I am a firm believer in horizon scanning…looking ahead at how the world is changing. Once I know this I can position the Chamber for future opportunities and position the organization to weather challenges. One of my major sources of information for this exercise is trendwatching.com. […]
Though the Mesa County economy seems to be strengthening at a snail’s pace, the outlook for commercial real estate this year is looking more positive daily. Demand should begin to outpace the formerly growing supply in industrial, office and retail properties. Since our country’s credit crisis of 2008, investors […]
All businesses people have heard the term, “Know Your Target Market.” But do they really understand how to find out who their target market is? This is an essential step in successful advertising. Many businesses say everyone needs my product or service when I first meet […]
The quality of the customer service your business provides is absolutely essential to the growth of your operations. If your desire is to retain and grow your customer base, do so by instilling confidence in them through exceptional customer service experiences. Just this […]
If you are the person who is out running at 5:00 am every morning, this article is not for you. If you are the person who eats nutritious meals every day, this article is not for you. However, if your New Year’s Resolutions include any part of living […]
Have you ever said to yourself: This town has too many hair salons? Or have you noticed that yet another pizza joint has opened? Of course, it’s entirely possible such ventures are all making a good profit. But sometimes you have to wonder whether small business owners sufficiently evaluate local markets to ensure their products […]
While many small business owners jumped on the social media and text marketing bandwagon in 2011, few of us mastered the strategy and creativity needed to develop measurable results. We read the headlines, joined blogs, listened to experts, read forums, bought texting and […]
Sixty eight percent of the population does not have effective organizational skills. How about you? Is your desk and office a mess? Could your filing system use a solid reorganization? Are important projects, tasks, and follow-ups with customers and suppliers falling through the cracks? Do you feel the weight […]
The Long Tail economy — it sounds so Silicon Valley, Web 2.0, business jargony. Is that really something the grounded, no-nonsense, dirt-on-our-boots Grand Valley community needs to be concerned with? Could be. Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired magazine, introduced the term “The Long Tail” […]
Tough times certainly breed tough people. More importantly, tough times always represent opportunity for those who are willing to out-work, out-innovate and out-serve their competition. There is no doubt that the last couple of years have been difficult for business owners. As a payroll company we get both narrow […]