Think Global, Act Now: Nine Steps to an International Marketing Strategy
As technology breaks down geographic and cultural communication barriers, even small businesses can often tap into the global marketplace. If you think your business is too small to pursue international business opportunities, think again. Get a jump on those opportunities by following the 9 steps outlined below.Research Unless you spend excessive amounts of time in foreign countries or soak up knowledge like a Jeopardy Champion, you're probably not able to make an informed decision about a global strategy without doing your homework first. Start with the low-hanging fruit: talk to your coworkers, peers

15 Questions for People Who Are Considering A Partnership
Is the person you are considering the right one to be your partner? Here are some important questions to ask each other before you sign an agreement.Suggestion: It is better to answer them alone, in writing before you discuss them out loud preferably in the presence of an unbiased trained observer who can point out the subtle differences important to note.Another suggestion: After you have answered each question, go back and answer them again in much greater depth. Allow sufficient time and don't do it all in onesitting.1-Why do you want a partner?2-Why do you want me as a partner?Having a strategic plan is necessary in today's global market place where at every chamber or networking event another competitor has joined what many business owners already perceive to be a tight marketplace. Yet, before you, as the small business owner or the chief executive officer, begin crafting or writing that essential strategic plan, these 7 tips may ensure that your efforts are executable.

1. Identify Your Purpose Personally

Knowing your purpose is the foundation for your future business actions. As the chief executive officer or small business owner, your purpose along with the creation of vision, values and mission statements will expedite the decision making process and ensure alignment and consistency of those decisions.

2. Define why you are in business

This may sound simple and it is. However, this question does create a top of mind awareness that is invaluable when working through a strategic planning process.

3. Use a Qualitative/Subjective Evaluation for the Executive Management Team

Have the key management decision makers take the time to independently review:

• Quality
• Production
• Cost effectiveness
• Turnover
• Strategy
• Safety
• Waste & scrap
• New products or services
• People development
• Time management

Then through a facilitated and collaborative debriefing, those same executives will begin to identify some of the gaps within the executive team including leadership. This preliminary action may reveal that the top decision maker may require some business development or executive leadership coaching.

4. Compare Last Year’s Wins and Losses

Reviewing last year’s total revenue – the wins – to the missed opportunities – the losses – illustrates the importance of creating an . This tip builds motivation or WIIFM for the executive management team to follow through with the decision to take this proven business building action.

5. Use a Quantitative Organizational Survey or Assessment

Data is critical to when building an executable strategic plan. However, the real essence is finding honest data and not what management wants to hear. The evaluation tool should be representative of all levels of employees within the organization from the executive team to the support staff. Also, the data should be organized to align with known predictors for organizational success such as the Baldrige criteria. This assessment, evaluation or survey tool should:

• Be Internet accessible
• Have a proven historical track record
• Work with any industry including education, healthcare, manufacturing, not for profits and professional services
• Include face to face interviews with a sampling of all employees
• Provide for a variety of reports
• Be affordable
• Deliver quick results within 2 to 3 weeks depending upon the size of the organization
• Focus on strength as well as weaknesses
• Furnish a mini-action plan
6. Consistent Goal Setting and Goal Achievement Process

An executable strategic plan revolves around the ability to consistently set and achieve goals. Given that goal setting and goal achievement is not currently part of the K-16 curriculum, those responsible for executing the strategic plan should all be using the same goal setting and goal achievement process to ensure that the measurable results are achieved.

7. Assess Your Commitment Level

Why are you taking the action to create a strategic plan? Is it because of an excellent sales presentation from a business consultant? For a variety of reasons, some executives have been convinced to write a strategic plan. Yet, the finished plan may lie in a desk drawer or on a bookshelf unopened. Additionally, during the strategic planning process, the consultant, executive business coach or facilitator may be asked to assume greater responsibility than appropriate because the client's commitment level is weak. For a strategic plan to be truly executable requires a 110% commitment from the top decision maker along with the executive leadership or business development skills necessary to pull it off.

Strategic planning does not differ from any other organizational change management project in that taking predetermined preliminary steps will greatly improve the success of this critical decisio

through a strategic planning process.

Use a Qualitative/Subjective Evaluation for the Executive Management Team

Have the key management decision makers take the time to independently review:

• Quality
• Production
• Cost effectiveness
• Turnover
• Strategy
• Safety
• Waste & scrap
• New products or services
• People development
• Time management

Then through a facilitated and collaborative debriefing, those same executives will begin to identify some of the gaps within the executive team including leadership. This preliminary action may reveal that the top decision maker may require some business development or executive leadership coaching.

Compare Last Year’s Wins and Losses

Reviewing last year’s total revenue – the wins – to the missed opportunities – the losses – illustrates the importance of creating an . This tip builds motivation or WIIFM for the executive management team to follow through with the decision to take this proven business building action.

Use a Quantitative Organizational Survey or Assessment

Data is critical to when building an executable strategic plan. However, the real essence is finding honest data and not what management wants to hear. The evaluation tool should be representative of all levels of employees within the organization from the executive team to the support staff. Also, the data should be organized to align with known predictors for organizational success such as the Baldrige criteria. This assessment, evaluation or survey tool should:

• Be Internet accessible
• Have a proven historical track record
• Work with any industry including education, healthcare, manufacturing, not for profits and professional services
• Include face to face interviews with a sampling of all employees
• Provide for a variety of reports
• Be affordable
• Deliver quick results within 2 to 3 weeks depending upon the size of the organization
• Focus on strength as well as weaknesses
• Furnish a mini-action plan

Consistent Goal Setting and Goal Achievement Process

An executable strategic plan revolves around the ability to consistently set and achieve goals. Given that goal setting and goal achievement is not currently part of the K-16 curriculum, those responsible for executing the strategic plan should all be using the same goal setting and goal achievement process to ensure that the measurable results are achieved.

