Author Archive

18 Value Propositions That Get it Right

The best way to understand value propositions is to see good examples at work. Here are 18, from the largest company in the world to some small, eclectic start-ups.  1. Wal-Mart. Everyday low prices. Behind the value proposition of not only the world’s largest retailer but also the world’s largest...

Wings, beer, sports and the art of perfecting your value proposition

Valcort 35 Keys to Business Growth:  #11  Have a true, simple and clearly worded statement to describe your unique and proven value to customers.  A recent transplant to the Chicago area, I’ve found the city to be hard working, tough and matter-of-fact.  The city’s sports culture shares those characteristics, fielding...

The Christmas Factor

For Christians the world over, Christmas is one of the year's holiest observances, with the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ both solemn and celebratory. But it is people of all faiths and traditions that have also made Christmas the year’s single largest economic stimulus, as sales increase dramatically...

Increasing your margin and moving pianos

Valcort 35 Keys to Business Growth: #10 Understand why customers value your products and services as well as your competitors’ products and services, and what drives their choice. When she answered she was pleasant, helpful and engaging. I needed a good quality mover that could protect my sleek black grand piano...

Marketing trends that will impact your business in 2015

Management guru Peter Drucker said that “attempting to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.” That has stopped almost no one from doing it, and in fact we all make decisions, major and minor,...

This Week’s Business & Management News from the Nonprofit Sector

Buzzwords to Watch in 2015 What will catch the ear of nonprofit and foundation leaders in 2015?  Perhaps Internet of Things, Smart Cities and a dozen other, one keen observer postulates. The Ups and Downs of Charity at the Checkout Counter Research indicates that, in general, checkout-donation efforts do not...

This Week’s Trending Business Stories 12-15-14.

A quick look at popular stories on business Websites this week.  15 Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Get Stuff Done 15 techniques to fight your tendency to procrastinate. For example, don’t set unreasonably ambitious goals. Facing the impossible is paralyzing and you won’t end up doing much of anything. --Entrepreneur...

For product success, make what people want

Valcort 35 Keys to Business Growth: #9 Develop only products and services that are high priorities for current and future customers. There are a lot of candidates for the worst product launch in American history. Rejection of the heavily promoted but underwhelming Edsel in 1957 made the name of the...

25 Big American Product Flops

1. Edsel In 1957, Ford launched the Edsel, a car the company billed as hot and revolutionary, Problem: It turned out to be sort of "blah."Ford was enormously successful in building high expectations for the forthcoming Edsel, but America was equally disappointed. The Edsel tanked. It became a national joke,...

Re-inventing the mission statement.

[Valcort 35 Keys to Business Growth: #8: Have a mission statement that is easy to understand with clear benefits for employees, customers and vendors.] It’s time to re-invent the mission statement. A mission statement clarifies purpose. It describes what an organization does, defines the core activity and sets the boundaries...