This Year's Model
A close-up look at an Inc. 500 company that has prevailed in an industry gripped by unforgiving consolidation. Read more
Sales and Marketing
Recent Sales and Marketing Articles
The People Business
Roth Staffing, the No. 1 Inc 500 company for 1999, achieved its staggering growth by sticking to a simple growth strategy: find out what customers w... Read more
Online Relationships
These three companies from the 2000 Inc. 500 are using the Internet to enhance their communication with staff and customers alike. Read more
How do I determine what to charge advertisers on my Web site?
Marketing Advertising mentor Lisa H. Buksbaum takes the mystery out of setting rates for banner ads and makes suggestions for increasing referrals. Read more
Polish Your Prose
Poor grammar and punctuation in proposals and reports could cost you business. Read more
How should I decide where to advertise?
Marketing Advertising mentor Lisa H. Buksbaum gives tips on planning and evaluating an ad campaign. Read more
Practice the Art of Effective Negotiation
Produce an agreement that meets the needs of both parties with these effective negotiation techniques. Read more
Open Up to New Ideas about Networking
Are you networking to gain a specific goal? The authors of a new book suggest a plan for a new way of networking, one that would allow for deep, ongoing rela... Read more
Targeting the Giant
Drypers won the top spot on the Inc. 500 by going up against Procter Gamble. Read more
Bananas, My Brand, and Me
Jessica Nam never thought of becoming "a brand" when she started a cottage business while in school. That's changed. Read more
Bootstrap Marketing: Taking on Procter
She may not have the resources of her giant competitors, but Amilya Antonetti is making her own mark in the soap business, one customer at a time. Read more
Ask the Marketing Doctors
Two one-to-one marketing experts explain how they would improve five hypothetical companies. Read more
A Fertile Field for Voice Mail
Clients of a fertility clinic are given individual voice-mail boxes so they can retrieve confidential information at their convenience. Read more
360° Screening
Creative services firm asks job applicants for references from clients in addition to former employers, in order to judge their past commitment to customer s... Read more
The Roadblocks and Remedies of Networking
What stops us from meeting people and working rooms? Networking expert Susan RoAne offers an explanation of threecommon roadblocks to conversation as well as... Read more
How do I choose an advertising agency?
Marketing Advertising mentor Jay Conrad Levinson offers advice on choosing an ad agency. Also included are links to his articles on agency select... Read more
How to Select an Ad Agency
Jay Conrad Levinson offers suggestions on choosing an agency that fits your needs. Read more
10 Questions to Ask before Choosing an Ad Agency
Ask yourself these 10 questions and choose an ad agency that meets your business's needs. Read more
What to Look For in an Ad Agency
Use this checklist to define what you need from an ad agency. Read more
Sorting Out Your Strategic Position
Knowing the nuts and bolts of running a business isn't enough ? you also need to know how to differentiate yourself from everyone else in the marketplace. Read more
How can traditional and Internet sales effectively integrate?
Sales mentor Lillian Vernon advises on integrating traditional and Internet sales. Read more
What should I keep in mind when creating my first ad?
Marketing Advertising mentor Lisa H. Buksbaum offers tips on making a great first impression with your ad. Read more
The Flip Side of the Boom
If you want to sell your company, your best bet is to get your business in tip-top shape before taking it to market. Plus: The fate of several companies feat... Read more
Hot Tip: Increase Foot Traffic
Independent retailer Brett Begley has developed a unique rental division to drive traffic to his store. Read more
The Most Insincere Form of Flattery
The maker of personal care products deals with the painful reality of knockoffs and discovers a strategy for doing battle with them. Read more
How can I market speaking and consulting services?
Marketing Advertising mentor Lisa H. Buksbaum offers advice on prospecting, cold calling, and networking to an entrepreneur who recently launched... Read more
Uncovering the Road to Future Profits in 10 Steps
A book review of "Winning Market Leadership" says that this 10-step manual "provides an effective and valuable market planning template." Read more
Don't Think that You Can " Buy" Customer Loyalty
Are you fostering customer loyalty? In his book "loyalty.com," author Frederick Newell gives an overview of customer relationship management with strategies ... Read more
From " What? " to " So What? " to " Now What? "
A combination of qualitative and quantitative research allows companies to develop new products keyed to precisely targeted markets. Read more
For Women Mostly
Here are a group of start-up resources and investment groups that focus on women-owned companies. Read more
Failure Modes to Avoid
In this excerpt from the book "Customer Service -- the Key to Your Competitive Edge," author Peggy Morrow outlines 13 situations that will hamper the success... Read more
Eight Keys to Creating a Customer Service Culture
Author Peggy Morrow offers guidelines and examples to assist you in creating a customer service culture in this excerpt from "Customer Service -- the Key to ... Read more
Setting and Measuring Service Standards
In this excerpt from "Customer Service -- the Key to Your Competitive Edge," author Peggy Morrow gives us an inside look at the customer service improvement ... Read more
With Billions of Bytes of Customer Data, How Can Retailers Be " Starved for Information" ?
Traditional retailers and online "e-tailers" are missing critical sales and profits because they cannot efficently navigate a sea of customer information to ... Read more
Captivate Audiences with Powerful Presentations
Do you want your speeches to pack a punch? Professional speaker and speech consultant Patricia Fripp offers ideas on humor, movement, and vocal techniques. Read more
