I guess I’ve become a business TV junkie. It started a couple years ago with “Shark Tank” every Friday night on ABC. Every sales rep should be required to watch this show and then be able to walk up and offer a short and concise sales pitch for their product or service. Perhaps “Shark Tank”…

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There are a bunch of charts out there that are designed to scare anyone associated with the newspaper business. OK, they are designed to give you a quick snapshot of the industry, which might be scary to some in the industry.
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This past week, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a week on a Disney cruise. It was great to spend time with my family and unplug from the daily grind of work. But even in those ‘unplugged’ moments, I couldn’t help but think about good business practices.
I’ve spent part of my morning finalizing my plans to help promote Small Business Saturday. The annual program started by American Express to place focus on small mom and pop businesses the weekend of Thanksgiving is a great movement that more need to promote.
An old friend of mine hasn’t been doing so well. We visit every weekend, usually on Sunday, and I’ve noticed the gradual decline. She still shows some signs of life every now and then, reminding me of how she once was. But those moments are fleeting.
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Mark Twain is one of my favorite people from history. He was the eyewitness to amazing points in history, and was the voice of history for many of them with the words he penned during his lifetime. I recently watched a PBS documentary on his life, and have read a couple biographies on Sam Clemens.…
Mobile coupons continue to grow, which is not exactly breaking news I realize. According to Juniper, there will be more than 31 billion digital coupons redeemed annually within the next three years. And while any success coupon program should include a digital component, traditional print coupons still play a vital role.
Business guru Tom Peters has been championing the importance of marketing to women for years. Even in areas where men dominate like electronics and automotive, the decision is made or heavily influenced by women. Yet, marketing dollars are often centered around attracting men.
I made several members of my staff cry this morning. No yelling, no berating involved, just a moving message that had everyone pausing to reflect.
The push to get data from consumers is never ending. I’m more than willing to give some data to gain discounts, insider knowledge and more. But I want to be the one making the decision of when to give my info and when not.