenities life golf, spa and restaurants.
* Comment: Hyatt has a centralized guest history system that captures preferences like room type, amenity type, bed type and location near or far from an elevator. It has special codes employees can log into the system for preferences such as a guest who prefers grapefruit peeled and sliced in a certain way.

Starwood

* System: Starwood (which includes brands like W Hotels, Westin, and Sheraton) doesn't have a tracking system other than its Starwood Preferred Guest Loyalty program.
* Comment: The properties on its more luxurious end, like W, have internal guest-recognition systems. If a guest expresses a love for a certain sports team, the welcome desk will always provide that guest with a game schedule and a list of TV channels on which the team is playing. W asks guests if they want information about preferences to remain with one property, or expect it ot be honored throughout the chain.

Build a stronger business by paying attention to your customers and showing that they matter when they return.

Technology Tip: Synchronization

2010-09-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

SugarSync.com is used to replicate and synchronize files across various computers. SugarSync can also be used to backup files by having them saved to a source outside your computer. SugarSynch offers a 35 day free trial with 10 gigabytes of file storage. After the trial, the 10 gigabytes can be maintained for $25 a year. Five other storage plans exist from $50 a year for 30 gigabytes to $250 a year for 250 gigabytes.

High Price Doesn't Always Accompany High Quality

2010-08-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

Here's an example of someone who made a false start with e-marketing, reported in "Help With Your Business, Often Free, on the Web" in The New York Times. Jennifer Gordon, a Chicago based handbag designed attempted to promote her products through an e-mailed newsletter. However, she found that incorrect e-mail lists and outdated addresses led to undeliverable e-mail. Additionally, once a newsletter was sent out, she had not means of knowing if the document was ever opened.

Google Apps for Your Domain is a free group of web-based services. Small business owners can access tools to manage their website, as well as tool such as e-mail and instant messaging.

Numerous sites can also assist you with blogging. According to Ramon Ray, the publisher of smallbiztechnology.com, suggests that small business owners create blogs to increase Web rankings. Tools on blogger.com (owned by Google) and wordpress.com provide free assistance. Also, Typepad.com provides advanced blog features for $5/month. Another useful web tool allows numerous individuals to share and edit a document, kept on a company's server (Thinkoffice.org and zoho.com.)

Build a stronger business by using powerful tools readily available on the web.

Time is Relative

2010-08-12T16:11:00.001-05:00

A (theoretical) timetable of events around the world, gelaned from a variety of news sources:

Every 2 seconds someone in America requires a blood donation. (American Red Cross)
Every 6 seconds someone dies from tobacco use. (World Health Organization)
Every 6 seconds an Australian buys an item of clothing on eBay. (The Age)
Every 6 seconds someone is killed or injured on a road somewhere in the world. (Make Roads Safe)
Every 15 seconds the Large Synoptic Survey telescope in Chile photographs a section of the night sky. A complete panorama of the firmament is completed every three days. (The Guardian)
Every 25 seconds someone in the United States is burned or scalded in the home. (Health News Digest)
Every 26 seconds a student drops out of an American public high school. (America's Promise Alliance)
Every 30 seconds someone in the world commits suicide. (W.H.O.)
Every 30 seconds a child with birth defects is born in China. (China Daily)
Every 30 seconds someone in the world loses a limb as a consequence of diabetes. (U.S. News & World Report)
Every 35 seconds a child in the United States is reported neglected or abused. (KansasCity.com)
Every 45 seconds a plane takes off or lands at Heathrow Airport, London. (The Economist)
Every minute 1,000 people around the world sign up fr a cellphone. (TheStar.com)
Every minute 253 children are born into the world. (U.S.Census Bureau)
Every 4-8 minutes violent, profane, or sexual content appears during prime time "family hour" television programming. (Parents Television Council)
Every 8 minutes a woman in a developing country dies of complications from an unsafe abortion. (W.H.O.)
Every 15 minutes someone in Scotland has a heart attack. (British Heart Foundation)
Every 38 minutes Louisiana loses a football-field-sized portion of it s wetlands. (Science Daily)
Every hour & 44 minutes there is a case of "dowry death" in India. (The Guardian)
Every 2 hours someone in New Zealand fractures a hip. (Osteoporosis New Zealand)
Every 10 hours a driver with a suspended license crashes in Maine. (The Morning Sentinel)
Every Day more than 1.6 million blog posts appear online. (Technorati)
Everyday 6,800 are infected with H.I.V. (United Nations)
Every fortnight a language falls out of use. (The New York Times)
Every month 300 specialist nurses leave South Africa. (W.H.O.)
Every month the American government adds around 20,000 names to its terrorist watch lists. (A.C.L.U.)
Every month about 130 million rides are taken on the New York City subway. (M.T.A.)
Every year the average American eats nearly 200 pounds of meat, poultry and fish. (The New York Times)

Making Food Faster by Adopting High Tech Tools

2010-08-05T16:08:00.000-05:00

In "Making Fast Food Even Faster" (The New York Times), Fitzgerald examines the technical advances in the Fast Food industry. HyperActive Technologies, which uses artificial intelligence to predict customer flow, landed their first corporate customer, Zaxby's Franchising, a chain of 400 restaurants in Athens, Ga. in January 2007. It took four years to have a restaurant chain by their product. This is just one example that exemplifies the Fast Food industry's minimal adoption of new technologies.

However, restaurant technology companies are becoming more popular as "'it's the last $100 billion industry that still makes all its products by hand,'" according to r. Coulter, co-founder and chief scientist at HyperActive. Other companies are looking for new areas to access in the food service industry, such as "speed of service" and outside call centers to manage orders. New offerings, such as a wireless tabletop hub to improve table turnover provided by ESP Systems, are being assessed by restaurants.

Additionally, increased interest in new technologies does not always translate into implementation of them. The food industry is primarily focused on food quality and restaurant image. Roger C. Matthews Jr., head of the restaurant group at the investment banking unit of the Goldman Sachs Group, sats that this market is risk-averse as no restuarant can afford a computer failure at peak time. Additionally, other low-tech and low-cost alternatives are available, according to Ron Paul, president of Technomic, a food and restaurant industry consultant. More specifically, Neal E. Sessions III, director of information technology at Zaxby's says that "'the restaurant technology environment generally lags other industries by three to five years.'"

One way to build a stronger business is to take technologies you know and apply them to new industries.

Watch Your Root Canal as a Web Movie

2010-07-22T16:04:00.001-05:00

In "You've Had the Root Canal. Now See the Movie," in The New York Times, Eisenberg discusses the addition of internet movies to dental practice. Dr. Jerry Gordon, who directed and starred in "Root Canal Demonstration" shows his patients a root canal through a YouTube video. The video cost $2,000 to make and has been viewed 11,000 times in two months. Dr. Gordon's practice has grown due to the addition of the video. In 2006, 26 new patients found him on the Web before the video, compared to 68 afterwards. Other dentists, such as Dr. Kristy Vetter (www.drvettersmiles.com) have found the sheer act of opeing a website has increased new patients in the paractice, "'we've had three to five patients in the last month or so that came that way, instead of by referral.'" Dr. Vetter is also considering adding video clips to her website.

However, not all dentists believe that publicising videos of dental procedures is good practice: Dr. Roger P. Levin, cheif executive of the Levin Group, a dental consulting firm in Owings, md., remarks, "'I don't see videos of dental procedures on YouTube turning into much of a marketing tool, most people simply don't want to see how our procedures are done.'" Others, such as Julie Supan, YouTube's spokeswoman, see a rising trend in the viewing of on-line tutorials.

Educating your target market is a smart way to build a stronger business.

What Does Money Trigger for You?

2010-07-08T16:01:00.001-05:00

According to a journal article in Science, one's innate impulse does not encourage one to share, when thinking about money. Carey investiages this claim in "Just Thinking About Money Can Turn the Mind Stingy," in The Wall Street Journal. In an experiment involving 52 undergraduates, individuals who were primed to think about money worked on a difficult problem longer and were less likely ask for help or offer help. These "money thinking" students also placed themselves physically father from other people in a room (16 inches further apart). The researchers in this experiment suggest that the effect of money on people's interactions can be seen in everyday life, as those with finiancial resources often hire people instead of asking acquaintances for help. George Lowenstein, a professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, "'this study shows its pernicious side, how the pursuit of money can be isolating.'"

Build a stronger business by emphasizing beneficial aspects of your business other than money.

Think Outside the Box

2010-07-01T15:58:00.001-05:00

According to Delaney in "Google: From 'Don't Be Evil' to How to Do Good", in The Wall Street Journal, Google.Inc has engaged in a project which will merge the boundary between the profit and non-profit areas. In this $30 million proposal, efforts will be made to predict and prevent disease pandemics, increase the poor's access to public services, and create new jobs. They will also be joining other efforts to improve access to plug-in cars and renewable energy sources. According to the Foundation Center, these grants and proposals "make it larger than any in-house corporate foundation in the U.S." Both company and foundation resources are being utilized in this initiative. Other groups, such as eBay and Pierre Omidyar's Omidyar Network are also working to merger the profit and non-profit worlds.

Thinking outside the box and expanding your business's reach will build a stronger business.

Building Stronger Relationships Leads to Building a Stronger Business

2010-06-10T15:37:00.002-05:00

According to “A Society of Men, Sharing Faith, Concerns and Wisecracks,” reported by Steele in The New York Times, men are coming together for fellowship and companionship in groups such as The New Canaan Society. This group began in 1995 by Jim Lane, a former Goldman Sachs general partner. He was seeking meaning in his life and male companionship. This group began with eight man and now the weekly meetings range from 175-250 men in attendance. The men are providing comfort and support to each other, which many of the highly successful men feel are missing in their lives. The group helps men to combat the isolation they often feel in their lives. Fellowship builds a stronger business.

Just Because It's Popular Doesn't Make it Right to Bribe

2010-05-27T15:25:00.001-05:00

According to a study first reported in Transparency International and later referenced in Winik's article, "World's Top Bribe-Payers", in Parade Magazine, the following nations’ businessmen were the most likely to offer bribes when conducting international business:

India
China
Russia
Turkey
Taiwan
Malaysia
South Africa
Brazil
Saudi Arabia
South Korea

The Swiss and the Swedes were the least likely to offer bribes.

Build a stronger business through ethical behavior.

Help with Understanding Business Language

2010-05-20T15:21:00.001-05:00

Business Lingo Explained - www.begent.org/lingo.htm
The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary - www.theofficelife.com/business-jargon-dictionary-A.html
The MBA Jargon Index - www.johnsmurf.com/jargon.htm
Dilbert - www.dilbert.com

Quotes

2010-05-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

Life is a series of commas, not periods.

