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6 Ways to Lower Your FedEx and UPS Shipping Charges
by Paul Diamond Friday Mar 12, 2010In January UPS raised rates by an average of 4.9% and FedEx raised its rates by an average of 5.9%. Not included in the rate increases are new and increased surcharges and add-on charges. UPS has raised it “address correction” surcharge on air shipment from $10.00 to $11.00, and ground increased from $8.00 to $10.00. “There’s a big penalty to pay for getting an address wrong,” says Mark Taylor, retired CEO with more than 30 years of experience in the shipping industry and author of the blog Shipping Coach.
Quotes to Inspire (or Humor) Management
by Paul Diamond Tuesday Mar 9, 2010Looking for a good management quote? Here's a small collection of thoughts on the inexact science of trying get things done efficiently and effectively by using other people to do the work. “Management's challenge is to sell more with fewer people, to customers who demand more service and attention for less money.” Jim Cecil, Vistage speaker “Lots of folks confuse bad management with destiny.” Kin Hubbard, humorist
How 'Cause Marketing' Can Help Your Business
by Paul Diamond Monday Mar 8, 2010How can companies get something substantial in return for donating to social or environmental causes? The answer is cause marketing — the collaboration of a "for profit" business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. Cause marketing is a powerful tool for building brand awareness, loyalty and sales while helping a non-profit cause. Benefits of cause-marketing
Leadership and the Top 10 Boat Names of 2009
by Paul Diamond Friday Mar 5, 2010What’s the connection between the top 10 boat names, popular sentiment and leadership? First, let’s look at the top 10 boat names of 2009, compiled by BoatUS.com (The Boat Owners Association of the United States). 1. Second Wind 2. Seas the Day 3. Lazy Daze 4. Jolly Roger 5. Bail Out 6. On the Rocks 7. Pegasus 8. Serenity Now 9. Namaste 10. Comfortably Numb
3 Biggest Challenges Startups Face -- and How to Overcome Them
by Paul Diamond Monday Dec 28, 2009Growing a business is a great joy for any business owner — that is, until the roadblocks and pitfalls of growth pains start fracturing your team, direction and viability. Siamak Taghaddos, co-founder and CEO of Grasshopper, knows the path of rapid growth well. His company, which supplies virtual phone systems, has grown more than 200% year over year since 2004. Taghaddos lays out three of the most common challenges entrepreneurs face when growing their businesses.
The 10 Best Posts for Business Blogs
by Paul Diamond Friday Feb 26, 2010Is it really worth your time to start a blog for your business? Many CEOs and business leaders think so. They know that blogs increase online visibility, establish expertise and credibility, foster brand loyalty, boost top-of-mind awareness and influence the public conversation about their company. So what should you write about in your company blog? Here are 10 types of posts that work well for business blogs.
Survey: The Best Social Media Sites for Salespeople
by Paul Diamond Tuesday Feb 23, 2010In the first two weeks of February, I polled CEOs and business owners about social media sites their salespeople use. The specific question I asked was, “Which social network sites do your salespeople use most?” (I conducted the poll among members of Vistage, an executive coaching organization.) More than 420 business leaders responded. Here are the results: 47% use Linkedin 20% use Facebook 5% use Twitter 1% use another social media site 27% don't use any social media sites
New CEO Trend: The Apology Video
by Paul Diamond Monday Feb 22, 2010The new trend in public apologies for CEOs is via YouTube video. The blog AttentionDigital has complied six such videos, which includes these apology hits:
5 Ways to Offer Outstanding Customer Service
by Paul Diamond Tuesday Feb 16, 2010Good customer service brings customers back and gets them talking and spreading the word about your business. There’s always a cost associated with retaining customers and with attracting new ones. Here are five tips to help you offer excellent service and lower the above mentioned costs:
Career Tips for Out-of-Work Executives
by Paul Diamond Thursday Feb 11, 2010Are you looking to reinvent yourself or find a new career? It won't be easy, not just because of the economy but also because job changes can be difficult and time-consuming. David Schwartz, an executive coach who is president of ROELMANA Group, has these tips for executives in transition:
