Goal setting is supposed to be the blueprint for success, but for many businesses, it’s a road to frustration. Despite having clear intentions, many companies fall short of achieving their goals due to common missteps in planning, execution, and alignment. These pitfalls aren’t always obvious, but they can sabotage even the best strategies. The good news? Once you are aware of them, dodging these pitfalls becomes easy.
As the new year unfolds, many individuals and businesses set ambitious resolutions aimed at self-improvement and organizational success. Yet, studies reveal that 94 percent of resolutions are abandoned by the end of February, often leading to disappointment and self-criticism.
Outsourcing helps companies reduce costs, improve efficiency, scale operations, access specialized skills, and focus on essential business functions. By leveraging external providers, businesses can maintain steady growth without the commitment of hiring in-house employees. The growth of the global outsourcing services market is fueled by technological advancements, The Great Resignation, shifts to remote or hybrid work environments, and myriad other factors. As outsourcing becomes more ubiquitous, now is the perfect time to leverage outsourcing. To reap the rewards, however, it’s crucial to know the right steps to take—and the mistakes to avoid.
Today’s workplace is vastly different than it was just five years ago. In 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that approximately 27 percent of the U.S. workforce was at least partially remote. Today, more businesses are implementing return-to-office policies, yet the desire for full- or part-time remote work shows no signs of declining. As companies strive to find a happy medium for their organizations, employees and leaders are navigating a new workplace environment and culture.
The holiday season is a great time to show appreciation for colleagues, employees, clients, mentors, and strategic partners. Yet, with tight schedules and end-of-year deadlines, finding thoughtful gifts can sometimes slip through the cracks. If you’re scrambling for last-minute ideas, here’s a curated list of practical, professional, and thoughtful gifts that will leave a lasting impression during the holidays or year-round.
Great leaders don’t just lead—they inspire. This characteristic often means the difference between an organization’s success or failure. Without great leadership, corporate culture suffers, leading to employee apathy, high turnover, reduced productivity, lack of innovation, and a toxic work environment. These negative consequences can have a lasting impact on individuals and on the business.
In today’s “always on” business world, professionals are under mounting stress that can lead to burnout and other stress-related conditions. A recent study by Deloitte reveals that 77 percent of respondents have experienced burnout at their current job—and more than half of them say it’s not an isolated incident. Stress doesn’t just affect the employee. Nine out of 10 respondents said that unmanageable stress had a negative impact on the quality of their work, and eight out of 10 said it negatively affects their personal relationships. Moreover, chronic stress can take a toll on health, contributing to poor sleep, muscle tension, headaches, weight gain, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even stroke.
When communicating with customers, successful brands understand that focusing only on the features of their products and services isn’t enough to foster meaningful relationships. Buyers, especially B2B buyers, expect their purchase decisions to result in lasting partnerships that can sustain ongoing results. In a marketplace where competition is high and brand communications are frequent, it takes more than describing your services to entice clients. Rather, buyers want to know more about the purpose, values, and mission behind your organization.
In today’s fast-paced business world, kindness isn’t a strategic priority for most organizations. In fact, it is often considered a weakness. After all, nice guys finish last. Or do they? International leaders such as Mother Theresa, Princess Diana, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela are recognized for using kindness to inspire millions and change the world. When business leaders recognize that kindness is not only a virtue but also a strategic advantage, they can elevate their employees and organizations to new heights.
If you could improve yourself by just one percent each day, at the end of one year, you will be 37 times better than you are right now. This concept of how tiny (or atomic) and incremental change can yield huge results is the first lesson in James Clear’s best-selling book Atomic Habits. By challenging our beliefs about how we value goals over systems, Clear provides a clear path to help break bad habits and create new ones.
A brand’s success depends on its reputation, visibility, credibility and even popularity. But simply promoting a brand is not enough. To stand out from the competition, potential buyers are looking for credible and authentic input from real people who have worked with your company. That’s where a brand ambassador strategy can make a big difference. Brand ambassadors are individuals who serve as the face of the brand and share less biased perspectives that are often more trusted by target audiences.
