Articles

You may think you know the definition of crowdsourcing, but there are a lot of interpretations to its meaning. In the words of Northwestern University professor Jeff Howe, who coined the term, crowdsourcing is “the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call.”   Regardless of how you define it, there is an argument to be made that crowdsourcing is...

What small businesses can learn from four notable Big Business ‘mistakes’. by Reed Richardson. For many entrepreneurs, the notion of making even a small mistake often sends a chill down their spines. That fear of failure can be a powerful motivator, but if in the pursuit of avoiding such a mistake it breeds hidebound thinking and paralysis, it can create even bigger problems.    “Success in a business career—any career, really—doesn’t happen because everything falls into place,” notes...

Many small business owners are already well versed in writing and managing a blog. Others are just getting started. No matter your level of experience, it’s important to remember blogs can be more informal than traditional business correspondence.  Here are some key guidelines to writing a blog post: Be concise. Once you’ve written your first draft, start cutting words.  After you’re done, continue to edit your post.  Eliminate extra adjectives or explanatory clauses.  Blogs are often as...

by Sherron Lumley. Who, exactly, are you? Amidst a veritable sea of sales pitches that consumers must navigate daily, that’s the essential question they are trying to answer when it comes to your small business. But if your company’s message is muddied or constantly shifting, connecting with potential customers in a way that reinforces trust and credibility becomes difficult, if not impossible. “The world has changed,” says Sander Flaum, former chairman of Euro RSCG, one of the world’s...

Compare these two definitions of “brainstorming”: Merriam Webster defines brainstorming as a group problem-solving technique that involves the spontaneous contribution of ideas from all members of the group. By contrast, the Oxford Dictionary defines brainstorming as a moment in which one is suddenly unable to think clearly or act sensibly. Note the difference. While brainstorming can spark innovative business ideas or solutions – that does not always happen. In some cases, a group...

by Iris Dorbian. It’s the first lesson of Business 101: If you want your company or product to be a success, you must know your target audience, and more specifically, your customer demographics. Too often a business can struggle and even fail because its corresponding marketing efforts didn’t understand the who, what, when, where, why, and how of their customers make their buying decisions. Ask Important Questions Four years ago, when Derek Christian bought My Maid Service, a small...

Whether it is having your Starbucks Frappuccino redone because your order was wrong the first time or the convenience of free shipping and returns at Zappos.com, good customer service is the lifeblood of any business and something consumers never forget. Unfortunately, the same is also true for bad service. In fact, it takes 12 positive service experiences to make up for one negative experience. Moreover, research has shown that a dissatisfied consumer will tell between nine and 15 people about...