Matthew McConaughey in Details

A person without regrets is a nincompoop.

Mia Farrow in the New York Times

Being an icon is overblown. Remember, as icon is moved by a mouse.

William Shatner in Esquire

Travel Savings Tips for Entrepreneurs

2010-04-22T15:13:00.001-05:00

Airlines

Prices will stay low on common destinations, due to carrier competition.
Search sites that connect you to many other sites, such as farechase.com, kayak.com, mobissimo.com and Sidestep.com.
You can save money buy buying a ticket directly from the airline's site.
Bring anything you will want for the flight to prevent yourself from paying for things you already have.
Keep you luggage within the airline's guidelines to avoid paying extra fees.
Look into online agents. Sites such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity may charge a small fee; however, they commit to helping you if something goes wrong with your travel plans.
Earn points through various programs to use towards awards at a later time.

Car Rental

Orbitz provides a fast car booking experience.
Understand what your personal insurance covers on a rental car. Consider paying with a Visa card, as all cars rented with this card will be covered.
Do a thorough examination of the car before taking it off the lot for dents. Photograph the car when you return it. This will provide proof of the condition the car was returned in.
Avoid pre-paying for gas through the rental office. This will cost you more than filling the car yourself, unless you return the car on "empty."
Enjoy renting an exciting car, such as the vehicles in Hertz's "Fun Collection."

Cruises

Pay the full bill as early as possible. If you wait, you may incur extra charges, such as a fuel-related surcharge (up to $10 a day).
Check with a travel agent about repositioned ships. These have had to change their itineraries, usually due to weather, and therefore reduce their prices.
Make sure your trip is covered with cancellation insurance.
Hipper ships and low nightly rates can often be found at EasyCruise.

Hotels

Calling a hotel at the last minute, or looking into Hotwire.com or Priceline.com may allow you to access prices below the initial published rates.
Some hotel rooms, such as the Conrad London and select W Hotels, are coming equipped with am IPod docking station.

Rail

Amtrak offers a free companion fare for a parent and a child who is college-hunting. Visit collegevisit.com/amtrak/.

Miscellaneous

Carry the $3 Tide to Go stain remover pen to help stains disappear on the spot.
Join a travel club with will gain you access to free upgrades, spa visits, and luxury trips.
Research Rainforestalliance.org to learn about environmentally friendly trips.
Trackitback.com offers a services where by affixing a sticker (from the company) to your items, the company with cover the cost of having your items returned you to.

Build a stronger business by using tips that make you and your budget go further.

Let Go of Aggravations is a Way to Increase the Quality of Your Life and Business

2010-04-08T15:06:00.002-05:00

You can easily improve your life by limiting the amount of useless purchases and aggravations you allow into your life. The following items are just a few that clutter up your life, with suggestions on how to limit them:

Calls from telemarketers - Gain back your time by registering with the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov (888-382-1222).
Antibacterial soap - Scientists have proven that antibacterial soap is no more effective than regular soap. A good, 20-30 second, lather with any soap is effective.
ATM fees - Search out places that do not charge you an ATM fee. For instance, Citibank does not charge its customers to use other back's ATMs, Wawa does not add a surcharge, and many grocery stores and drugstores do not change you to take out cash when you are using your debit card for a purchase.

What else can you eliminate to free up your time and energy? Make these decisions to build a stronger business.

Humor and Wit Have A Place in Building a Stronger Business

2010-04-01T15:00:00.001-05:00

With the national landscape swiftly changing, even the "water cooler" discussions about the prior evening's television-viewing have heated up from rehashing season premieres or the weather to highly-contested political debates and controversial government bailouts. Rich Masters, a specialist in teaching people how to prepare for televised talk shows, has several suggestions for keeping a cool head during these possibly heated discussions.

"Zing it!" Have one or two "zingers" ready, quotes that can help you break the ice or clinch the conversation. Think like Jon Stewart...have something amusing and memorable to add to the discussion that supports your argument.
"Don't Squawk Alone" Having someone like-minded to "jump in" gives you a chance to collect your thoughts.
"Give in-- a little" Don't be afraid to concede a smaller point to win the larger argument. Besides being agreeable can throw your opponent off-guard as well.
"Stay Calm and Polite" As Masters explains "If you are smiling it will leave the person with a positive impression." And luckily they cannot hear your thoughts.

Remember injecting humor into a situation with a pithy saying or a witty retort, maintaining relationships with like-minded people, being willing to concede on the small stuff, and remembering to take conflict in stride will help you maintain relationships as you build a stronger business.

Reflexive Reactions Happen in a Flash

2010-03-25T14:11:00.002-05:00

Why do some people seem to sneeze every time they walk out into bright sunlight? According to a new study reported in The Wall Street Journal in February, it's because one in four people have a "photic sneeze reflex". This reflex, caused by an extra-sensitive visual cortex, triggers the tendency to sneeze when suddenly exposed to sunlight or other bright light.

In business, you sometimes encounter strong, unexpected reactions when dealing with people, both inside and outside your company.

Build a stronger business by recognizing that some of the people you deal with have reflexive responses you may not experience yourself.

Is Social Media Valuable for Entrepreneurs?

2010-03-18T08:15:00.001-05:00

It may seem like a no-brainer: these days, businesses should use social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter as part of their marketing strategy. As reported in The Wall Street Journal, in 2009 social-media adoption by businesses with fewer than 100 employees doubled to 24% from 12%. If you're not addicted to social networking yourself, you're bound to know plenty of people who are.

But social media may not be as useful as we think. A survey of 500 small-business owners found that just 22% made a profit last year from promoting their firms this way. A lot of time and energy can go into maintaining the company's presence on social sites, and rewards in sales - if they come - can be slow to arrive. Indeed, using social media "could harm you if you end up inadvertently saying something stupid, offensive or even grammatically incorrect," says Larry Chiagouris, professor of marketing at Pace University's Lubin School of Business.

In order to see benefits from this kind of marketing, you have to be patient, dedicated, and consistent. Stephen Bailey, of John Fluevog Boots & Shoes Ltd., says his company saw a 40% increase in online sales in 2009, the first full year they consistently engaged in social media marketing. There are several free services available to help companies track Web traffic from social media sites, including Hootsuite, Google Analytics, CoTweet, and Lodgy.

For some businesses, social media makes sense. Like everything else, though, it's not a silver bullet. Build a better business by using a smart marketing mix.

Business Schools Tap Veterans' Potential

2010-02-20T08:11:00.000-05:00

There's a growing effort among business schools to attract former military members into their MBA programs. Veterans are often prized for their leaderships skills and alternative perspective. In addition, "they've been responsible for lives, which brings a gravitas to classroom discussion," says Deirdre Leopold, director of admissions at Harvard Business School. Harvard, which relies on students' personal experiences to drive the school's case study method, reports that veterans comprise 3% of the class of 2011.

Even though business schools are seeking them out, veterans often have trouble paying MBA tuition, which can cost upwards of $150,000 for two years. As a result, schools have started offering large scholarships, often in partnership with the government. An increase in government funding through the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and the Yellow Ribbon Program, which gives a lump sum payment to each student beyond the GI Bill's offer, have also helped.

The same qualities that make veterans attractive to business schools have also caught the attention of corporate recruiters. "They automatically know how to work in a team and they have respect," says Stacy Blackman, an M.B.A. admissions consultant and president of Stacy Blackman Consulting in Los Angeles. Bill Brenton, director of the leverage finance group at Credit Suisse Group, says a recent internal study found that employees with military backgrounds tend to be very successful, often due to a sense of discipline and ability to build camaraderie.

Build a stronger business by utilizing people with transferable skills from non-traditional backgrounds.

Can Love Be a Science?

2010-02-09T08:22:00.000-05:00

Is true love a science? Plenty of online dating sites say it is. Chemistry.com, which features a questionnaire developed by a biological anthropologist, is supposedly designed to predict a couple's compatibility based on traits of temperament and on brain chemistry. ScientificMatch.com, goes several steps further: they aim to use genetic testing to create that now-not-so-magical romantic chemistry (cheek swabbing kit, DNA processing, and a criminal and bankruptcy background check are all included in the $1,995.95 lifetime membership).

Both sites are an extension of the idea eHarmony.com originally developed, which suggests that certain areas of compatibility – like values and important experiences – are solid predictors of relationships success. "In the long haul, you want to be able to manage conflicts, celebrate positives and get through the day-to-day relationship. Our system is there to take care of that so you can now focus on who you find really attractive, that you feel really passionate about, says Gian Gonzaga, eHarmony's senior director of research and development.

Online dating is a $976 million annual industry in the U.S., according to estimates from the research firm Marketdata Enterprises. Sites like Chemistry.com and eHarmony are building brand identity when they target people who are looking for relationships instead of just dating. In turn, they are able to charge more per subscriber.

Creating a positive business relationship with your customers and partners also involves managing conflicts, celebrating wins, and making progress through day-to-day issues.

Build a stronger business by being aware of how you structure and maintain your business relationships and being open to constructive feedback.

A New Way to Pay

2010-02-03T08:14:00.000-05:00

If you're ten years old, you can't use your own credit card to buy dog food at the local store. But now you can buy digital dog food for a online pet in much the same manner - using Kwedit. As reported in The New York Times, a new payment option has just become available to anyone, no matter how young they are. In the new system, a "Kwedit Promise" is used to buy items in games by FooPets and Puzzle Pirates. The items can be paid off later using a regular credit or debit card; with cash sent in a provided mailer; or by printing a barcode, taking it to your local 7-Eleven, and paying cash there.

FooPets, which has over a million active members and signs up 20,000 to 25,000 new members each day, lets users adopt lifelike digitally animated pets and then buy virtual goods for them - everything from a bag of puppy chow for $3 to a bungalow for $333 - using Kwedit. "Buy now, pay later" is always a seductive marketing tool. Users are encouraged to pay the actual funds they owe by the fact that they accrue a Kwedit score, similar to a regular credit score, and more Kwedit is extended to each user based on his or her history of repayment. But since the marginal cost of virtual goods is negligible, there's no serious risk of major financial loss if the promise is not repaid.

Like FooPets and similar systems - considered "nurturing games" that encourage responsibility and other adult lessons - Kwedit is a way to introduce young people to important ideas in a relatively safe environment.

You can build a stronger business by applying the "nurturing games" concept to your customer service.

Quotes for the Day

2010-01-20T10:24:00.000-05:00

A few great quotes for the day:

"Life is a series of commas, not periods."