Moving into 2024, many marketing teams are reviewing, revising and optimizing their marketing plans for the new year. The challenges we encountered can shape those plans and provide a solid foundation for seizing the opportunities that lie ahead. Based on the topics that have been addressed in our own blog and newsletter over the course of 2023, there are some key lessons learned that can be leveraged for success in 2024.
With the holidays upon us and the new year around the corner, the spirit of giving is in the air. While holiday traditions may not permeate the workplace the same way they do at home, there are many opportunities to bring a spirit of giving into your organization. Small acts of kindness tell your colleagues
Empathy-based or empathetic marketing is a topic often discussed in the B2C space. Evoking empathy in B2B buyers, however, isn’t always easy. In an environment marked by “professional” and less “emotional” communication, it can be more challenging to connect with buyers on a deeper level. The solution to this challenge starts from building an empathetic culture within the organization.
Marketing teams are made up of individuals who wear many hats and possess a wide variety of skills. While it’s common to focus on the hard skills that align with specific marketing tactics such as search engine optimization, copywriting, graphic design or email marketing, there are many soft skills that are essential to building a strong marketing team. Also called people skills or emotional intelligence, these traits distinguish top-of-class marketing professionals from the pack.
When asked about what makes them successful, nearly every professional athlete, author, actor and entrepreneur has one trait in common: confidence. Regardless of the profession, experts often discuss how confidence is an essential quality that empowers them to take risks, challenge the status quo, push past adversity, or get up and try again
While creativity is important for individuals who work in the arts, it is just as necessary in business. Without it, businesses will become stagnant and unable to compete in an evolving marketplace.
In the B2B marketplace, purchase decisions can be complex. They often involve multiple decision-makers, complicated budgets and long-term commitments. As such, strategic thinking and calculated moves are the keys to winning marketing efforts that drive business success. Much like a game of chess, B2B marketing requires careful planning, foresight, and adaptability to outmaneuver competitors.
When most leaders think about growing their businesses, revenue and profits are typically top of mind. In a traditional “performance” culture, company and individual success is measured by accomplishments and financial impact. But research shows that this performance-based culture may not be the most sustainable way to drive results.
Whether an important email, sales proposal, bylined article or video script, developing content is a universal need. Even with tools such as spell check, Thesaurus or supportive artificial intelligence (AI), quality writing can be difficult to produce. The way a brand communicates with the written word can have a significant impact on brand reputation, the success of marketing goals and professional interactions.
Communication is at the heart of any business relationship. Whether it’s with a new prospect or a longstanding business partner, the manner in which a brand communicates can make or break a sale. More than a color scheme or logo, a brand’s identity conveys who they are, what they stand for and what they do for their customers. This includes multiple factors such as brand tone and voice.
In 2020, we faced significant challenges in the way we communicated, engaged and conducted business. From a marketing perspective, trade shows, conferences and other events were among the traditional initiatives that suffered the greatest losses. Cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected revenue and profits for hotels, convention centers, restaurants, transportation, travel and others that sell at these venues or support events on a global scale. To compensate, event marketers needed to adapt quickly. And one of the solutions that evolved was the shift from in-person to virtual events.
The end of the year is rapidly approaching. Planning for the new year might feel like a daunting task, one steeped in uncertainty. Even so, now is the time to start. Statistics show that documenting your strategies gives you a 538 percent greater chance of achieving success. Tapping into lessons learned from 2020, recognize that the flexibility, adaptability and agility practiced this year will continue in 2021. With that new mindset, we encourage you to review your 2020 strategy.
For much of the United States, the stay-at-home order is expected to be lifted next week. While the re-opening will look different depending on individual states, governments and the private sector, companies and individuals are still trying to understand exactly what this change will mean. But, one thing we can agree on is there will be confusion, challenges and conversations.
