Blogs

The following link was provided by Kathleen Dorsey, Head of search engine optimization and social networking firm Global Results. The link provides information that should be of interest to any companies that market to women. http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/women-ditch-mothers-in-law-for-socnets-but-wont-pay-fees-10014/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=mc&utm_medium=textlink

We are living in exciting times with new uses of technology supplementing and sometimes replacing traditional forms of marketing and promotion. Websites are maturing into fully interactive customer contact and sales delivery points. Social networking is allowing people to find connections with others who they might not otherwise find. But in the rush to experiment and work with the new media, do not forget the lessons learned in using the more mature alternatives. Ask and answer these important questions before you spend a dime:
1. Who are we trying to reach?

You have worked hard. You have gone without pay to make sure your people get paid. You have paid down the line of credit at the bank. You are sleeping better. The company is doing better. Maybe not all is a bed of roses, but you have achieved a level of success. Now what? You come to the realization that the business has to grow to the next phase and you have to "walk off the cliff" again and take more risks. Only, this time, there is more to lose than when you started. What to do?

Marty O'Neill, CEO of Corsum Consulting has written a very helpful blog on getting the most out of your off site meetings. You can read his article at the following link: http://www.corsum.com/Building-Business-Value-blog/bid/16887/Optimizing-the-Value-of-Your-Off-Site-Meeting-Five-Tips

Here is a very worthwhile article courtesy of Jim Naylor in Inner Circle #12 that addresses Five Strategies for Selling in a Recession. You will find it at this link:

Five Strategies for Selling During a Recession

Staying on course while others around you are throwing up their hands is a good strategy not only for survival but for growth and gains in market share.

The questions about how to monetize social networking are getting louder out there. Whether you have an opinion on the concept or don't care, click on the link below to see how one company used the concept to generate buzz and revenue. Also, take the time to review the comments people have posted on the article. The article comes to us courtesy of Inner Circle member Jim Ries.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124805161394863097.html#mod=djemSB

Many businesses are experiencing margin squeezes as the down economy works its pressure on them. Especially hard hit are those that sell equipment or any service on a project basis-that is, the client buys the equipment or service, has it installed and then the vendor moves on. Before the installation period comes the negotiated downward pressure on margins. During the installation period, there are surprises, change orders and unseen obstacles-all of which usually cost the vendor money, at least in time spent, further depressing margins. So what to do?.

There is a lot of misinformation out there about how the current economic crisis was generated. "Banks" are blamed for bringing down the economy through greed and bad lending practices. In fact, among the thousands of banks and other types of financial institutions in our country, very few engaged in predatory lending, lending to people who could not repay the loans or lending too much on the value of collateral, primarily homes.

For the past three months, nearly every Inner Circle meeting has contained a discussion on a situation encountered by many who say, " I have never been so busy presenting proposals to prospects and I have never waited so long for them to make decisions.."  Sound familiar?

The Spring, 2009 Inner Circle International newsletter is now available as an attachment to this blog. Our franchisor in Cleveland produces the publication four times per year to bring news and views to Inner Circle members around the country and in Canada.