Category Archives: Sales

Planning a small business failure

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Jon Stow

I don’t always like to be right, but when a bookshop opened in our village, I really couldn’t see how it would stay in business for very long. It has lasted only about six months and has now closed. It … Continue reading →

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You can lead a consultant to market…

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Jon Stow

Confession Here is a confession: I am a consultant. I am consulted about tax issues and I am consulted about business problems. Luckily my potential clients know where to find me. Luckily? Well, maybe not. I have to market to … Continue reading →

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Why we must manage our business relationships carefully

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Jon Stow

“Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.” – Arthur Schopenhauer Certainly I think that we can bring misery on ourselves by bad behaviour which upsets others. The other day I was in a local … Continue reading →

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Small business is a life of hard knocks: discuss!

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Jon Stow

I wrote a little while ago about the tough economy  and what might we do in the face of it.  We can all write the best advice we can and we can try to take advice in a positive way. … Continue reading →

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Getting on the customer’s wavelength

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Jon Stow

Poor reception One of the most difficult obstacles I had when starting in business on my own was in persuading my prospects to listen to what I had to offer. Often they were just not tuned in to listen to … Continue reading →

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Being just like everyone else

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Jon Stow

Especially when starting out in business and thinking about our tariffs there is a temptation to look at what everyone else is charging their clients and then charge the same. Recently I have been working with friends looking at forthcoming … Continue reading →

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Playing at business

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Jon Stow

I don’t think I am unique in believing that I should take seriously every activity which I undertake. This is whether I do it for fun or for money. I don’t pretend to be an expert in my hobbies. I … Continue reading →

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Don’t compare

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Jon Stow

No one can have missed the incessant TV adverts for car insurance and car insurance comparison websites. They are nearly all very annoying and I think insult my intelligence (no snide comments, please). Discounting the one-in-twelve of British motorists who … Continue reading →

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What information should we share with our customers?

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Jon Stow

A lot of businesses are very secretive about how they work and how they deliver their product or service to the customer or client. I suppose they like to think they are protecting their expertise or intellectual property by not … Continue reading →

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Giving the bad news

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Jon Stow

In my business one issue that crops up quite often is telling clients things they don’t want to hear. Not every business has that problem, but quite often I am called in to clear up other people’s mess. They have … Continue reading →

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