Category: Business Advice

My friend and web partner, John Webster, loves to challenge me. In fact, we engage in frequent debates on issues related to marketing and business.   John’s a fan of metrics – and he’s very good at using them to show clients how they are achieving the ROI they seek. I thought he would be pleased […]

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2013 and was updated in September 2026 to reflect what I’ve learned since then. When I first wrote about firing clients more than a decade ago, I approached the subject by identifying the kinds of clients who might need to go. There were clients who didn’t […]

Social media is a buzz-worthy communications tool that is piquing the interest of businesses across the globe.  I’ve worked with dozens of clients and have learned that, in order for the social media hype to successfully meet their expectations, there are some fundamental factors that need to be in place. In fact, these three elements […]

I was recently asked to write a guest blog about content marketing with an emphasis on making content ‘go viral.’  However, I ended up declining simply because “going viral” isn’t a goal I commonly have, especially for my small business clients. Content that “goes viral” may be good for a quick boost, but this content […]

Pinpointing what to write about on your blog can be a challenge, especially for new bloggers. But there are a few effective “types” of blog posts that can really help you get the wheels turning and produce compelling content. There are certainly more types of blog posts than this list, but here are some of […]

I recently received an email from a friend asking for advice about hiring help.  She, too, is a busy social media manager, and as her business grows, she’s finding it harder to deliver exceptional customer service.  She’s concluded that she needs help, but is unsure where to start. Should she hire an independent contractor?  What […]

By Dawn Mentzer Many service-based professionals think long and hard about determining their pricing. It’s no walk in the park to take all things into consideration and set rates that are fair both to your clients AND to you. It takes a lot of time and a lot of number crunching to arrive at pricing […]

I’m not one to often complain on social media. Chronic whiners tend to damage their own credibility and cause people to eventually tune them out. There are times, though, when I feel like it’s warranted. My litmus test for this: if I want to prevent a bad experience from happening to others. Such was the […]

Many successful business owners advise to offer value – to give away your knowledge and help others in order to build the like/know/trust factor. In fact, Mark Schaefer said in a recent blog, “Even though I give away everything I know about business and marketing, people are still eager to hire me because they value my […]