The Private Business Owner

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Getting To The Wow Factor: How To Exceed Your Customers’ Expectations

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It’s no secret that it’s harder to focus in today’s world with its smartphones, our constant use of the Internet, and social media platforms that update every second – it’s a wonder that we’re actually able to focus and get work done.

What are the implications of this new reality for owners of small and mid-sized businesses?

More things than ever before are fighting for our attention, which means that if a company wants to survive – and even thrive – it has to find something that makes it stand apart, something that makes its customers say, “Wow.” Because “wow” clients are loyal clients and will tell others about their “wow” experience with you.

Last week I attended a lecture given by Michael Hyatt, author of Platform: Get Noticed in A Noisy World, on intentional leadership. He made some great points, but one that really struck me was his discussion about exceeding customer expectations. [Read more…]

Your Company’s Purpose Matters More Than What You Sell

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A while back we shared a TED Talk named “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” given by Simon Sinek. Sinek’s 18-minute message can be boiled down to one sentence: People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. In essence, your purpose is more important than the products or services you offer when selling to a client.

Sinek is not alone in his thinking, as other leaders have echoed this sentiment. Most recently was Bill Taylor in an article, “It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Believe,” for the Harvard Business Review Blog. [Read more…]

How To Motivate Employees

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Last week we discussed the foundation of employee motivation, which is trust. In order for an employee to be motivated at all, they must first have faith in their manager and the company they work for, believing that upper management and the owners will follow through on their promises. Once you’ve established trust with your staff, you can then do other things to improve your staff’s motivation. We’ll focus on how to motivate employees today. [Read more…]

Key Items to Include in your Employee Training Program

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If you research the cost of training a new employee, you’ll discover a variety of answers. But there’s one similarity throughout them all – it’s not cheap. Whether it’s hiring an employee for a brand new position or replacing a departed staff member, every business owner and manager wants his or her new employee training to be effective.

Here are two things that an effective employee training program can’t be without. [Read more…]

How Great Leaders And Companies Inspire Action [Video]

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A colleague recently sent me a link to a TED talk by Simon Sinek named “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.” In less than 20 minutes, Simon succinctly conveys how great leaders inspire those around them and how companies’ marketing departments can do the same.

In a nutshell, inspirational leaders all start with why.

I’ve crafted a summary of his presentation below, but if you have 18 minutes, I encourage you to listen, as Simon is a great storyteller and teacher. [Read more…]