You may not have heard much about SOPA and its counterpart in the U.S. Senate, PIPA. SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) in the U.S. House and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) in the Senate have a noble and necessary cause behind them: To protect the intellectual property created by U.S. citizens and businesses. What is […]

We almost didn’t open it, thinking it was junk mail. Why would the University of Georgia send us mail way out here in Montana? We aren’t alumni. Our kids don’t go there, nor do we have prospective students considering the school. The letter was addressed to “The Riffey Family” (printed, not hand-addressed), which may have […]

One of my mentors describes a person or activity that wastes your time as a “time vampire”. This might be someone who repeatedly interrupts you for information they could easily find on their own – in other words, they’re really making a social call. It might be you checking CNN or Facebook. Interruptions often happen […]

Here’s your sign. While it is a well-known “redneck” comedian punch line, it’s also something you should be looking for. Some signs you must seek out, while others have been right in front of you all year long. Many of those signs are buried in your existing business data. Habits Your business data illustrates your […]

Every year, in fact – every month, I have some formal solo time set aside for putting thought into where my business is, where it’s going and what adjustments it needs to zig-zag its way to where it belongs. Ultimately all of that relates to where it leads you, how it changes your business and […]

“Our clients are so stupid!” Is that your company’s vibe? If you aren’t sure, ask the people who staff your front desk, sales department and/or customer support/service positions. At one time, the majority of my software customers were studio photographers. Their industry was making the massive shift from film to digital. Prior to that, many […]

As I look back over time, I’m convinced that Scott Dinsmore is exactly right. None of us have a clue what we can really do. Not the faintest idea. On the contrary, we’re all fairly sure what we can’t do. But the whole “can’t” thing is really way too easy. It’s the can that hard. “Can […]

In Steve Denning’s Forbes commentary this week, he mentions a presentation made by author and Harvard business professor Clayton Christensen decrying U.S. business schools’ focus on numbers-above-all, saying the pursuit of profit is killing innovation and the US economy. The pursuit of profit is not the problem, nor is profit itself. What the always interesting and provocative Christensen […]

On numerous occasions, I have advised you to offer higher-priced, higher-value products and services because they focus you on high-lifetime-value customers whose loyalty extends beyond what’s on sale this week. Likewise, we’ve talked about using those higher-priced products and services to “subsidize” the value-priced part of your business so that you can identify more high-lifetime-value […]

A question came in earlier this month… “How do I compete with businesses that can offer similar products/services at a lower cost?” The question is “Why are you depending on price to close your sales?” It’s important to examine because *so many* people focus on it. In a weak economy, it’s natural for price pressures […]

Productivity is pretty important, but it had better apply to the right sort of work. Even if your employees are incredibly efficient at whatever they do, if their work no longer brings substantial value to the table, your business could evaporate. The failure to automate the work that can and should be automated will eventually […]

You may have seen those odd-looking square barcodes in newspapers and magazines, on product boxes, etc. You might have even noticed them in the middle of the star-shaped signage in some Macy’s television commercials. They’re called “QR codes.” Why should business owners care about them? A smartphone can scan/read a QR code, which will take […]

One of the things you have to be careful about is making your business too generic. The conversation… Them: Could I get you to comment on a booth graphic for my company? We are pretty simple here and need a banner for a trade show booth. Wondering if the fonts are ‘old’. Them: (Sends booth […]

Not long ago, we talked about reviewing the recent performance of your business and making adjustments based on what you find. We ended that conversation like this… Beyond the bumps, there’s something missing here. Reacting after the fact. Assessment and adjustment after the bleeding starts. Evaluating what’s going on because the calendar says so. Does […]

A little more than seventy-five percent of the calendar year is behind you. Can the same be said for the year’s goals, income expectations, etc? Will you wait until the end of the year to plan your next six, twelve, eighteen months or are you doing it now? How often do you review the results […]