Matthew McConaughey in Details

"A person without regrets is a nincompoop."

Mia Farrow in New York

"Being an icon is overblown. Remember, an icon is moved by a mouse."

William Shatner in Esquire

Keep Your Mind Sharp...Surf the Web

2010-01-12T14:17:00.001-05:00

Recent research presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience suggests that surfing the Web may help your brain function better. The study looked at the brain activity of adults ages 55 to 78, half of whom used the internet daily and half of whom were first-time users. Participants had their brain scanned, spent an hour a day for a week performing internet searches, then had their brain scanned again. At the first scan, first-time internet users showed significantly less activity in brain areas involved with working memory and decision-making. But at the end of the week, their brain patterns closely matched those of the experienced internet users.

Given these findings, the researchers suggest that online searching can be used as a brain exercise for older adults, and posited that doing so might even delay the onset of dementia.

Build a better business by strengthening your mind. Take a step in this direction today to build momentum.

Making Web Site that Fit Your Phone

2009-12-04T08:21:00.000-05:00

Companies are increasingly turning to Web communities to build their brand, provide customer service, and unveil new products. Online forums, which often allow costumers to address a problem before they have to call a service line, have saved millions of dollars in deflected calls. A unique challenge is arising for these companies, however, as more and more people choose to access the Web on their mobile phones. Web sites created for computers usually don't load as well onto phones, so many companies, including Hewlett-Packard, are discussing ways to build new Web sites specifically for wireless users. "We definitely have work to do to get our Web site mobile friendly, [and] we know our customers want it," says Lois Townsend, H-P's directory of community.

There's an upside to creating content for cellphones, however: it provides a greater opportunity to be interactive with customers. Lithium Technologies Inc., plans to create a platform this year through which companies can draw feeds from services like Facebook and Twitter onto their own sites. It will work on any phone. Phillip Soffer, Lithium's vice president of product marketing, says that "because the community is active and based on addictive behavior, it's the kind of thing that works well on mobile phones." Other companies are also seeking to bring large corporate sites to the mobile Web. Jive Software Inc., which currently powers communities for companies like Nike, is working with a program designed specifically for the iPhone. In focusing on smart-phone users, Jive is hoping to tap customers with a desire for deeper functionality.

Build a stronger business by building and cultivating an online community that's as convenient as a cell phone.

Welcome Your New Hires

2009-10-22T14:20:00.001-05:00

Although simply finding someone great to fill an open position in your company can seem like the most critical part of hiring, it's equally important to smooth the transition and make sure new hires are able to hit the ground running. Karen Lawson, author of "New Employee Orientation Training" and president of Lawson Consulting Group Inc. in Landsdale, PA, offers these tips for managers:

Inform your staff of the new hire, even with a simple email. Informal meetings or memos can help ease tension and let everyone know how the new employee's responsibilities will dovetail with their own.
Make sure the new hire has a space to call their own from day one, so they feel welcome and settled. Don't leave the arrangements until the last minute, since they can take longer than you anticipate.
Take the time to greet new employees in person and show them the ropes. The first impression is critical. "This is not something that can be delegated," says Ms. Lawson. "It really sets the tone." It's also a good idea to keep the office's social network in mind. Assigning a "buddy" on the hire's level and pointing out who runs the office sports team can make the new hire feel more connected right away.
Help the new hire feel familiar with your office culture by taking the time to mention the unwritten rules, like the need to clean out the coffee pot or where bosses tend to congregate.
Sit down with your new employee to set clear short- and long-term plans. Management's expectations should be clear from the beginning, as should review processes. Ms. Lawson recommends weekly meetings for the first month or so: "Bringing an employee on board is a process that needs to take place over weeks and months. It's not just a one-time event."

Build a better business by preparing for new hires so they can get oriented quickly.

Investing in Your People

2009-09-13T14:13:00.000-05:00

As reported by Barry Meier in The New York Times, a set of internal marketing documents disclosed in the Fall of 2009 shows that the company Medtronic, a producer of medical devices, definitely had its own best interests in mind. The document showed revenue projections calculating how much the company could get back by paying for training fellowships for doctors. The answer? Up to 200%.

Although the direct-fund training program has since come under ethical scrutiny, it shows that, in terms of your bottom line, you can build a stronger business by investing in your people.

Our Environment's Unacknowledged Influence

2009-09-09T14:22:00.001-05:00

We all let social cues from the people we eat with inform our own portion size. A recent study at the University of British Columbia, however, shows that even the body type of the other person eating has an effect on our choices. Study participants were asked to serve themselves some M&Ms before settling down to watch a video. A researcher posing as another participant took M&Ms first; though the amount taken by this confederate was always the same, the confederate was sometimes a size zero and sometimes a size sixteen. The results:

2.05 ounces of candy were taken by subjects when the nearby eater was obese.
2.62 ounces of candy were taken by subjects when the nearby eater was thin.

Build a stronger business by being aware of your environment.

Everybody's a Movie Critic

2009-06-16T08:24:00.000-05:00

Here are some great movie review websites that allow user input:

Rottentomatoes.com
Moviereviewintelligence.com
Metacritic.com

The New Style of Business Training

2009-04-17T08:18:00.000-05:00

Before the recession, companies often sent their star managers to executive training programs held at business schools around the country. With budgets in the hundreds of millions, top professors, and a generous schedule, these programs usually focused on general leadership development, rather than company-specific problems.

Now, however, companies are searching for cheaper alternatives with a more immediate impact. "Companies are asking for external experts to come in and do something very specific," says Josh Brand, a former senior director of executive education at Babson College and co-founder of Freemont Learning, Inc., an executive development firm. In a time of economic uncertainty, the focus has shifted to moving the company - not just the individual - forward.

As a result, executive-education consultancies are scrambling to create customized programs that provide managers with the skills to weather the downturn and come out on top. "When you have trained leaders in bad economic times, it makes a world of difference," says Tim Bray, vice president and chief learning officer for Quintiles Transnational Corporation. And it's the consulting firms, rather than business schools, that are able to offer the flexibility and support companies are looking for. In addition, web-based courses, traditionally offered to middle management, are now being used for top-level executives as well. The Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC, has even started offering ready-to-use courses that, while less specific than an on-site visit, cost a fraction of the price.

This trend is a good one; you can build a better business by offering your management team focused training and education to achieve specific outcomes.

10 Steps. 3 Areas. Emerge from Recession with Success.

2008-12-05T06:01:00.001-05:00

Want to emerge from the recession with your organization ready for success? Then The Forum Corporation says they have the answer for you -- 10 steps spanning financials, people, and climate.

“By looking at past recessions we’ve identified 10 steps that can make the difference between success and failure in managing through our current downturn, and they all come back to leadership,” said Ed Boswell, CEO of The Forum Corp. “Following these steps will be particularly valuable in organizations that are undergoing cost-cutting and layoffs, which challenge managers to do more with less.”

The 10 steps recommended are as follows:

Financials

Move quickly to reduce costs and control spending by narrowing focus. Winners in a downturn focus on a few critical priorities where they can develop a clear lead, and they walk away from bad business. Losers chase unprofitable sales in an attempt to hold their top line.
Refrain from across-the-board cutbacks, being sure to preserve areas that customers value most. Businesses that uniformly cut costs often find that they end up damaging their ability to sell and deliver their products and services. How do you find out what customers value most? Ask them.
Consider alternatives to layoffs. Downsizing tends to bolster the bottom line and stock price in the short term, but often creates long-term negative repercussions. Alternative strategies include cutting management bonuses, freezing salaries and reducing compensation options. It’s critical to clearly communicate the rationale and impact to employees.
Invest in opportunity. A bad economy can present bargains, both in new assets and in new talent. Good areas to invest in are R&D, marketing and customer-perceived quality. By contrast, investing in working capital, manufacturing and administration doesn’t pay off as well.

People
Retain and develop top talent. High-impact workers are often more susceptible to being poached by a competitor in a downturn. Organizations that provide development experiences and rotational assignments have better employee retention rates.
Make sure everyone’s on the same page. When alignment on key goals is absent, performance suffers, according to studies on strategy execution. Top leaders frame an agenda and meet with key stakeholders to gain support and build commitment to overarching goals and values. Ineffective leaders let inter-office politics fester and hidden agendas dominate.
Encourage questions and new ideas by making it safe for employees to raise them. Leaders who admit they don’t have all the answers and ask for input empower their people to contribute their best ideas.

Climate
Manage the heat. Leaders are often tempted in difficult times to relieve the organization’s stress by making unilateral, tough decisions. That’s often a mistake. Leadership by dictate often doesn’t take because it lacks a broad base of support, and it often eliminates constructive conflicts that challenge the status quo and fuel good decision-making.
Communicate authentically. Strong leaders acknowledge the challenges they struggle with and, by doing so, build trust among followers. Rather than being a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength.
Create a positive vision and attitude that acknowledges reality. Businesses at the top of their markets often fall while “sleeper” companies sometimes jump to the top in a tough economy. When leaders exercise discipline and focus by mobilizing employees to respond to customers’ interests and values, they increase the chance that, when the downturn ends, they’ll come out on top.

Engage your managers to discuss and adopt these steps in your organization and you'll build a stronger business even in the toughest of economies.

The Pursuit of Happiness for Entrepreneurs

2008-11-18T06:05:00.000-05:00

Experts validate what successful people already do by making effective choices both at home and at work. Consider these 6 tips and to what degree you're employing these in your life, especially as we approach the holiday season:

Relishing the Day. Beware of "hedonistic adaptation," hold on to accomplishments for as long as you can. Celebrate career accomplishments by going out to dinner and have pictures and souvenirs from trips - these will help you remember them longer. According to David Schkade, a management professor at the University of California at San Diego, "'when something good happens, you want to find a way to hold on to it for longer.'"
Dodging traffic. According to Andrew Oswald, an economics professor at England's Warwick University, "'lack of control is what tends to induce stress in human beings.'" People find it difficult to commute since they can never rely on traffic. Therefore, Oswald recently moved closer to his office, cutting him commute from 60 minutes to 20 minutes.
Seeing friends. Surveys suggest that time spent with family and friends is among our happiest times. Richard Easterlin, an economics professor at the University of Southern California comments, "'Earlier on, I tended to sacrifice my family time to try and push research ahead. I do that much less now. Going out to dinner with family for me is always an enjoyable experience.'"
Buying memories. Spend your time on memorable experiences. Professor Alan Krueger, a Princeton University economics professor, recalls taking his father to the 2001 Super Bowl as an example.
Limiting options. Limiting your choices may help you be more content with your decision. Professor Gilbert of Harvard University comments that those who were the happiest with their choices were "'those for whom the choice was irrevocable. When options are open, the mind generates debate. When options are closed, the mind generates satisfaction.'"

