Entrepreneurial focus means answering three related questions: what are we good at, how can we tell and how do we measure it, who wants it and how do they value it?
Entrepreneurial Focus: Right Layer, Right Problem, Right Time Read More »
What follows are some real questions I have answered either face to face or in e-mail over the last 90 days in response to the current downturn in Silicon Valley. Customer Development for a Consultants in a Downturn Q: I just completed my first two years of consulting–which were spectacular–after 20+ years of full time
Customer Development for a Consulting Practice in a Downturn Read More »
Many mid-career professionals may take advantage of this latest Silicon Valley downturn to launch a consulting practice. Some of them find their way to the Bootstrappers Breakfast, where they are welcome. If they want to establish a consulting practice I encourage them to join organizations like PATCA and WIC as well. In yesterday’s Wall Street
Two Professional Groups for Consultants Read More »
I spent the morning helping to facilitate a strategic planning meeting for PATCA. I was asked by Walt Maclay, the current PATCA president, to assist him and the board of directors (and any PATCA members how wanted to take part) in charting a course for 2009. PATCA is a Silicon Valley institution, a non-profit founded
Strategic Planning for Non-Profits Read More »
Consulting is a referral-driven business. Here are four things you can do today to build referrals.
What Can I Do to Build Referrals? Read More »
Some tips on forming an advisory board that assume you are currently bootstrapping and will be soliciting advice and feedback from a variety of sources: friends, former co-workers, other entrepreneurs, customers, and partners.
Forming an Advisory Board Read More »
I have had two interesting conversations with friends who are frustrated with some of the internal deficiencies within their companies. Both of my friends are accountants, but work for different firms and in different departments. However, they are both part of itinerant work forces and have the same problem. While out of the office, they
Using Web 2.0 Technology to Enable Strategic Selling: A Sales Executive Forum Read More »
How do you plan when you are in a small software startup? Big company methods are not a good fit. Here are three tips for planning a startup.
3 Tips for Entrepreneurs Planning a Startup Read More »
Getting feedback after engaging with a client or even after an introductory meeting with a prospect is important. A couple of survey tools that we use are iContact and Survey Monkey. They are easy to use and low cost. Survey Monkey has some nice templates. The survey tools are useful when you want to ask
Getting Feedback on your Work Read More »
e-News for Small Businesses is a free electronic mail service designed to provide tax information for small business owners and self-employed individuals. Subscribers receive information about important upcoming tax dates for SB/SE customers, what’s new for small businesses on the IRS Web site, reminders and tips to assist small businesses and self-employed taxpayers with tax
Free Small Business eNewsletter From IRS Read More »
The key challenge in advising entrepreneurs is to help them walk around the options and explore the consequences of each decision.
The Challenge of Advising Entrepreneurs Read More »
Text Treatments: text logos are simple, the company name is always right there. Most high tech logos are text treatments, they are clear and simple. With text logos you have instant impact, customers don’t need to decipher anything. Another benefit of text treatments are logo aspect ratio comes naturally with words. They always seem to
3 Tips for Choosing a Logo Read More »
We are offering our “Getting More Customers” workshop this fall in collaboration with the Professional and Technical Consultants Association (PATCA). The workshop covers ten proven marketing techniques for growing your business: attendees will select one or two that fit their style and develop a plan to implement them in their business in the next 90
Getting More Customers Workshop Offered Sep-9-2007 Read More »
A useful basic sales model start with understanding the process that your prospects go through to make a purchase: understand believe act.
Understand, Believe, and Act Read More »
Jerry Weissman’s model for a successful presentation takes the audience on a journey from Point A to Point B: from uninformed and skeptical to persuaded and ready to act.
Jerry Weissman On Persuasion: Getting From Point A to Point B In Your Presentation Read More »
I will be presenting a revised and improved version of the “12 Books for the Busy CEO” presentation on Thursday May 10 at 6pm at the PATCA monthly dinner at the Embassy Suites Santa Clara – Silicon Valley on 2885 Lakeside Drive in Santa Clara. I will cover a dozen books and offer a synthesis of the key marketing
“Crucial Marketing Concepts for Consultants” @ PATCA May 10 Read More »
Large firm IT departments are “gatekeepers”. Their job is to keep the enterprise network computing infrastructure safe and operational. New software from a new vendor is almost always viewed as a threat. Most of the time, they will say NO to any new software. Most of the time our clients have to sell around them. Here’s five
Selling Around IT in Larger Firms Read More »
We have added Google’s Search Co-op to our Resources page. As an entrepreneur, you need to dabble in so many fields. Some areas of expertise an startup needs are legal, accounting, funding, marketing, sales, public relations, recruiting, hiring, partners, and advisers. We work with some great experts and partners and you can take advantage of
Building Communities using Search Co-op Read More »
Don’t forget the dream to change the world that got you started: your passion is an important element of craftsmanship and a commitment to excellence. What’s Your Passion? Recently, I chatted with a well-established consultant–she’s been working for more than a decade. She was having trouble developing a short elevator pitch to describe what she
What’s Your Passion? Read More »
Everyone has advice for you about how to run your company! Even if it’s in the form of question like “When are you going to Get a Job?” Friends and relatives who have only been employees may have your best interest at heart but not have the background or temperament to help you get your
Evaluating Business Advice Read More »
