I have been in business for the past 12 years and it started when I was 17 in high school. I have always been told that consistent follow up and persistence is key with a new prospect. This seems to work well for customers that sign up quickly. However, it does not appear to be the case if they may only be interested in the near future, such as in a few months or years later. I am in the merchant account industry, a very competitive business where merchant loyalty is nonexistent. Some merchants will switch providers without a second…

Fraud is big business and something every ecommerce merchant must deal with on a daily basis. There are lots of tools and tips you can use to help your business fight against fraud and I have outlined a few of them below. Before I go into what you can do to prevent fraud, you need to know some of the warning signs of a fraudulent transaction. The items listed below are not intended to be conclusive, but situations where you should scrutinize more than normal. Possible Warning Signs of a Fraudulent Transaction 1. Orders larger than your average 2. Orders…

The old saw of selling is “I’ll let you set the price if you let me set the terms.” What it means is that the Devil is in the details and if you are selling a business that you have lovingly built with your sweat and sacrifice (and that you now want to get the maximum value from) then you had better be prepared to get to know your buyer very well and be prepared to spend some quality time with your lawyers and accountants. Understanding what it is that your potential buyer really wants and what it is worth…

How many times have you heard this one – “I’m going to be the next Google!” ? Who was Google going to be when they started out? It’s as though the road to internet success is so easy to accomplish with a build it and they will come mentality. When I ask how they hope to achieve this with no foreseeable budget in place, I get another gem – “I’m going to make a cheap video and have it go viral.” Wow! I had no idea it was this easy. Why aren’t we all Google? The internet is a fantastic…

Some would believe that the logo is the brand, hence there is no difference. But the fact of the matter is the logo is merely the face of the brand and the brand is essentially a company’s reputation – it’s perception in the marketplace. Creating a brand by definition is somewhat misleading as every company has a brand whether they want one or not. What they can do to some extent is develop and guide their brand. To do this they must first understand where their brand sits at this point in time. Knowing this allows the company to determine…

Starting a new company? Hey this is a great opportunity to develop your brand from the ground up. At this stage you are in the enviable position of not having any negative baggage to deal with. What ever brand values you bring to the table are the basis for the future of your brand. You can develop your brand image to reflect these values and you can also position your company to come out ready for the fight. One downside is lack of experience. Customers don’t necessarily enjoy being the guinea pig. I believe that if your positioning strategy is…

Negative press, positive press. Motivational books, lectures and conferences. Coaches, consultants and mentors. There just isn’t any shortages of resources to push you forward. Many of my colleagues and peers absolutely believe in the law of the universe. Each of them have a vision board. Parts of all this are the basis for the book – The Secret. Attitude can make you or break you. It puts you in a position to move forward or fall back. I have experienced it and I’m sure many of you have also bore witness to what happens when you bury yourself in the…

One: Determine your brand values and be sure that they accurately reflect your brand. One way to be sure is this scenario: if you took away any one of the values would your brand cease to exist as that brand? If not, then the value wasn’t a true value. Two: Determine or develop a positioning strategy that makes your brand a leader in your category. This is not some fluffy slogan that merely inspires but is something that potential customers can resonate with and in many cases pay more for. Three: Own your color palette. Look to your competition and…

For a number of reasons, both practical and political, the issue of public health has moved to the forefront of our national consciousness. With so much attention coming to how we can all live healthier lives, it only makes sense that these key messages must become a part of our corporate culture. Fortunately, encouraging healthy living as a business doesn’t necessarily require any revolutionary changes. Here are a few creative ways to become a company that promotes healthy living both for your employees and the customers you serve. Wellness Programs Healthy employees are happy employees. From head colds to lack…

There are thousands of blogging dos and don’ts. This list is specifically for business bloggers and is focused on dos and don’ts that help build relationships with your visitors. Dos 1. (An obvious one.) Do have an opt in and an RSS feed so people can follow you or choose to hear from you again. Even better, offer something for free when they subscribe. I suggest having both of these. Some may just want to subscribe to your RSS, so offer both. 2. Do put Archives & Categories in the sidebar or footer. Many times when visitors come to your…