Assess Your Commitment Level

Why are you taking the action to create a strategic plan? Is it because of an excellent sales presentation from a business consultant? For a variety of reasons, some executives have been convinced to write a strategic plan. Yet, the finished plan may lie in a desk drawer or on a bookshelf unopened. Additionally, during the strategic planning process, the consultant, executive business coach or facilitator may be asked to assume greater responsibility than appropriate because the client's commitment level is weak. For a strategic plan to be truly executable requires a 110% commitment from the top decision maker along with the executive leadership or business development skills necessary to pull it off.

Strategic planning does not differ from any other organizational change management project in that taking predetermined preliminary steps will greatly improve the success of this critical decisio

the importance of creating an . This tip builds motivation or WIIFM for the executive management team to follow through with the decision to take this proven business building action.

Use a Quantitative Organizational Survey or Assessment

Data is critical to when building an executable strategic plan. However, the real essence is finding honest data and not what management wants to hear. The evaluation tool should be representative of all levels of employees within the organization from the executive team to the support staff. Also, the data should be organized to align with known predictors for organizational success such as the Baldrige criteria. This assessment, evaluation or survey tool should:

• Be Internet accessible
• Have a proven historical track record
• Work with any industry including education, healthcare, manufacturing, not for profits and professional services
• Include face to face interviews with a sampling of all employees
• Provide for a variety of reports
• Be affordable
• Deliver quick results within 2 to 3 weeks depending upon the size of the organization
• Focus on strength as well as weaknesses
• Furnish a mini-action plan

Consistent Goal Setting and Goal Achievement Process

An executable strategic plan revolves around the ability to consistently set and achieve goals. Given that goal setting and goal achievement is not currently part of the K-16 curriculum, those responsible for executing the strategic plan should all be using the same goal setting and goal achievement process to ensure that the measurable results are achieved.

Assess Your Commitment Level

Why are you taking the action to create a strategic plan? Is it because of an excellent sales presentation from a business consultant? For a variety of reasons, some executives have been convinced to write a strategic plan. Yet, the finished plan may lie in a desk drawer or on a bookshelf unopened. Additionally, during the strategic planning process, the consultant, executive business coach or facilitator may be asked to assume greater responsibility than appropriate because the client's commitment level is weak. For a strategic plan to be truly executable requires a 110% commitment from the top decision maker along with the executive leadership or business development skills necessary to pull it off.

Strategic planning does not differ from any other organizational change management project in that taking predetermined preliminary steps will greatly improve the success of this critical decisio

How to Handle Difficult Customer Conversations--4 Essential Keys
Your business is rolling. Your products are getting to your customers on time. Everything is working just the way you promised it would. Your customers pay their bills on time. No complaints. The bond between you and your customers could not be stronger.Then something happens. (You knew it would, right?)Trouble can come from any direction. A delayed product shipment causes a customer to miss a deadline. A salesperson (maybe even you!) promises more than your company could deliver. A customer finds a defect in one of your products that needs replacing right away.We all know that setbacks a

cord

Work with any industry including education, healthcare, manufacturing, not for profits and professional services

Include face to face interviews with a sampling of all employees

Provide for a variety of reports

Be affordable

Deliver quick results within 2 to 3 weeks depending upon the size of the organization

Focus on strength as well as weaknesses

Furnish a mini-action plan

Consistent Goal Setting and Goal Achievement Process

An executable strategic plan revolves around the ability to consistently set and achieve goals. Given that goal setting and goal achievement is not currently part of the K-16 curriculum, those responsible for executing the strategic plan should all be using the same goal setting and goal achievement process to ensure that the measurable results are achieved.

Assess Your Commitment Level

Why are you taking the action to create a strategic plan? Is it because of an excellent sales presentation from a business consultant? For a variety of reasons, some executives have been convinced to write a strategic plan. Yet, the finished plan may lie in a desk drawer or on a bookshelf unopened. Additionally, during the strategic planning process, the consultant, executive business coach or facilitator may be asked to assume greater responsibility than appropriate because the client's commitment level is weak. For a strategic plan to be truly executable requires a 110% commitment from the top decision maker along with the executive leadership or business development skills necessary to pull it off.

Strategic planning does not differ from any other organizational change management project in that taking predetermined preliminary steps will greatly improve the success of this critical decisio

What is the Secret Weapon that Differentiates a Sizzling Firm?
Virtually all sizzling firms use a secret weapon to dominate their market. What is the secret weapon that differentiates a sizzling firm?The answer is that sizzling firms have a publicist. A publicist’s prime job is to get non-fee based press coverage. Non-fee based coverage means that you are never required to advertise or pay advertorial fees for the stories that appear in magazines and newspapers.Studies demonstrate that a professional publicist is the single most effective thing you can do to promote your company, usually increasing a firm’s visibility and business by 85% with consistent effort over

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Why are you taking the action to create a strategic plan? Is it because of an excellent sales presentation from a business consultant? For a variety of reasons, some executives have been convinced to write a strategic plan. Yet, the finished plan may lie in a desk drawer or on a bookshelf unopened. Additionally, during the strategic planning process, the consultant, executive business coach or facilitator may be asked to assume greater responsibility than appropriate because the client's commitment level is weak. For a strategic plan to be truly executable requires a 110% commitment from the top decision maker along with the executive leadership or business development skills necessary to pull it off.

Strategic planning does not differ from any other organizational change management project in that taking predetermined preliminary steps will greatly improve the success of this critical decision to build the business by taking it to the next level of success. After all, if you are going to invest your resources of people, time and money, doesn’t it make sense that you prepare the ground before digging the foundation?