When a rabbit strays onto a road and gets caught in the glare of the headlights, it freezes on the spot. It hopes that by standing still it won’t get hurt by this strange predator with shining eyes. This strategy comes from evolution. When a hungry beast is out hunting for food, it looks for…
Too often, marketing is about image and has nothing to say about the product itself. It is trying to position the product in some way to catch the eye of a trendy few. The trouble is, when the trend passes, so does demand for the product. You can learn from what the "big boys" do…
Over a very pleasant lunch in London yesterday, I discussed with a client the merits of working to improve your strengths versus working on your weaknesses. I’m a big believer in playing to your strengths and managing around your weaknesses. He came from a different perspective, that if your strengths are solid, fix the holes…
No, not YOU! I’m talking about all those calls and interruptions that keep happening every day, stopping you when you’re in mid-flow on something and making it really tough for you to concentrate on getting stuff done. But you can have better time management, with just a little effort. Most people tell me they don’t…
Recession is heavily in the news at the moment. It’s the economists way of feeling that they have something useful to contribute to the news headlines. There’s a great post on Research Loudmouth called Recession Therapy where the author sees packed shops in London’s Oxford Street while the press is all doom and gloom. Let’s…
In 2007, house prices were again rising at 12% per annum, way ahead of people’s pay packets. All forecasts for 2008 were that we’d see more of the same. Who made those forecasts? The experts. The people in the banks and building societies who earn millions in bonuses every year. So how come they get…
…your business partner out of the window? Monty Python understood the raw feelings that co-owning a business can cause… Hopefully your business isn’t quite at the stage of directors jumping out of windows, but if you have business partners I’ll bet there are times when you don’t feel you’re running off the same plan. Last…
When you peel away all the wrapping, there are just 3 basic strategies for small business to dominate a market locally, nationally or globally: 1 – Be the cheapest 2 – Be the best 3 – Be different Think about it – what else can you do to distinguish yourself from your competition apart from…
Work Harder On Yourself, Than You Do On Your Business… The famous life-coach, Jim Rohn, says that “you need to work harder on yourself than you do on your job”. This might just be the most important business success lesson that you can learn. When you’ve got a business you want to grow, working on…
If I came to your office with a bucket full of water and shoved your head into it, how hard would you fight to get out? The result? A broken nose for me and you would survive the ordeal comfortably enough. So when you hear people talking of “economic slowdown” or “recession”, how hard will…