Ideas, Ideas, Ideas

Check this out –  http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/marketandprice/SERV_100MIDEAS.html

Now while some of these are “basic” ideas, I would ask yourself if you are implementing and thinking about them. 

For example, why not have your sales team collect your #1 competitors ads and study/review them at the next team meeting?  I love that idea. 

Take a read and let’s discuss how I can help you implement and idea or two.

I few years ago, a friend of mine in Seatle asked me if I used Manta.com to research City’s I cover.  At that time, I had never heard of it.  While a few short years later, I lOVE manta.com.  I use it to help me strategize the top accounts in each City.  You can even search the top accounts by categories, by City.  All for free :>

Check it out (http://www.manta.com)  and put a comment below on the site you use.

http://www.manta.com/

I came across this person’s blog on leadership and really liked several of his articles.

http://www.thinkleadershipideas.com/

The one I really enjoyed was the one titled, “Resisting a Mood of Doom”.  I encourage you to print and read it and reflect.  I believe your attitude is very important and more important than most people know. It’s far to easy to take the doom and loom approach vs the positive approach.  Take the market.  While some take the doom approach when discussing the decline from 14,000 pts to under 7,000, others take the “what an amazing opportunity to invest for the long term.”  I like the second way of thinking.  I am not suggesting leaders are in denial. No no, not at all.  However, I am suggesting the positive energy and thinking can be catchy, can motivate and certainly help a team overcome barriers.  So let me ask this question. As we face our economy head on, are you excited about the challenge it brings you day/day and the opportunity to emerge as the best company in the world or are you scared about your day/day operation?  Do you strategize and get excited about the upside or are you focused on the negative?  What about your team?  And think about this, are you excited about the possibly of the best talent pool available in the market, perhaps ever?  Are you taking advantage with eyes open or are your eyes closed and focused only on the day/day?  Some things to think about as move into an incredible 2nd half of the year!  

http://www.thinkleadershipideas.com/leadershipideasblog/files/7doom.php

Belk Printing Technologies is one of the best Commercial Printing companies that I have had the honor to partner with, located in Pineville, NC.  By the way, they do so much more than just printing!  Check out there web site – http://www.belkprinting.com/

Speaking of commercial printing, here is a great news site if you want to stay up on what is happening in the world of commercial printing.  http://www.topix.com/business/commercial-printing

Are you in retail? Do you need a partner that can help you with creative marketing?  One of my good iGen customers in Charlotte is Creative Marketing Solutions – here is there web site… http://www.creativecms.com/

Also, check out this article on 50 good marketing ideas for those in retail. Truth is, most of these are good ideas for most industries!  http://retail.about.com/od/marketingsalespromotion/a/marketing_ideas.htm

Chris Brogan has amazing ideas for business. If you are not following him, I highly recommend you do. Here is his article on 50 ideas on how businesses can use twitter.

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-business/

Check out what Toby Bloomberg says on the subject.  If you connected with Toby, let me know!  I heard her present at AMA and she was awesome!

http://www.sunjournal.com/index.php?t=8&storyid=300880&subpub=168