Getting it all done – the world’s best time management tip | May 21, 2013

I’ve just re-read Richard Denny’s fantastic book ‘Selling to Win’, in which he mentions a time management technique that I learnt many, many years ago from an old boss of mine.

Charles went on to make Bethlehem into the biggest steel company in the world, and in turn paid Ivy Lee $25,000 for the tip that he had learnt. It must be something amazing, right? Well, it is but….....

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Handling business phone calls the right way | May 17, 2013

I am constantly amazed at how poorly many company switchboards handle incoming telephone calls. How your phone is answered and how that call is handled says so much about your business.

Is it so hard to say something like “I’ll just put you through”, or “Mr So-and-so is on the phone at the moment, can anyone else help, or can I take a message and ask them to call you back?”

Getting it right is so easy

This is such a simple thing to get right. And getting it right is a matter of a small amount of training and a fair amount of attitude....

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Taking time to think. Work on your business, as well as in your business | April 4, 2013

We all know that it is important to spend time thinking about our businesses. You need to work on your business, as well as in your business, we are told.

But, I don't have time...

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4 top tips for making the most of business email | March 8, 2013

We all use email, and we use it all day long. It’s both a great help and a great hinderance. Great for some tasks, massively overused for others. In many ways, it has changed the way that we work, and the speed at which we correspond.

So why is this hugely valuable, and indispensable business tool so badly used? Do people respond to your emails in the way you want them too, or do they miss the point? Are you making the best possible impression every time you press the send button?...

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Blogging to Google Search Success – A simple SEO secret, that’s not so secret | February 28, 2013

So how do you go from nothing to the top of www.google.co.uk's natural search? This is a massive question and not one easily answered. There are plenty of ‘gurus’ who are happy to tell you their thoughts.

I have no doubt that some of this works, and optimising your site is absolutely imperative....

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It’s your career – get the job you really want without leaving the old one. | February 18, 2013

I was a recruiter for a very long time, actually longer than I would like to mention (okay 16 years) and in that time, and ever since, I am asked by people to help them in their careers.

I love to help people and I really enjoy watching those people go on to get the jobs they really want, and build better and more enjoyable careers as a result....

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Building a more profitable business from the clients you already have – Cross-selling in a modern professional services firm. | January 9, 2013

As I speak with my clients, more and more I am asked to help them go about attracting new clients. Its a new year after all, and its time to put all those business resolutions into practice.

Well, yes it does. But, before we start to look at bringing in new clients, have we made sure that we are making the most from the happy clients we already have? If we are looking after our clients, and they are returning to us every time they need our type of help, then perhaps we can sell them more of our services?...

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Holidays are coming! What a great time to build relationships | November 20, 2012

With ‘silly season’ almost upon us, many are thinking of the wasted working weeks coming up, where their clients aren’t around to speak with, or are too busy being entertained and entertaining to think about new business.

What a great opportunity to be networking...

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The Biggest Referral Mistakes – The 5 most common things NOT to do! | October 24, 2012

We all want to grow our businesses. We all want to bring on and work with new clients. And, we don’t want just any clients, we want the right kind of clients. Ones who fit our businesses, who share our values, ones who value our service, ones who pay our bills!

That is a big hope, isn’t it? Its a big hope because referrals are built on trust. Trust that takes time to develop. And, if you are basing your referral marketing strategy on other people doing the work for you, you are basing it on sand....

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Is cold calling dead? | September 21, 2012

Well, that is a really big question. And the answer completely depends on your definition of a cold call.

If you think of cold calling as a business development tool to introduce yourself and your services to a researched target contact, then no, it is not....

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