What Kind of Businesses are Driving the Economy?

According to new information just released by the US Small Business Administration, small business is what keeps the economy of individual states afloat.

This report, Small Business and State Growth: An Economectric Investigation (who do they pay to develop these titles?) finds that small business births are "the single-largest determinant of GSP, employment, and SPI growth" in individual states.

Does your state undertand that businesses like yours are keeping it afloat?

Do You Perform Regular Maintenance on Your Business?

We all perform regular maintenance on our cars but very few of us do so with our businesses.

Why don't we think that our business requires at least as much attention as our car?

If you drive your business continuously without checking the gauges, changing the filters and refilling the tank, you're likely to find yourself on the side of the road as your competition speeds by.

A great way to ensure that your business is running on all cylinders is to join a peer advisory group. And, if you're a woman who generates over a million dollars in annual revenue, there is not better one than The Women Presidents' Organization

If you're not quite at a million, check out The Woman's Advantage to find out how to get there!

Are You Loosing Sales?

Bill Brooks is a fellow speaker and a great salesperson.

He recently introduced me to his 4-Hour Rule, which opened my eyes to the fact that I wasn't following up fast enough on sales opportunities.

Here's Bill's 4-Hour Rule:
- If you follow up on an inquiry within 4 hours, you'll have a 90% close rate
- If you wait 5 days to follow up, you'll have a 5% close rate

I actually put Bill's advice into action yesterday. I had received two calls, one for consulting services and one for delivering my newest keynote, The Woman's Advantage. Although I had a lot going on, I decided nothing was more important than closing those deals. So I followed up immediatley on each of them...and booked the revenue!

I know this seems like really basic stuff...especially for someone like me who's an expert in marketing and sales...but sometime you've just got to be reminded of the basics.

Thanks, Bill, for your insight and advice.

If You Could Meet Anyone in the Whole World, Who Would That Person Be?

This question was posed to me by the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) and I'd challenge all of you to consider it as well.

My answer might be a little off the wall, but here goes.

My favorite book of all times is Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons. Ellen was a little girl with a lot of spunk. Dealing with an alcoholic father after the death of her mother, Ellen basically raised herself. I would love to meet Ellen today and see the woman she has become. I bet she's like the women in WPO: strong, confident, making a difference in the world!

Do You Know a Mom-to-Be?

I came across the greatest site...owned and run by a woman, natch!

If you want to see the cutest gifts you could ever give to your pregnant friend, sister, or daughter, check out MollyAnna .

The tagline for the company is: Bold. Sassy. Preggo. (Don't you love it already?)

Molly (yes, that's actually her name) told me that she started the company two years ago when she was pregnant. Now she creates t-shirts with cool slogans just for pregnant women.

After raising three kids, my favorite is "Birth Control is for Sissies!"

This is a fun site...check it out!

Are You a PrimeTime Woman?

Holy Cow! I just got a copy of Marti Barletta's latest book, PrimeTime Women. As a Baby Boomer Professional Woman, she's got me pegged!

If you sell ANYTHING to women over 40, you have got to read this book!

Is Your Lifestyle Negatively Impacting Your Bottom Line?

A recent Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) study found that your lifestyle has a significant impact on health insurance claims. The study determined that 87.5% of the cost of insurance claims are driven by your lifestyle.

As an entrepreneur, this means that everything you do to address your own wellness, as well as that of your employees, impacts your bottom line. Taking the initiative to eat healthier, eliminate smoking, and work out regularly puts money right back in your pocket.

Here's my personal take on working out, which, by the way, I HATE! I've convinced myself that for every hour I work out, I add a day to my life. From a pure business perspective, that's an amazing ROI: 1 hour invested returns 24!