Really successful entrepreneurs not only build a stronger business, but do things that lead to greater personal satisfaction.

Stay Calm to Maintain Good Health

2008-10-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

According to the article "If You Keep your Cool, You may Heal Faster" in the New York Times, a new study finds that people who are stressed and have trouble controlling their temper may take longer to heal from an injury.

Researchers from Ohio State university say cortisol, a hormone related to stress, seems to interfere with the healing process. The 100 participant study led by Jean-Phillipe Gouin, appears in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. Researchers focused on anger and identifying which patients were more likely to keep angry feelings to themselves and which ones expressed their feelings. They made a blister on each partipant's arm and covered it with plastic to see how long it healed. Those who expressed anger in a controlled fashion and those who did not express it healed quicker. Hot heads were about 4 times more likely to take more time to heal.

Another reason to keep your cool.

Close A Few Doors

2008-09-18T12:58:00.000-05:00

Keeping too many options open is not always the best idea, according to "The Advantages of Closing A Few Doors" article in the New York Times. In the third century B.C. Xiang Yu, who took his troops across the Yangtze River, performed an experiment in decision making by crushing his troops pots and burning their ships. He explained this was to focus them on moving forward. In a series of experiments at MIT, students played a game that paid cash to look for money behind three doors on the screen. (you can play yourself, without pay, at tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com) Students were allotted 100 clicks and once they opened a door with the click of the mouse, each subsequent click earned a varying sum of money. The students could switch rooms to search for higher payoffs but each switch used a click. The best strategy was to quickly check all three rooms and stay in the one with the highest rewards.

A new feature was soon introduced to the students which baffled the students. If they stayed out of any room the door would shrink and eventually disappear. Instead of ignoring the shrinking doors, the students wasted time rushing back to reopen those doors that their earnings dropped 15%. The penalties for opening the shrinking doors increased (a cash fee was assessed) they still frantically attempted to keep all the doors open.

Another feature was added-the players had the option of making the door reappear at no cost if it had disappeared yet they still persisted on frantically preventing the door from disappearing. The players would probably say they were fixated with keeping their doors open because they wanted to try and keep their future options open. Dr. Ariely disagrees. They did not care about maintaining flexibility in the future; instead, they were motivated by the desire to avoid the immediate pain of watching a door close.

"Closing a door on an option is experienced as a loss, and people are willing to pay a price to avoid the emotion of a loss" says Dr. Ariely. The cost in the game was lost cash; however, the costs in life can be wasted time, missed opportunities which are less obvious.

Since conducting the experiments Dr. Ariely has made a conscious effort to cancel projects and give away his ideas to colleagues. He suggests we should resign from committees, prune holiday card lists, rethink hobbies and remember the lessons of door closers like Xiang Yu.

Sometimes you've got to say "no" instead of "yes" to build a stronger business.

Please Fire Me

2008-07-14T12:14:00.000-05:00

Here is a letter from a frustrated customer featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

Sprint Nextel, you win. Please fire me. I am very upset that I was not included in your recent firing of customers who called your customer service too often to complain. Why not me? I have spent countless hours every month calling to have my bill adjusted. I have called your customer service more than my friends and family. You should have a plan that offers 10,000 minutes for customer service and 1,000 minutes for friends and family.

I beg you, please release me, let me go. You don't need me anymore. I am a bad customer like thousands of others and deserve to be terminated. Thank you.
Tom Froschle Ridley Park

When customers feel frustrated and unable to communicate with someone who can make a difference, they resort to sarcasm and cynicism.

Pay attention to customer feedback when building a stronger business and you'll avoid PR nightmares like this one.

Customer Service Experience

2008-06-17T12:18:00.000-05:00

A reader of the The New York Times submitted the following letter about a recent experience with customer service:

Dear Diary:

While I was waiting for the L train at Union Square, a performer started singing the Beatles hit: "All My Loving," with just one problem:

Close your eyes and I'll miss you
Tomorrow I'll kiss you....

After he finished I dropped a dollar in his guitar case and told him I thought the lyrics went:

Close your eyes and I'll kiss you
Tomorrow I'll miss you...

He shook his head, smiled, and said, "I knew it didn't sound right." He then reached down into his guitar case and gave me back my dollar.

A.J. Jerome

Does a street musician have you beat in delivering customer service?

Being responsive and collaborative with your customers is a sure way to build a stronger business.

What's Happening Now Around the World

2008-05-20T09:16:00.001-05:00

Did You Ever Wonder About...?

A (theoretical) timetable of events around the world, gleaned from a variety of news sources:

Every 2 seconds someone in America requires a blood donation. (American Red Cross)
Every 6 seconds someone dies from tobacco use. (World Health Organization)
Every 6 seconds an Australian buys an item of clothing on eBay. (The Age)
Every 6 seconds someone is killed or injured on a road somewhere in the world. (Make Roads Safe)
Every 15 seconds the Large Synoptic Survey telescope in Chile photographs a section of the night sky. A complete panorama of the firmament is completed every three days. (The Guardian)
Every 25 seconds someone in the United States is burned or scalded in the home. (Health News Digest)
Every 26 seconds a student drops out of an American public high school. (America's Promise Alliance)
Every 30 seconds someone in the world commits suicide. (W.H.O.)
Every 30 seconds a child with birth defects is born in China. (China Daily)
Every 30 seconds someone in the world loses a limb as a consequence of diabetes. (U.S. News & World Report)
Every 35 seconds a child in the United States is reported neglected or abused. (KansasCity.com)
Every 45 seconds a plane takes off or lands at Heathrow Airport, London. (The Economist)
Every minute 1,000 people around the world sign up fr a cellphone. (TheStar.com)
Every minute 253 children are born into the world. (U.S.Census Bureau)
Every 4-8 minutes violent, profane, or sexual content appears during prime time "family hour" television programming. (Parents Television Council)
Every 8 minutes a woman in a developing country dies of complications from an unsafe abortion. (W.H.O.)
Every 15 minutes someone in Scotland has a heart attack. (British Heart Foundation)
Every 38 minutes Louisiana loses a football-field-sized portion of its wetlands. (Science Daily)
Every hour & 44 minutes there is a case of "dowry death" in India. (The Guardian)
Every 2 hours someone in New Zealand fractures a hip. (Osteoporosis New Zealand)
Every 10 hours a driver with a suspended license crashes in Maine. (The Morning Sentinel)
Every day more than 1.6 million blog posts appear online. (Technorati)
Every day 6,800 are infected with H.I.V. (United Nations)
Every fortnight a language falls out of use. (The New York Times)
Every month 300 specialist nurses leave South Africa. (W.H.O.)
Every month the American government adds around 20,000 names to its terrorist watch lists. (A.C.L.U.)
Every month about 130 million rides are taken on the New York City subway. (M.T.A.)
Every year the average American eats nearly 200 pounds of meat, poultry and fish. (The New York Times)

Prosperity Made Easy with YouTube

2008-04-18T13:22:00.002-05:00

"Using YouTube For Prosperity" in the Wall Street Journal explains that many senior citizens are seeking to preserve their legacy through videos showcasing their famous recipes or hobbies, on YouTube.

Seniors ages 65 and older are the fastest growing segments of the online population, according to Jupiter Research. 39% of all seniors in the U.S. will regularly access the Internet by the end of 2007.

By 2010, half of the U.S. senior population is expected to be online. In response, Internet companies are launching services targeted at older online viewers.

Some grandchildren in their 20's are intimidated by the process of creating an online video so it is not surprising that grandparents are seeking their help with this process. Millie Garfield, 81, decided to feature herself in a series of videos documenting her son's pet peeves -- namely, her persistent requests for his helping opening coffee cans, rethreading dental floss, or opening tightly sealed bottles. Her son has helped her film and post the series on a blog, Mymomsblog.blogspot.com and on YouTube.

When you open your experiments up to the general public, like Google has done with YouTube and Blogspot, you find uses that you might never have imagined within your own company. When you spot trends like this, you gain the opportunity to build a stronger business.

Listen, Then Speak

2008-04-18T12:40:00.002-05:00

In The New York Times article, "Read My Ears", Thomas Friedman explains why President Bush needs to do less talking and more listening, particularly when visiting Europe.

After George Bush's image in Europe became severely damaged as a result of the Iraq war and U.S. Foreign Policy, Friedman suggests that his priority to Europe should be listening to their complaints, rather than making speeches.

Friedman suggests that only once he hears and understands Europeans' view of America as a once welcoming, optimistic country turned into a hostile, aggressive one, should Bush consider speaking.

Even the most experienced of us can make mistakes.

Listening to customer complaints with an open mind, is an essential part of building a stronger business.

Business Tips TV Launches

2008-04-18T11:45:00.002-05:00

An Easy Way to Replicate Files

2008-04-05T09:05:00.000-05:00

SugarSync.com is used to replicate and synchronize files across various computers, and also can also help you backup files by having them saved to a source outside your computer. SugarSynch offers a 35 day free trial with 10 gigabytes of file storage. After the trial, the 10 gigabytes can be maintained for $25 a year. Five other storage plans exist, from $50 a year for 30 gigabytes to $250 a year for 250 gigabytes.

Outsourcing Chutzpah

2008-03-13T13:11:00.001-05:00

The article "Calling In The House Therapist" in The New York Times recommends hiring a coach to get through the remodeling process. Ms. Lund and Mr. Coccoluto selected an architect whom they felt was most qualified to renovate their 1820's colonial-style farmhouse; however, the architect wanted to place the garage doors at the back of the house which would cost more and make the backyard smaller and the homeowners preferred the garage doors on the side of the home.

The homeowners consulted with Bruce Irving, a remodeling coach who helps homeowners negotiate the challenges of renovation. He recommended they talk about their feelings with the architect so as to prevent ending up with a home that would make them feel uncomfortable.

They did so and expected her to grow angry but instead she quickly agreed with the change and redid the blueprints within ten days.

"Bruce gave us the chutzpah to tell our architect what we wanted," said Ms. Lund. "Sometimes you need someone to tell you that, because we're so used to internalizing our emotions. He's almost like having a house therapist."

Renovating a home can be a difficult and frustrating task so it's not surprising that coaches like Mr. Irving are proliferating. Remodeling coaches act more like marriage counselors than like building consultants, and, like therapists, they are best when brought in as early as possible.

