Branding, in general, is only effective if it falls on receptive ears. That is, if you communicate a value proposition to your target audience and the message(s) falls flat, then you didn’t do an effective job of branding, to say the least. Effective branding is all about not only understanding who your target audience is […]
8 Ways to Differentiate your Small Business

We have all heard the word differentiate before, but… 1. What does it really mean? 2. How does it really work? The term “differentiate” is defined by dictionary.com as “to form or mark differently from other such things; distinguish”. As a brand positioning specialist, I define “differentiate” as a means of distinguishing one’s business over […]
Me-Too Positioning gets you Nowhere in B2B Marketing

The other day I was speaking with a prospective B2B software client who needed to better differentiate itself in its market. When I asked the President of the company to tell me what makes his product more special than the next provider, he referenced the following: Our product is easy to install We provide incredible […]
Keys to Small Business Sales Success
A small business constantly worries about where its next client is coming from. Without dedicated sales people typically, most entrepreneurs generate leads themselves amidst their multitude of other business functions including servicing existing client accounts. Often without professional sales experience, the small business owner (myself included) would be remiss to turn away some helpful tips […]
B2B Branding with PowerPoint
Branding is an imperative in business today if you intend to make your company stand out from the crowd. Many businesses (large or entrepreneurial) take this to mean a slick logo or a graphically pleasing website. These promotional/branding mechanisms are important and should be considered, however, one of my personal favorite means of branding a […]
The Power of Business Partnering
Regardless of the size of your business or the industry you operate in, aligning your business with complimentary organizations that can help you expand your reach and even your set of offerings can be a highly effective way to succeed, especially if you are a small business with limited resources. Business partners can serve a […]