Business Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-14-2024

Communicating effectively in business requires far more than writing clearly and delivering persuasive presentations. It requires mastering fundamental skills such as active listening, nonverbal communication, and audience analysis, and then applying them to specific business situations — presenting, negotiating, resolving conflicts, getting hired, collaborating with colleagues, and more. This handy Cheat Sheet is a quick reference for business communication basics. It offers tips for eliminating distractions, choosing the right communication medium, listening actively, choosing the right words, and avoiding common networking mistakes.

Article / Updated 10-28-2024

A bullet journal or BUJO for short, is an organizational system that helps you keep track of everything in your busy life. It’s a life hack, a physical place to store everything you need to do, remember, or give attention to. Created by Ryder Carroll, a designer in New York City, the bullet journal is a way to keep organized in a fast-paced world. This system is a hard copy version of a to-do list, reminders, upcoming tasks, and anything else you need it to be, all in one place. And you don’t need any fancy gadgets or digital devices. All you need is a pen and a notebook. Elements of a bullet journal The bullet journal is comprised of five main elements. These include: Index: The index will be the first element in your bullet journal. Adding an index helps you find what you need when you need it. All of that information may seem like a waste if it is jumbled and you are unable to locate information in a pinch. Rapid logging: As the name implies, rapid logging is a quick and easy way to record anything. Many people lose interest in journals or complicated lists because they become arduous and cumbersome, rather than helpful. Using rapid logging, you make quick work of any meeting notes, journal entries, or to-do lists. This involves notations using short sentences and abbreviations, when possible. Logs: Your bullet journal should contain logs that help you identify what you need to accomplish. Ryder Carroll recommends that you use a future log, a monthly log, and a daily log. This way you can see what you need to accomplish on a small and large level. This logging system also provides you with a way to track your progress over time. Collections: Collections are a way of consolidating related topics. You can add a collection for books you want to read, restaurants you’d like to try, or even a separate collection for tracking fitness goals. Migration: Migration involves moving uncompleted tasks into current or future logs so that the tasks remain visible. If you are unable to complete a task from a previous month, simply migrate the task to your present or future set of goals. One of the main purposes of migration is to help you identify which goals and tasks are truly important to you. Your bullet journal can contain whatever information you want. The goal is to accomplish more by weeding out irrelevant tasks and continuing to work towards the ones that matter. Bullet journaling is about the system more than the content. Fill it with whatever matters to you! Getting started on your bullet journal Your bullet journal is a flexible system that allows you to keep track of all things. Follow these steps to get started: Choose your notebook and pen.Make sure it is big enough to hold everything. You will consolidate everything (really, everything) into this notebook. Open your notebook to the first spread and title them Index at the top of the page.A spread consists of two blank pages next to one another. Open to the next blank spread and title the pages Future Log.Write the page numbers in the bottom corner of your page. Go back to your index and log your Future Log.This could say simply, “Future Log 1-4.” It is important that you log entries into the index as you add them to your journal. This will help you find entries quickly when you need them. Go to the next spread and title it Monthly Log. Create spaces for monthly entries. Often, this takes the shape of large boxes for each month, similar to the structure of a monthly planner.Don’t forget to record the page number in your index. Open to the next spread and title these pages Daily Log. To enter your first entry, record the date. Begin recording tasks, events, or notes.You want to keep each entry short, as with a bulleted list. This is the rapid logging process. Use the following symbols: Tasks use a dot bullet (•) Events use an open circle bullet (o) Notes use a dash or hyphen (-) Use a star (*) to signify important tasks Once you have completed your first month, begin a new monthly log. Go back and scan your previous month. Mark completed tasks with an x. Review open tasks. Consider whether the task is still relevant. If the task is no longer relevant, mark it through with a line (task). If your task needs completed in future months, make the dot a left arrow (<) and migrate it to the appropriate place in the future log. If the task needs completed in the current month, use a right arrow (>) and record the entry in the current month. Next, begin any collections on a new spread to keep track of related topics.For example, you may have a grocery list or track ideas for an upcoming birthday. Record the page number and collection in your index. Begin bullet journaling. To see this process in action, check out Ryder Carroll’s YouTube video describing the basics of bullet journaling. Why people love the bullet journal The bullet journal is a great way to stay organized. But most importantly, bullet journals are easy. Here’s why: You can put everything is one place. No more lost or half-fulfilled to-do lists. Bullet journals are easily modifiable to fit your needs, habits, and schedule. They don’t require a huge time investment. All topics are indexed and can be found when needed. You are already doing this. Bullet journals just make it easier. With these journals, you can identify what is truly important to you and your goals are always visible. Check out Pinterest for ideas on how you can use your bullet journal to stay organized.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-25-2024

Whatever reason you have for selling your business — finances, family, fatigue — you'll want to assemble the right group of professionals to assist you through the sale process, know which essential documents to have on hand, and understand how to value your business assets to ensure a successful sale.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-16-2024

Starting an online business or growing an existing e-commerce business doesn’t have to be hard. Lots of resources are available to help you do everything from creating content for your website to building a long list of loyal customers. Being a savvy online entrepreneur also means learning to use social media to promote your business. Try these suggestions and quick tips for launching your website and engaging your customers.

