Edward Abel Small Business Consulting Articles Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Seven-Fundamental-Marketing-Principles.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Seven-Fundamental-Marketing-Principles.html Seven Fundamental Marketing Principles Marketing is defined as a suite of principles and strategies you use in your business to persuade your target market to contact your business. Marketing is beneficial to your business because it: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/The-Evolution-of-Your-Business.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/The-Evolution-of-Your-Business.html The Evolution of Your Business Your business has evolved, and it will continue to evolve, as long as you let it. It is part of the evolution of who you are and what you are becoming. It is part of the evolution of your skills, knowledge, experience, beliefs, purpose, and dreams. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Getting-Your-Horse-Customers-to-Drink-Water.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Getting-Your-Horse-Customers-to-Drink-Water.html Getting Your Horse (Customers) to Drink Water You may have heard the old adage of marketing and sales. Marketing is leading your horse to water. Sales is getting your horse to drink. The question we all want to know is how to get your horse to drink. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Customer-Loyalty-and-Chinese-Food.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Customer-Loyalty-and-Chinese-Food.html Customer Loyalty and Chinese Food A little story about customer service. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Run-Your-Business-Dont-Let-it-Run-You.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Run-Your-Business-Dont-Let-it-Run-You.html Run Your Business; Don't Let it Run You One of the most important principles of being a business owner is to run your business; don't let it run you. To run your business is to create a vision of what is possible - a vision that's bigger than doing the day-to-day work associated with your skill or trade. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Product-Differentiation-A-Success-Story.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/Product-Differentiation-A-Success-Story.html Product Differentiation: "A Success Story" Just how did Howard Schultz pull of selling a cup of coffee for $3 to millions and millions of people? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/How-Does-Your-ServiceProduct-Benefit-Your-Client.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/How-Does-Your-ServiceProduct-Benefit-Your-Client.html How Does Your Service/Product Benefit Your Client? In order to be successful with your marketing and sales efforts, you must be clear and confident in knowing, discussing, and delivering the benefits of your services or product. Many sales people and business owners know their facts and features very well. Unfortunately, those alone will not always lead to a sale. To ensure more sales, you must also be able to communicate the benefit of the product or service. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/From-Complaint-to-Raving-Fans.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/From-Complaint-to-Raving-Fans.html From Complaint to Raving Fans One of the hallmarks of world-class customer service is how your company manages customer service failures. When a customer speaks up with a complaint, it's time to listen. Think of the complaint as a gift, and you will see it as an opportunity to learn rather than something to avoid or resist. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Marketing.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Marketing.html What You Need to Know About Marketing! If you're like most small business owners, you have a basic understanding of marketing and why you need to do it. However, most small business owners these days are forgetting the basic goal that effective marketing will archive and are reducing their marketing efforts because of an "economic downturn." http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/The-Keys-to-Business-Success.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/992/The-Keys-to-Business-Success.html The Keys to Business Success Dun & Bradstreet reports that "businesses with fewer than 20 employees have only a 37% chance of surviving four years (of business) and only a 9% chance of surviving 10 years." The Lessons in this article, The Six P's of Success, are dedicated to helping you thrive, not just survive in your business.