Recently I was talking to my business coach about who my biggest competitors are and had a huge aha: when I’m bidding on projects, I’m rarely competing with other researchers or big research firms.  More likely than not, I’m going up against the possibility of my client doing the work themselves: DIY! I don't know Read more...

Whenever I hear “social media should be real, transparent, and audience focused,” I find myself nodding and wondering at the same time. I agree. It should. But why stop there? All communication strategy should be that way. If it were, it would be way more successful. Fresh from graduate school, where all I studied was Read more...

“I Like You, But We Don’t Have a Relationship!” As in Dating, Strong Customer Relationships Require Shared Values So your customers “like” you. And, at some point, you want them to become “engaged,” and then eventually commit to a serious relationship, proclaiming their “loyalty,” rather than seeing other companies. The goal of marketing in the Read more...

Why publish an ebook? Being an author establishes you as an authority in your field; that’s why many consultants write books. And while self-publishing has made getting a book out faster and easier than ever before, there is still some effort involved in the process—effort you can avoid by going directly to ebook. Nobody outside of Amazon knows how Read more...

Time management and planning is among the most frequently discussed topics in the time management arena. If ever there was a secret weapon to doing more in less time and having more free or ‘me’ time, it’s the practice of planning. If ever you needed motivation to plan, here are ten compelling reasons: Later is Read more...

When setting priorities for summer, don't forget to include fun![/caption] Summer is in full swing…which means sunshine, vacations, flip-flops and, my personal favorite, beach days! I love the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. So much so that each year, I make a conscious effort to slow down some so I can truly enjoy them. Read more...

Want to know how your consulting practice stacks up against other successful consultants in the U.S.? Participate in the 11th Annual Women In Consulting Best Practices Survey and you will. This marks the eleventh year that WIC has looked at best practices of consultants working all over the U.S. The WIC survey provides insight into Read more...

There's a new trend in branding strategy: Beauty. Maybe you've noticed the renaissance of beauty in the past several months. Websites, writing and video marketing have all become significantly more gorgeous. Beauty is being noticed, appreciated and valued in a big way. People share beautiful things on Facebook and Pinterest, and statistics show that things Read more...

Is video marketing part of your online marketing mix, or are you still sitting on the sidelines wondering where to begin? Video marketing can captivate and convince people to hire you as a consultant or buy your products and services. YouTube, camera phones and editing software make it easier than ever to start building your Read more...

Remember all the buzz about the paperless office?  Even with advances in technology, it still feels like a far away dream. According to the Association for Information and Image Management, 90% of office documents are still on paper. Instead of striving for completely paperless, go for almost paperless. And start now! The Paperless Office Saves Read more...