Article / Updated 07-25-2024

The power of personalized branded books In the dynamic and competitive landscape of trade shows, businesses constantly seek innovative ways to stand out and generate high-quality leads. One powerful strategy that is gaining traction is the distribution of personalized branded books created by Custom Dummies. These custom-tailored books serve as memorable, valuable, and impactful marketing tools that can significantly enhance your brand. Here's how you can leverage this unique approach to make your next trade show a success. Why personalized branded books? Engagement and memorability: Personalized branded books are more than just promotional materials; they are tangible, valuable assets that attendees can take away and revisit long after the event. A custom book from Custom Dummies, filled with tailored content relevant to your audience, ensures that your brand remains top-of-mind. Unlike traditional brochures or flyers, these books offer a unique and lasting impression. Authority and trust: Distributing a well-crafted, informative book positions your company as an authority in your field. It demonstrates a commitment to providing value and showcases your expertise. Attendees are more likely to trust and engage with a business that invests in creating high-quality, educational content. Brand differentiation: In a crowded trade show environment, it’s crucial to differentiate your brand. Custom Dummies books, featuring your branding and tailored content, help you stand out. They provide a unique way to communicate your message and highlight what makes your company special. Strategies for effective trade show lead generation with Custom Dummies Pre-show preparation Target audience identification: Understand who will be attending the trade show. Define your ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and tailor the content of your Custom Dummies book to address their specific needs and interests. Content development: Work with Custom Dummies to develop a book that provides real value to your target audience. This could include industry insights, practical tips, case studies, or how-to guides that align with your products or services. Promotion: Announce the availability of your personalized branded book in pre-show communications. Use email campaigns, social media, and your website to generate interest and encourage attendees to visit your booth to receive their copy. During the show Engaging booth design: Create an inviting and visually appealing booth that showcases your Custom Dummies books. Use clear signage to highlight the unique value of your personalized content. Interactive presentations: Use the content from your book to create engaging presentations or demos. This not only attracts attendees but also provides a natural segue into distributing your books. Lead capture and qualification: Offer your Custom Dummies book as an incentive for attendees to share their contact information. Use digital forms or lead capture apps to collect and qualify leads efficiently. Post-show follow-up Personalized outreach: Follow up with attendees who received your book. Reference specific content from the book in your communications to reinforce the connection and demonstrate your attention to detail. Lead nurturing: Develop a lead nurturing campaign that builds on the content of your Custom Dummies book. Send additional resources, updates, or invitations to webinars that align with the topics covered in the book. Analytics and feedback: Track the effectiveness of your book distribution strategy. Use analytics to measure engagement and gather feedback from recipients to continually improve your approach. The benefits of trade show marketing with Custom Dummies Enhanced brand visibility: Custom Dummies books not only attract attention at the trade show but also continue to promote your brand long after the event. Attendees are likely to keep and share valuable content, extending your reach. High-quality leads: By providing substantial value upfront, you attract leads genuinely interested in your products or services. This increases the likelihood of conversion and fosters long-term relationships. Networking opportunities: Custom Dummies books can also be used as conversation starters, making it easier to network with industry peers and potential partners. Conclusion Utilizing personalized branded books from Custom Dummies at trade shows is a powerful way to generate high-quality leads, differentiate your brand, and establish authority. By focusing on delivering value through tailored content, you create a memorable experience for attendees and set the stage for lasting business relationships. Ready to transform your trade show strategy with Custom Dummies? Contact us today to start creating your personalized branded book and make your next trade show the most successful yet.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 07-23-2024

Unleash the power of AI to transform your writing process and revolutionize your creativity. This Cheat Sheet introduces you to some common AI lingo and popular AI tools to get you started, and helps you to identify your target audience, generate a writing brief, and polish and proofread your content.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 06-30-2024

Financial risk management can be very complicated, which can make it hard to know where to begin thinking about it. This Cheat Sheet distinguishes some of the key concepts such as risk versus danger and opportunity, probability, volatility, normality and uncertainty. It discusses how to manage the seven major types of financial risk in financial institutions including asset managers, banks, insurance companies and dealers. These aren’t exclusive; in fact, a common mistake is to fixate only on one type of risk. Most risks cross boundaries and present issues of several, or even all seven, types. The seven types are market risk, credit risk, operational risk, liquidity risk, funding risk, reputational risk and political risk.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 06-10-2024

Whether you’re a manager, an entrepreneur, or a recent graduate, the ability to write well is a skill you can’t afford to be without — particularly in the world of business. This handy Cheat Sheet helps ensure your business writing is fit for the right purpose, and gives you tips on effective resume writing, international communication, and online content creation for your business.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-07-2024

Now more than ever, inclusive leadership must become the new normal. Inclusion is the degree to which an employee perceives that they’re a valued member of the work group and encouraged to fully participate in the organization. That means that an inclusive leader demonstrates the skills and creates the kind of work environment where all talent can thrive because they feel valued, respected, that they belong, and are set up for success. As such, this means that leaders must shift their mindsets and adopt new skillsets in order to meet the demands of the global changing marketplace, workplace, and the communities in which they do business. It also means embracing inclusion as a leadership responsibility and a performance expectation that is as common as managing projects and serving customers. Becoming an inclusive leader isn’t as easy as it sounds. Inclusive leadership is much more than having a title, giving a hug, and being nice. It requires a paradigm shift, an openness to different ways of doing things, leaning into some discomfort, and demonstrating courage to embrace the unfamiliar. This Cheat Sheet provides food for thought, best practices, and strategies, as well as guidance on how to become a more inclusive leader and how to drive it inside the organization.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-07-2024

From searching for a business to buy, getting your finances in order to managing and marketing and everything in between, the world of small business can be both exciting and overwhelming. If you’re thinking about buying and running a business, check out the following list of tips to improve your chances of success.