They can help homeowners figure out what they want in a renovation and make sure the project is actually carried out properly. In the past only multi-million dollar jobs had project managers btu with the housing boom and growth in remodeling there is a new market of homeowners who know nothing about building and are searching for help. Some in the field estimate that there are about 100 such coaches around the country. Remodeling coaches help to reduce confusion and help homeowners make knowledgeable decisions.

Sometimes you need to outsource chutzpah to sufficiently convey your preferences to build not only a better house, but a stronger business. Have you heard from any of your customers lately?

Online Learning Pros and Cons

2008-03-11T10:35:00.001-05:00

The Internet has made the online learning experience much like that in a real classroom. In the fall of 2006, 3.5 million students were taking online courses, up 10% from the previous year, according to Sloan Consortium, a nonprofit group that studies trends in online learning. Today, more than two-thirds of all higher education institutions offer online classes.

Professors and students have more flexibility learning online; however, there are disadvantages. Online professors are working just as hard as full time professors who meet with their students in person, but are being paid less. Many professors who do online learning are part timers, typically getting paid $1,000 to $1,500 to teach a course while a full time professor gets about ten times more than that, according to Professor Ruth at George Mason University. Spencer Anderson, an adjunct professor at North Lake College, says he was supposed to teach two traditional courses with about 12 students each but many students chose to take the online course, so he ended up teaching 40 students online and was only paid for one course, which has effected his income.

The biggest growth in online teaching has been at two-year colleges, and public colleges are at the forefront, according to the Sloan Consortium. The University of Phoenix has about 12,500 online faculty members. Online teaching gives teachers the opportunity of having a flexible schedule and supplemental income, while maximizing profits for the universities by decreasing expenses on salaries.

Building a stronger business is about scaling up, and there's a lot to be learned from the virtual education model.

Online Ads

2008-03-06T13:07:00.001-05:00

In the New York Times article "Online Pitches Made Just For You", it describes techniques used by Alaska Airlines that many consumers are most likely unaware of. Alaska Airlines is introducing a system on the Internet to create unique ads for people as they cruise the web.

This is slightly different from direct mail or telemarketing because companies do not know the consumers name; instead, consumers are identified by their computers, using cookies.

Alaska Airlines uses a range of information to select the ads for each individual consumer surfing the web, including the person's geographic location, the number of times they have seen an Alaska Airlines ad, whether the person visited the company's website, the persons purchase history with the airline and their experience with lost bags, delays and flight cancellations.

Since Alaska Airlines is a small operation,it is important that its ads narrowly aim at people who might actually fly to the particular areas they service. The first phase of the new system even offers different flight prices to different people by analyzing how price sensitive certain consumers seem to be. Another data practice used at Alaska Airlines is called "re-targeting" which records who visits the web site and then turns that information over to the airline's ad delivery company. Next, when those people are elsewhere on the web, they are shown the ad. This means that people who visit Alaska Airlines' site receives ads that are different from those seen by people who have not.

Tracking individual actions and responding intelligently is a sure way to build a stronger business.

Bringing Improvisation to the Workplace

2008-03-05T08:27:00.001-05:00

According to Patricia Ryan Madson, author of Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up, an effective way to improve your business to take a fresh look at what and how you are doing in your business.

Learn to work with situations that used to be interpreted as mistakes in a new light. Improv consultants can help alter a work environment by creating novel situations and encouraging individuals to react in new ways. This addition of humor and decrease of the fear of making mistakes can help reduce tension in the workplace. Ms. Madson and other improv consultants, including a team out of Portland, OR, called On Your Feet (www.oyf.com), are hoping to create "'a culture of 'yes.''" Developing a culture of yes can allow entrepreneurs to consider ideas that they previously may have discarded. Often "'happy mistakes'" can occur when one idea opens the door to another pathway of thinking.

Robert Poynton, a co-founder of On Your Feet said "'if anything, we know rather less about what is coming next, and how it will affect us, than our ancestors did,'" in "A Turtle and a Guitar Case: Improvisation and the Joys of Uncertainty." The On Your Feet site also refers to a "'cool mistake,'" something seemingly negative that has a positive outcome when interpreted in a different light.

As all business owners know, even the best made plans can fail. According to Ms. Madson, "improvisers avoid spinning their wheels because they see quickly what isn't working, or simultaneously, what might be successful that didn't occur to them at first. Improvisers, by definition, take risks and make mistakes, lots of them, but that's what leads them in fresh directions.'" Ms. Madson acknowledges that this change away from structured planning can be difficult; however, she suggests that this method can still help your business move forward.

Mike Kwatinetz, a venture capitalist who is co-founder and general partner at Azure Capital Partners in Palo Alto, embraces improvisational thinking as a way to get companies moving. This way you are reacting to what is happening around you and making appropriate changes and improvements.

Build a stronger business by letting go of the future.

Bill Gates Asks How to Encourage Tech Careers

2008-03-02T13:47:00.001-05:00

Bill Gates, listed as a technologist/philanthropist, asks the 25 million plus members of the business networking site LinkedIn, "How can we do more to encourage young people to pursue careers in science and technology?"

In less than 3 days, he's received close to 3,000 responses -- some very intriguing and well thought-0ut ideas have been posted.

When you build a stronger business, you cast a wide net and seek ideas from a diverse population.

Everyone Say 'Aye'

2008-03-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

Did you ever notice that everyone is for free speech, as long as the speaker sounds like them?

When you build a stronger business (or any team/organization for that matter), you've got to be able to hear and even solicit input from different perspectives, and some of it is bound to be contrary from what you were expecting.

As you learn to incorporate and learn from that feedback, you will become a better leader and the organization will benefit from it.

The Book of All Species

2008-02-28T13:03:00.001-05:00

According to the article "The Encyclopedia of Life, No Bookshelf Required" in the New York Times, if Scientists created the Book of All Species, a single volume made up of one-page descriptions of the 1.8 million known species, the book would have to be more than 300 feet long. The bookshelf would also require the ability to expand because scientists estimate that there are 10 times more species waiting to be discovered.

Though it sounds surreal, scientists are building a Web site called the Encyclopedia of Life (www.eol.org). On 2/28/08 its authors, an international time of scientists, will introduce the first 30,000 pages, and within a decade they predict that will have the other 1.77 million.
The encyclopedia will have a budget of about 50 million in its first five years.

More About Business Travel Blogs

2008-01-31T10:29:00.000-05:00

Business travel is now the subject of many blogs. BoardingArea.com is a directory to blogs that address issues of interest to business travelers. Tracy Gamble, VP for business development at Propylon, reads three or four travel blogs regularly, including the Informed Traveler, CloudTravel and Gridskipper. Also, J.W. Marriot Jr, chairman and chief executive at Marriott International, began a blog called Marriott on the Move. He loves reading the customer responses to posts. Starwood, the hotel chain, started a blog TheLobby.com to provide information to customers in its loyalty program.

Blogs can also be a quick way to gauge customer reaction to policies. Southwest Airlines has a blog, Nuts About Southwest. A schedule planner wrote in a post that the airline sold its inventory only three months in advance; however, after an outcry online it changed its policy and now sells inventory four months in advance.
Delta's blog, blog.delta.com, has posted proposed screen shots for its self service kiosks on the blog to get feedback from travelers.

Bringing the voice of your customers into your company is another way to build a stronger business.

iPhone Convincer

2008-01-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

Watching this again put me over the top.

Google's Looking to Do Good

2008-01-20T09:35:00.000-05:00

According to Kevin Delaney's Wall Street Journal article "Google: From 'Don't Be Evil' to How to Do Good", Google, Inc. has engaged in a project that will blur the boundary between the profit and non-profit areas. In this $30 million proposal, efforts will be made to predict and prevent disease pandemics, increase the poor's access to public services, and create new jobs. They will also be joining other efforts to improve access to plug-in cars and renewable energy sources. According to the Foundation Center, these grants and proposals "make it larger than any in-house corporate foundation in the U.S." Both company and foundation resources are being utilized in this initiative. Other groups, such as eBay and Pierre Omidyar's Omidyar Network, are also working to merge the profit and non-profit worlds.

Thinking outside the box and expanding your business' reach will build a stronger business.

We All Need Sleep

2008-01-18T13:27:00.001-05:00

According to the article "Scientists Are Still Searching in the Dark For the Secrets of Sleep" in The Wall Street Journal, if we lose too much sleep we become reckless, emotionally fragile, and more vulnerable to infections and to diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Sleeplessness is a self-inflicted epidemic in which lifestyle overrides basic biolgy. On average, most people sleep 75 minutes less each night then people did a century ago. However, more people are spening more money on sleep aids. By one estimate, pharmacists filled 49 million prescriptions for sleep drugs last year.

There are dire consequence of too little sleep. Almost half of all heavy-truck accidents can be traced to driver fatigues and decisions leading to Challenger space-shuttle disaster, the Chernobyl nuclear-reactor meltdown and the Exxon Valdez oil spill can be partly linked to people drained of rest. The National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research estimated 15 billion dollar costs a year in reduced productivity due to sleep deprivation. A nap can do a lot more good then people may think. People who take regular naps of 30 minutes of more at least three times a week, have a 64% lower risk of heart-related death, researchers at th University of Athens reported last February in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Oddly enough, the well-rested entrepreneur gets more done, not less, than his sleep deprived counterpart. Tale time to be well rested as you build a stronger business.

Free Games Online

2008-01-03T13:25:00.000-05:00

WEB LINK RESOURCES
Free games that can be found online:

* Excit - www.ceeu.de/excit_big.jpg
* Portal: The Flash Version - portal.wecreatestuff.com
* 5 Differences - www.ivoryboy.com/difference.html
* Desktop Tower Defense 1.5 - www.handdrawngames.com/DesktopTD/Games.asp
* Campaign Game - www.campaigngame.us

Innovate to Compete Like PayPal

2007-11-19T10:47:00.001-05:00

An article in Reuters said that in an answer to Google Checkout, PayPal will announce tomorrow PayPal Secure Card, designed to make it easier for consumers to make credit card purchases online as well as prevent fraud.

Innovation is an inherently different activity than problem solving: where problem solving is addressing an issue to bring you back to status quo, innovation raises the bar.

No matter what industry, your organization can build a stronger business through innovation.

Business Langage Made Easy

2007-11-13T10:19:00.000-05:00

Here are a few useful websites that can help you understand business language:

Business Lingo Explained - www.begent.org/lingo.htm
The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary - www.theofficelife.com/business-jargon-dictionary-A.html
The MBA Jargon Index - www.johnsmurf.com/jargon.htm
Dilbert - www.dilbert.com

What to do when your hard drive fails

2007-11-01T17:02:00.000-05:00

At our entrepreneur circle meeting, we spent time discussing the woes of one member who had lost his computer without a backup.

