My clients, and my kids, have been told that there are four ways that they can be perceived as lying: Dishonesty by commission — literally saying black is white. Dishonesty by omission — leaving important information out of your communications. Dishonesty by understatement for the purpose of obfuscating the truth. Dishonesty by overstatement for the …

In Christine’s video, you’ll learn how they make user reviews more relevant and how they integrate customer support using Twitter. Learn how they utilize other key tactics: Customers can share their experience with a ‘Publish to Facebook’ option after submitting their e-file Facebook news feeds for 30% higher conversion than advertising Creating community in which customers help each other

Impact of a Mission on Organization Development For centuries there was only one bottom line: profitability. Then people and companies interested in making the world a better place, not just making money, decided social impact should have equal billing. Fair enough. A bit later, environmental impact demanded a place at the table, so now we …

I know, you’ve got a great business idea. Everybody says it’s a winner, even your business friends. It’s amazing no one else has thought of it before. You’re feeling you should jump on it right away before someone else gets there first. But you realize you need to do some research before taking the plunge, …

(Much of this blog post was published in April of 2010. This post is republished now with additional information from guest blogger, Alan Hough, whose valuable comments are added later on below.) A common question about Boards is “How many members should we have?” Usually that question spawns a range of answers. For for-profits, some …

In this post, we’ll discuss one of the most important phases in strategic planning – a phase that far too often is forgotten, resulting in plans that sit untouched on shelves. The plan for a plan should be developed by a Planning Committee and should answer 15 important questions — do this before the planners …

[Guest Submission by Chesa Keane, continuation of theme from previous blog post] Focus on Google for search results; the other search engines will follow suit over time. Review your website for keyword placement and density (keyword/total word ratio); you won’t be found if the keywords are not present in the proper configuration (i.e. there are …

In Part 1, we’ll review myths 1-5. In the upcoming Part 2, we’ll review myths 6-10. #1. The Myth of the “One-Way Expert” Consultant It is not uncommon that clients work from the assumption that there are consulting “experts” who can visit a client and promptly tell the client exactly what problems exist within the …

Do you have a new business, or a business that’s mature but needs some greater visibility? Are you launching a new product? If you’re a non-profit, are policy issues or board blow ups finding their way into the community you serve? Are you looking for new employees who understand what you do? These are just …

I often get asked about the difference between coaching, counseling, mentoring and consulting. While the communication skills used by these professions are similar – such as asking questions, active listening, summarizing, etc, they are very different methods and it depends on what the client needs. Here are some distinctions: Coaching – according to the International …