The Savvy Entrepreneur

Do you offer a free consultation, complimentary evaluation or other type of no-charge offering (where you’re actually performing a service to a potential client)?
Like many coaches, I offer a one-time sample coaching session. When I first started coaching, I even coached a select few for 6 months, at no charge, in exchange for meaningful testimonials.
So [...]

It takes 20 year to build a reputation and 20 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently. — Warren Buffett

Amazon.com Widgets

What’s your impression of entrepreneurs who use free or web-based email addresses, like Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, Gmail, etc. for business communication and marketing?
When I receive emails (especially unsolicited) from such accounts (sorry to say, I lump ISP accounts like Sympatico, Videotron, etc. in this group as well), I tend to think negatively about the business [...]

I’m biased, but I think my guidebook, Designing a Compelling 30-second Intro, is kick-ass. (Then again, what would it tell you if I didn’t think that?)
It came about from a few workshops I gave last year. I wanted to leverage those presentations by turning my script into a guidebook. However, I didn’t want it to [...]

For the past few months, I’ve been hooked on surveys (can you tell from my last 2 posts?)… I promise to keep my enthusiasm in check and not bombard you with too many!!
This morning, I received an email from Leo at TecSource.ca regarding yesterday’s audio product survey. Leo is not, I repeat NOT a Monkey [...]

This message was posted to members of a networking forum I belong to:
A recent study done by Internet Marketer Sheila Scofield has revealed some amazing information as to people don’t buy from her websites.If you are wondering why people don’t buy from your website, then click here to find out more details.
She [...]

Wendy Piersall (I love reading both her blogs) shares with us how being completely honest and transparent on her blog actually helped build her business and credibility when overcoming technical issues and her own mistakes.
I particularly liked this illustration:
Probably the best analogy is one in a [marriage] – if you owed an apology to your [...]

While running down my Google Alerts today, I noticed someone quoted me on their blog with a link back here. The appreciative entrepreneur that I am, I wanted to thank her for the reference and link, by posting a comment on her blog. Imagine my disappointment when I got to the “post a comment” section [...]

Don’t feel like reading this post? Listen to it here.
Today’s marketing tip is all about gaining customer confidence. What is THE most important element in marketing your service-based business? Your customers, of course! Think about it: How can you have a business without customers?
Why, though, should you spend precious marketing hours gaining the confidence [...]

Being a speaker instantly supercharges your status as an expert; it boosts your visibility and credibility; you become a sought-after skilled professional. So how do you get started?
It’s different for everyone.
For service professionals, one of the best ways is by authoring a decent number of quality articles (online or print). Once you do, you’ll start [...]

How can reading improve your status as an expert (listening fits under this category as well)? In 2 ways, reading helps you to be:

Reactive: Keeping up-to-the minute with what’s been and is being said in your field keeps you fresh. Then you can readily prepare, participate and communicate (react) to what’s happening as it’s developing.
[...]

I’m discussing writing as an effective method to gaining expert status first, since it’s one of the fastest ways of getting the word out. It’s strange but true: Your expert status will immediately increase when people see your name published.
Most writing venues cost little to nothing. Some of these venues are:

articles
newsletters
press releases
blogs
ebooks and other informational [...]