The two lessons that emerged are 1) have an emergency plan, and 2) always have a current back-up of your current drive, even if it's virtual.

For an emergency plan, I recommend contacting a place like Tech Restore, based in Concord, CA. They do work on WinTel laptops, MacOS laptops, any hard drive from a desktop computer, and even iPods.

For back-up services, you can use external hard drives or even virtual services that back up encrypted data over the Internet for a reasonable charge. I use two big Maxtor drives that I alternate. (Remember to completely disconnect your back-up drive when it is not in use to protect against power or lightening surges!) Thanks to Syd Weinstein for the tip, I'll also check out one of the online back-up services reviewed on Tom's Hardware site and compare them to the .Mac offering of 10 GB.

When you're building a stronger business, you've got to be prepared for emergencies.

Alan Weiss and Bill Ringle Discuss Strategy

2007-11-01T08:08:00.000-05:00

Alan Weiss, president of Summit Consulting and known as the 'Million Dollar Consultant', has been a friend, colleague, and mentor to me for the past 10 years or so.

This past weekend, about 100 of the sharpest consulting minds from across the United States and Canada gathered for a retreat on business strategy in Providence, RI. Seeing old friends and making new ones made it a doubly-rewarding experience.

Here are 7 points I'd like to share with you from the seminar to help you build a stronger business:

Being excellent at what you do is the foundation for both business and personal growth.
Strategy and planning are entirely different, and blurring this distinction can be deadly to a business because planning is a bottom-up approach while strategy is a top-down approach.
Strategy fails at execution, not on the drawing board.
Strategy work is periodic and situational, not continuous. Once it is set, let it operate.
Minimizing or avoiding risk has it's place, but to advance and achieve growth it's necessary to take prudent risks.
Executives commonly use strategy to instantiate ambiguity. Instead, absorb the ambiguity and create tangible accountabilities for those involved.
You learn the most and at a faster rate when you make a commitment. Commit to a strategy and you'll see very quickly how it impacts decisions. Waffle, meander, and prevaricate and you'll never really know which direction is forward.

Lastly, a favorite quote from George Santayana that's germane to the discussion:
A fanatic is someone who redoubles his efforts after losing sight of his goals.

As you build a stronger business, take the time not only to build a solid strategy, but to really use it as a decision-making framework.

More Choices for Cell Phone Customers

2007-11-01T07:03:00.000-05:00

When most people buy a cell phone, they are also locked into the carrier providing service for that phone.

According to The New York Times article, "Locked vs. Unlocked: Opening up Choice", Apple's iPhone has caused much controversy lately as customers who purchase the phone are immediately locked into AT&T's service.

As a result, Apple claims nearly one in every six iPhones sold in the U.S. were bought with the intention of unlocking it.

Despite updating their operating systems, Apple has been unable to stop programmers from unlocking the iPhone, calling into question the legal limitations of such a practice.

Some say unlocking a phone violates the company's warrantee, while others imply that it is illegal. Yet no one knows for sure, as the laws surrounding the issue are unclear.

According to Kyle Matthews, 25-year-old co-founder of ModMyiFone.com, unlocking an iPhone is very simple, requiring less than an hour to complete.

The amount of attention iPhone unlocking is receiving, is a good thing according to legal scholar, Professor Susan Crawford. It will allow Americans to see the choice they have when it comes to cell phone service providers.

When customer demand turns to customer revolt, leaders who want to build a stronger business find ways to adapt and be flexible rather than break.

Online Videos Serve as a Marketing Tool

2007-10-29T12:50:00.001-05:00

In a New York Times articles, "You've Had the Root Canal. the Movie," Anne Eisenberg presents how YouTube can been used as a marketing strategy.

Dr. Jerry Gordon, a dentist in Bethlehem, PA., provided an informative video on his performance of a root canal. The video has been viewed more than 11,000 times within the first 2 months it was put up.

Other dentists may soon join Dr. Gordon in the usage of this marketing tool, especially those who have had success with regular Webpages. Dr. Kristy Vetter, dentist in Laguna Higuel, CA., says "We've had three to five patients in the last month or so that came that way, instead of by referral." The internet offers information and reassurance for customers of your quality of service.

Educating your target market is a smart way to building a stronger business.

Making Fast Food FASTER

2007-10-29T12:46:00.001-05:00

In "Making Fast Food Even Faster" (The New York Times), Michael Fitzgerald examines the technical advances in the fast food industry - advances that have been very slow in coming. HyperActive Technologies, which uses artificial intelligence to predict customer flow, landed their first corporate customer, Zaxby's Franchising, a chain of 400 restaurants in Athens, Ga,. in January 2007. It took four years to have a restaurant chain buy their product.

However, restaurant technology companies are becoming more popular as "'it's the last $100 billion industry that still makes all its products by hand,'" according to R. Coulter, co-founder and chief scientist at HyperActive. Other companies are looking for new areas to access in the food service industry, such as "speed of service" and outside call centers to manage orders. New offerings, such as a wireless tabletop hub to improve table turnover provided by ESP Systems, are being assessed by restaurants.

Increased interest in new technologies does not always translate into implementation. The food industry is primarily focused on food quality and restaurant image. Roger C. Matthews Jr., head of the restaurant group at the investment banking unit of the Goldman Sachs Group, says that this market is risk-averse as no restuarant can afford a computer failure at peak time. Additionally, other low-tech and low-cost alternatives are available, according to Ron Paul, president of Technomic, a food and restaurant industry consultant. More specifically, Neal E. Sessions III, director of information technology at Zaxby's, says that "'the restaurant technology environment generally lags other industries by three to five years.'"

One way to build a stronger business is to take technologies you know and apply them to new industries.

Creating Favicons is Easy

2007-10-25T12:49:00.000-05:00

Creating those little icons that show to the left of the URL address in a web browser is simple when you use either of these online tools:

People who build a stronger business look for fast, simple, effective tools to get their work done...or they delegate it.

Meet Your Neighbors - Online

2007-10-24T10:30:00.000-05:00

People are now using social networks to meet their neighbors. LifeAt.com creates password protected Web sites for apartment buildings and housing developments, allowing residents to post pictures and profiles of themselves, share information about favorite local restaurants, and complain about maintenance issues within their complex. Each building on the service is overseen by a company representative who logs neighborhood services and restaurants into the sites before it makes its debut. Also, everything but the forum postings are screened for inappropriate content. Managers at one complex asked the owner of LifeAt to discontinue the forum part of the service, since some residents were ranting on them; however, when the forums were removed the residents created their own forum on a Yahoo blog behind the property manager's back, so they decided to keep the forum open so the property managers could be proactive about issues at hand.

MeetTheNeighbors.org is a for-profit company based in Manhattan that also operates a social networking service for apartment dwellers. Jared Nissim, the company's founder, runs the site as a sidelight to his primary business, the Lunch Club, which helps strangers meet.

I-Neighbors.org, with 45,000 members, is a site that studies the role that Web sites can play in strengthening offline social ties. Keith Hampton, the founder, says that people in apartment buildings generally do not pursue social connections with their neighbors because they are young people who move more frequently and are less interested in the people who live near them and more interested in their own social networks. New York is an exception since the availability of housing makes people live in apartment buildings who otherwise would not.

When you strengthen your ties to the community and help others, you build a stronger business.

Bridge Domains for Innovation

2007-10-16T10:53:00.000-05:00

British curator and media researcher Ele Carpenter was so inspired by the striking similarities between embroidery and software programming, she decided to create Open Source Embroidery, an artistic and social-networking experience bringing a large and diverse group of people together.

Katie Haegele’s article in the Philadelphia Inquirer ,“New Media: Computer Programming Meets Embroidery” points out how members of Open Source Embroidery are more concerned with the process of creating and the collaborative efforts of the project than the final product. It is an element Carpenter views as inherent in both needlework and programming.

Skilled and amateur needleworkers and programmers have come together to participate in creating a six-sided quilt with 216 “hexadecimal” colors. The project comes at the right time; the old-fashioned hobbies of needlework are now becoming popular and more socially acceptable to a younger generation.

By looking at the opportunities that exist at the intersection of atypical fields, you build a stronger business.

Perks and Flexibility Work

2007-10-04T12:25:00.002-05:00

The biggest trends in today's workplace are perks and flexibility, according to The Wall Street Journal article, "What Makes a Company a Great Place to Work Today."

Versatile work routines accommodating individual schedules, paid paternity leave as an extension of family-friendly programs, and extra vacation time, have all become a big draw for many employees.

Drab offices with window-less cubicles are being filled with plush cafes and fitness centers as employers reach out to Gen Y workers who crave individual attention and recognition.

Rigid work hours, services performing family tasks and errands for busy employees (a popular trend in the 1990s), and corporate child care are now receiving criticism from today's employees.

When building a stronger business, consider the job from your employees' point of view.

Upgrading Voicemail Messages

2007-10-04T12:10:00.001-05:00

Voicemail messages have been upgraded, thanks to the free services provided by Youmail (www.youmail.com) and GrandCentral (http://grandcentral.com).

In The Wall Street Journal article, "Voicemail Gets A Lot More Fun With Free Services", Sarmad Ali details his experience with both services.

Youmail allows users to personalize their voicemail messages for individual callers in a phonebook, denies messages from unwanted callers and only requires users to type in a mobile phone number and an email address to sign up. Although a long-distance number is required to retrieve messages, canceling service is apparently as simple as signing up for it.

GrandCentral is even easier to use and provides the same services as Youmail but users must be invited to sign up.

A unique feature the service provides is a phone number that links home, office and cell phone numbers, allowing users to check just one mailbox.

When the phone rings, users pick up and hear a recording of the caller's name and four options for handling the call. New callers are asked to say their names the first time they call, which enables the service to recognize them everafter.

These are just a couple of on-the-go solutions for building a stronger business.

Dual Benefits

2007-09-28T13:29:00.001-05:00

Sandy in Connecticut asked Amy, a stay at home mom, wrote in to "Ask Amy" in The Washington Post to see if it was wrong of her friend to buy "armloads" of items from the Salvation Army and then sell them for about five times the purchase price in order to make extra money for the family. Sandy feels that those items are for the needy, not for her friend to profit from.

Amy asked Maj. Dennis Gensler, general secretary of the Adult Rehabilitation Centers Command for the Eastern Territories, who responded by explaining that the money raised from these "armload" purchases goes to fund programs at the 115 Salvation Army adult rehabilitation centers throughout the country. The stores have a dual purpose of offering low-cost goods for sale to anyone (not just the needy) and they use the profit from the sale of your donated goods to fund their operations. The money raised from a donation to the Salvation Army funds vital programs for needy people and fund's Sandy's friends stay-at-home lifestyle.

Savvy business people like Maj. Gensler understand that indirect benefits as well as direct benefits build a stronger business.

Competitive Forecasting Provides Better Results Than Surveys

2007-09-20T11:35:00.000-05:00

Competitive forecasting, a new trend discussed in James Surowiecki’s book, “The Wisdom the Crowds”, has become a popular method of surveying the public, and the Sloan Center has jumped on the bandwagon. The first to broadly study Internet sales, The Sloan Center will launch a new Web site that will take the public’s predictions about internet-related trends and online sales.

In The New York Times article, “The Wisdom of Sales Trend Predictions”, Bob Tedeschi calls attention to the advantages competitive forecasting provides over traditional surveys. According to analysts, this method brings more accurate results because participants care more about their answers. One of the best known examples is The Hollywood Stock Exchange (www.hsx.com), which has correctly predicted 92% of the major-category Oscar winners.

Competitive forecasting is also more appealing to participants than typical phone surveys.

Donna Hoffman and Thomas P. Novak, directors of the Sloan Center, will offer cash rewards like $25 and $500 gift certificates to the top-ranked participants of their site. The most prescient users also have an opportunity to gain an admirable online reputation.

An Online Prank Goes Too Far

2007-09-20T11:33:00.000-05:00

In The New York Times article, “Don’t Marry Our Daughters After All” Brad Stone discusses MarryOurDaughter.com, a prank Web Site pretending to sell underage girls for marriage to older men for large sums of money. Science fiction editor John Ordover created the site to poke fun at the inconsistencies in state marriage laws.

Unfortunately not everyone is in on the joke. The site has receives thousands of angry emails a day and Mr. Ordover has had to explain himself to angry listeners on several radio shows.

Online pranks carry risks. Be aware of this when building a stronger business.

Creative Ideas Don't Always Work

2007-09-20T11:31:00.000-05:00

When Brian P. Tierney, the new chief executive of Philadelphia Media Holdings proposed to place two giant billboards and an inflatable giant bee by the newspaper’s landmark building to advertise the upcoming new “Bee Movie”, the neighbors strongly objected.

In The New York Times article, “No Bees on the Inquirer”, Pradnya Joshi notes that the new CEO received no complaints from staff.

Since his start with the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, Tierney has been encouraging his staff to be more creative with promotions. He has proposed to sponsor the first national sudoku championship and has raised the marketing budget from $300,000 to $14 million.

But his proposal for the movie promotion really offended neighbors who believe in respecting the historical landmark.

Innovation is not always embraced when you’re building a stronger business.

Shopper Calculations Often Wrong

2007-09-20T11:29:00.000-05:00

According to The New York Times article by Alex Mindlin, “A Math Test for Bargain Hunters”, 59% of bargain hunters incorrectly compute sales percentages.

In a study by Florida researchers, shoppers were more likely to buy an item on sale for the second time, than the same item on sale for a higher, but equivalent amount.

A product on sale for 33% of a 25% discount would attract more shoppers than a product with a 50% discount. Although they are both offer half off, shoppers incorrectly added the first sale to be a 58% discount!

Taking advantage of customer perceptions help you build a stronger business.

25 Year Later USA Today Continues to Stay Relevant

2007-09-20T11:26:00.000-05:00

On September 15, 1982 despite much skepticism, USA Today launched as the first national newspaper. Today, 25 years later, it has the largest weekday circulation of any American newspaper and attracts 9 to 10 million readers to its Web Site every month.

Richard Perez-Pena reveals USA Today’s rocky start and controversial image in The New York Times article, “At 25 ‘McPaper’ Is All Grown Up' " Neuhart, creator of USA Today acknowledges that the paper, which distinguishes itself from its competitors with large graphics, color photos and short, light articles, borrowed much of its structure from television.

From day one, USA Today received heavy criticism from newspapers like the Washington Post and The New York Times, who condemned the paper for not being committed to serious journalism.

After a change of leadership in the 1990s, the paper has incorporated more serious, in-depth articles into its glitzy, lightweight image.

Finding a niche helps you build a stronger business.

Subway vs. McDonalds marketing techniques

2007-09-05T12:29:00.001-05:00

According to The New York Times article, "Eating Up Calories and Propoganda", Subway customers underestimate the number of calories they are consuming, due to the restaurant marketing itself as healthy.

For a meal with 911 calories, Subway customers believed they had consumed 205 less calories then McDonalds customers believed they had eaten.

When Building a Stronger Business, remember that perception influences buying decisions, but net calories are the after effect.

Co-Working Improves Social and Business Lives of Employees Who Work from Home

2007-08-23T11:41:00.000-05:00

Feeling socially isolated as a result of working from home, Alex Hillman, a 23 year old Web entrepreneur, was inspired to create a local version of the new trend, co-working.

Co-working allows people who work from home to reap the benefits of working in an office, like socializing and sharing ideas. Without the distractions of home, it also helps employees stay on track and separate work life and personal life.

The article, “A Step Up From Working in PJ’s”, in The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights the co-working group using a work space at Independents Hall in downtown Philadelphia. With a chic interior design, conference room and kitchen, employees are willing to spend $175 to $275 a month to use the space.

To learn more about co-working visit:
http://coworking.pbwiki.com/

Independents Hall in Center City.
http://www.independentshall.org/

Workplayce in Elkins Park.
http://workplayce.net/

Decreasing isolation is an important step in building a stronger business.

Pay for Performance a Bad Idea

2007-08-09T11:13:00.000-05:00

Harvard economist, Roland G. Fryer, has devised a plan to keeping inner city children motivated to succeed in school. The controversial new program would give fourth and seventh graders from lower income families, $100 to $500 for performing well on ten tests throughout the school year.

In The New York Times article by Joseph Berger, “Some Wonder if Cash for Good Test Scores is the Wrong Kind of Lesson”, advocates of the program say similar incentive programs in countries like Mexico have increased school attendance. Others believe the program will not only help underprivileged children, but children from all economic backgrounds by creating a driven, highly motivated school environment.

Opponents of the program believe that instead of being motivated by a love of learning and an inner desire to succeed and create better opportunities for themselves and their families, children would only be motivated by money.

Other opponents like Suzanne Windland, a Queens resident and mother of three, believe the program is unfair as it only favors lower-income children, which could spur resentment among the other classmates who don’t qualify for the program.

Free Online Service for Commuters

2007-07-26T11:50:00.000-05:00

According to the article, "Email traffic alerts aid N.J. commuters" in The Philadelphia Inquirer, commuters traveling between New Jersey and Philadelphia will be able to check their email, cell phones or PDAs for up-to-date traffic jams and late trains.

The free online service will be provided by the Delaware River Port Authority, and a similar program is being developed for SEPTA.

The PATCO train line, run by the Delaware River Port Authority, will also provide uniformed "ambassadors" to assist commuters traveling at night and on weekends.

Providing information in formats and on devices that make life more convenient for your customer is a sure way to build a stronger business.

Recycling Can Save Your Life

2007-07-26T11:43:00.000-05:00

According to the Men’s Health article, “Energy-saving lightbulbs”, government scientists believes compact fluorescent bulbs, which contain mercury, could one day poison us.

Apart from standard recycling to prevent soil and water contamination, Ikea is also accepting bulbs at their store for free.

Visit http://lamprecycle.org for more information.

Natural Solutions Help Save Money

2007-07-26T11:40:00.000-05:00

According to the Men’s Health article, “A Clean Sweep”, ammonia-based cleaning products can cause asthma attacks.

Homemade products can work just as effectively. Coffee grounds mixed with compost mulch can open drains, vegetable oil and lemon juice work as a glass cleaner, and simmering cinnamon leaves and cloves become an air freshener. Who knew?

When you’re building a stronger business, DIY is often an economic route.

Eliminate Stress, Live Longer

2007-07-26T11:39:00.000-05:00

Worrying takes 16 years off your life! proclaims the article “Chill, You’ll Be Fine” in Men’s Health.

Negative thinking produces cortisol, a stress hormone that can be bad for your health when elevated for long periods of time. Stress-coping habits like overeating can also contribute to overall bad health, but activities like volunteering can help eliminate stress.

Genius Computer Game "Solves" Checkers

2007-07-26T11:37:00.000-05:00

Chinook, a checker-playing computer program developed by Canadian researchers, can beat anyone at checkers.

The Canadian study entitled, “Checkers is Solved”, is discussed in Randolph E. Schmid’s article in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s, “Computer Scientist Say Their Program Cannot Lose”. According to the scientists, every decision the checker-playing program makes is 100% accurate. For the 39 trillion positions possible in the game, Chinook can calculate them all!

The emergence of unbeatable computer –playing programs has not stopped people from enjoying the game. Ernest L. Hall, director of the Center for Robotics at the University of Cincinnati, believes such programs will encourage people to solve “other games we encounter in life”.

Being the best is a smart position strategy when building a stronger business.

Perception Matters When Building a Business

2007-07-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

In order to make her small real-estate and property management firm look larger than it actually was, Angela Ford invested in an answering service. Instead of reaching Ms. Ford, her customers would first speak to a live operator, who would only direct their calls if she was available. Her company's revenue has more than doubled every year since it began.

According to The New York Times article, "Making a Little Company Look Big" part of building a successful company includes creating the image that you are more successful than you initially are. Besides paying for an answering service, entrepreneurs can also rent office space and design a sophisticated Web site.

Evan Carmichael, a chief executive of small business, had his friends dress in suits and work diligently in a borrowed office space when a local television studio asked to interview him. After the segment was broadcast his Web site went from 150 visitors a day to almost 1700 a day.

People who build a stronger business realize that perception matters and take advantage of technology tools and marketing techniques to put their best foot forward.

Public Chooses 7 Wonders

2007-07-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

A poll on the seven wonders of the world was conducted via the internet and cell phone text messages, bringing in 100 million votes. The article in The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights the 7 winners as:

The Great Wall of China
The Roman Colosseum, Italy
The Taj Mahal, India
Machu Picchu, Peru
Statue of Christ Reedemer, Brazil
Petra in Jordan
Chichen Itzen Pyramid, Mexico

The 21 runners-up included:

The Eiffel Tower
Easter Island
The Statue of Liberty
The Acropolis
Cambodia's Angkor
Spain's Alhambra
Turkey's Hagia Sophia
Japan's Kiyomizu Temple
Russia's Kremlin and
St. Basil's Cathedral
Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle
Britain's Stonehenge
Mali's Timbuktu
Sydney Austraila's Opera House

Organizers of the poll admit there was no way to stop people from voting more than once. Nearly 200 nominations came in from around the world.

Surveys and polls are convenient ways to gather insights into public opinion--something everyone who is building a stronger business wants to do.

Online Rating System: Help or Hindrance?

2007-07-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

In The New York Times article, "On Second Thought, Let's Just Rate all the Lawyers", criminal defense lawyer John Henry Browne, sites his reasons for filing a lawsuit against Avvo.com.

Avvo.com allows regular people to find the kind of lawyers they need in their location. After typing in a zip code and specialty, a list of lawyers come up with a rating out of 10 points.

Unfortunately for Mr. Browne, his first visit to the site ranked him at a 3.7, in the site's "caution" zone. He claims to have lost two potential clients because of Web site.

Avvo appears to generate their rankings from public records including disciplinary reports and factor in education, experience and specialization help. Lawyers are allowed to add information to their profile after providing Avvo with a valid credit card number.

They will not disclose exactly how much each record factors into their ratings, but claim lawyers could temporarily increase their scores by inputing minor prizes and awards. After typing in positive information about his career and experience, Mr. Browne watched his score rise to a 7.4.

When you're building a stronger business, focus on the metrics that matter rather than getting caught in an arbitrary rating game.

The Perils of Customer Involvement

2007-06-29T10:38:00.000-05:00

Malibu Caribbean Rum recently sponsored a contest from its user-generated advertising site. They offered either a prize of $25,000 or a personal banana grove in a tropical location to the contestant who submitted the best original advertisement for the product.

According to The New York Times article "Outcome of an Ad Contest Starts an Uproar on YouTube", Malibu encouraged participation from You-Tube users and said they would consider their votes when making the final decision.

But when a winner was announced even before the final contestants were posted, many YouTube users became upset. Message boards were filled with complaints, and one user even created a short conspiracy theory video about the situation.

The uproar shows how user-generated promotions can backfire with some consumers.

Beware of the risks associated with customer involvement. You must not only be trustworthy, but transparent when building a stronger business.

The SAT Has Never Been Cooler

2007-06-28T12:10:00.000-05:00

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions have merged with iTunes to provide students with SAT study programs they can download to their iPods. Critical reading, mathematics and writing programs are all available for $4.99 in the games section of iTunes.

According to The New York Times article, "Prepare for the SAT Test, or Play with Your iPod? Have it Both Ways", SAT directors are understanding the need to accommodate to the changing learning styles of today's youth.

Since students use their iPods almost everywhere they go, it made sense to merge with iTunes to make studying more fun and accessible. Kaplan has even created a myspace page (www.myspace.com/kaplan) and a series of graphic novels.

While the downloads may be helpful, Kaplan director Kristen Campbell recommends only using them as a supplemental product, since the SAT is still a pencil-and-paper based test.

When you're building a stronger business, go to the places where your target audience is already paying attention.

Wired and Xerox Update Their Images

2007-06-28T11:59:00.000-05:00

The first 5,000 Wired Magazine subscribers to upload their photos to Wired.com, received a July issue with their face on the cover. The editorial theme for the issue was the growth of online personalization.

The New York Times article, "You, Too, Can Grace a National Magazine's Cover", discusses Wired magazine's partnership with Xerox to personalize their cover. While they did not make any money from the promotion, it also didn't cost much. The main goal for both Wired and Xerox was to update their images.

By partnering with the edgier Wired, Xerox hopes to discard its stereotypical image as a single copy machine and showcase itself as an innovator and technology leader.

With its young and forward-thinking audience, Wired believes their promotion will be successful. They have also printed personalized copies for television celebrities who could mention it on their shows.

Build a stronger business and keep your image fresh in the minds of your target audience. Wired and Xerox did to a good effect for a modest investment.

The Truth About Hydrogen Peroxide

2007-06-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

The effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for small cuts and wounds is discussed in The New York Times article by Anahad O'Connor.

According to research, hydrogen peroxide does not prevent the growth of bacteria in wounds and can actually increase the amount of time it takes for a wound to heal. In a study conducted in the late 1980s, wounds treated with the antibiotic bacitracin healed much faster.

The American Medical Association claims the only benefit of hydrogen peroxide is its ability to remove dirt, debris and dead tissue in some wounds.

Many myths die hard, but you've got to learn to let go and move on when you're building a stronger business.

More Ad Placements for Widget Creating Web Sites

2007-06-14T11:46:00.000-05:00

Widgets, or applications that consumers can use to produce videos, photo slideshows and music playlists, are posted on sites such as MySpace and Facebook and attract millions of viewers.

According to The Wall Street Journal article, “Widgets May Snag More Ads”, the companies creating the widgets, such as Slide Inc. and RockYou Inc. are not generating much revenue from their own content. Instead, the majority of their income comes from selling ads on their own sites because MySpace does not allow it and Facebook only allows the ads to run in certain places, which do not include personal profile pages.

Recently, some social-networking companies like Bebo Inc., have started to include ads with widgets on its profile pages, which should increase revenue for Widget creating sites.

Links to widget sites:
Slide
www.slide.com

RockYou
www.rockyou.com

PictureTrail
www.picturetrail.com

Photobucket
http://photobucket.com

BunnyHero labs
www.bunnyherolabs.com

BlingyBlob
www.blingyblob.com

POQbum
www.poqbum.com

Brightcove
www.brightcove.com

Layoutstar
www.layoutstar.com

Musicplaylistus
www.projectplaylist.com

Decreasing PC Power Usage Saves Billions

2007-06-14T11:45:00.000-05:00

According to The Wall Street Journal article, “Computer Power Waste Targeted”, PCs waste half the power they consume and account for 2% of world-wide energy usage. Meeting an annual target led by Google Inc. and Intel Corp. to reduce energy consumption, could save more than $5.5 billion in annual energy costs and decrease 54 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The initial guidelines set by the EPA’s Energy Star program, raise PC efficiencies from an estimated 65% to 80%. The new initiatives seek to raise efficiency to 90% by 2010.

The plan also involves getting companies to use power-management software on their PCs that would put inactive desktop computers into sleep mode to save energy.

While the cost for energy-saving software would add $20 to $30 more on a PC and server, it could save the user $10 from $40 on an annual electric bill.

When you take steps to protect your environment you build a stronger business.

To Infinity and Beyond! Email services compete to provide unlimited storage.

2007-06-14T11:24:00.000-05:00

Since email brings users into contact with all the services and products Web companies provide it has a key role in their business strategies. Yahoo, Google and Microsoft have all created their emails according to their company needs.

In The Wall Street Journal article, “Web –Based Services Give Email Users a Taste of the Infinite” Lee Gomes acknowledges Yahoo’s plans to give “free unlimited storage” as a stretch. Yahoo believes most users will never be able to reach the actual limit and want to finally shatter the public's idea that Gmail provides the most storage.

The battle for perception is a very costly one to fight, but necessary sometimes when you want to build a stronger business.

Microfinance Provides More for Entrepreneurs

2007-06-14T11:22:00.000-05:00

The opportunities microfinance has created in developing countries around the world have not gone unnoticed by Citigroup Inc., who has just launched their Citi Microfinance Donor Fund.

The goal of the charitable fund, according to Kristin McNamara’s article in The Wall Street Journal, “Citi Fund Backs Entrepreneurs” is to prompt the development of microfinance organizations that are too small to cover the cost of their own operations. The fund allows wealthy philanthropists to provide substantial financial support for poor entrepreneurs in the developing world who are unable to get support from banks.

Depending on the success of the Citi Microfinance Donor Fund, Citigroup plans to open a second microfinance fund and other special interest funds.

Microfinancing is yet another way to improve the entrepreneur ecosystem and Build a Stronger Business community.

Online Party Invitations Step Up

2007-06-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

After nearly 10 years of being the only Web site providing electronic invitations, Evite is finally getting some competition! MyPunchbowl (www.mypunchbowl.com) emerged in January 2007, with the same free service, fewer ads and some features Evite is lacking.

In The Wall Street Journal’s article, “Invite Sites Help Start a Party”, Katherine Boehert compares Evite and MyPunchbowl to see which provides the better service.

MyPunchbowl boasts a message board, the ability to give VIP status to certain guests, better control over guest responses and the capacity to swiftly add and share Google maps and YouTube videos.

Evite has responded to its competition by planning on introducing an online and mobile part-supply store, animated versions of its invitations and collaboration with Hotels.com.

Know your audience and give them features they want and need to build a stronger business.

Using the Internet to Manage Event Invitations

2007-06-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

After nearly 10 years of being the only Web site providing electronic invitations, Evite is finally getting some competition! MyPunchbowl emerged in January 2007, with the same free service, fewer ads and some features Evite is lacking.

In The Wall Street Journal article, “Invite Sites Help Start a Party”, Katherine Boehert compares Evite and MyPunchbowl to see which provides the better service.

MyPunchbowl boasts a message board, the ability to give VIP status to certain guests, better control over guest responses and the capacity to swiftly add and share Google maps and YouTube videos.

Evite has responded to its competition by planning on introducing an online and mobile part-supply store, animated versions of its invitations and collaboration with Hotels.com. Evite also has 800 invite templates, whereas the newer MyPunchbowl only has 100.

According to Boehret, other drawbacks to MyPunchbowl are its lack of various fonts and colors, an obscurely placed preview button and limited guest response options—all of which are available on Evite.

While Boehret concedes both Web sites need more variety and improvements to make their invitations both hip and easy to use, MyPunchbowl appears to provide the most potential.

Microfinancing Program Builds Entrepreneur Ecosystem

2007-06-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

The opportunities microfinance has created in developing countries around the world have not gone unnoticed by Citigroup Inc., who has just launched their Citi Microfinance Donor Fund.

The goal of the charitable fund, according to Kristin McNamara’s The Wall Street Journal article, Citi Fund Backs Entrepreneurs is to prompt the development of microfinance organizations that are too small to cover the cost of their own operations. The fund allows wealthy philanthropists to provide substantial financial support for poor entrepreneurs in the developing world who are unable to get support from banks.

Citigroup has required a minimum donation of $100,000 to their fund, which they hope will allow them to maintain serious donors. Although microfinance donors cannot receive the same recognition available from other charitable giving, they will receive an income tax deduction and will be able to decide where to direct their donations at a later date.

Depending on the success of the Citi Microfinance Donor Fund, Citigroup plans to open a second microfinance fund and other special interest funds.

Microfinancing is yet another way to improve the entrepreneur ecosystem and build a stronger business community.