No buttoned-down business: Busy Beaver Button Co.
You may not think of a button as being a powerful communications tool, but Christen Carter does — at least when it comes to the pinback (also known as a button badge or pin button).
Shaking up supply chains: LLamasoft Inc.
LLamasoft Inc. has redefined the scope of supply chain software.In the past, modeling solutions for supply chain networks looked only at cost optimization.
Cheaper Web Ads Add Up to Growth
Digital Library > Defining and Serving a Market > Advertising, general “Cheaper Web Ads Add Up to Growth” Internet advertising will soon become much more attractive to entrepreneurial businesses, indicates a new report from Forrester Research Inc. There are two main reasons. First, lower cost-per-thousand rates, driven by excess advertising space inventory, will make the Web more affordable. Second, new…
'Tough Sales,' 'Big Growth,' 'We're Dying'
Digital Library > Defining and Serving a Market > Business conditions “‘Tough Sales,’ ‘Big Growth,’ ‘We’re Dying’” As we approach the new millennium, what are entrepreneurs thinking about? Where do they see their businesses going? Computer Repair: "Hardware and software sales are tough. We are trying to get away from that but it’s not easy. We have to offer more…
Totally Outrageous Customer Service
Digital Library > Defining and Serving a Market > Customer service “Totally Outrageous Customer Service” Sometimes it pays to make sure your customers are satisfied. Grocery concern Stew Leonard’s received a $40 food order to accommodate 20 people at a luncheon. When the order was placed, the chef suggested that more food was needed, but the suggestion was not taken….
Join the E-Commerce Revolution — Free
Digital Library > Defining and Serving a Market > Electronic commerce “Join the E-Commerce Revolution — Free” Many small businesses view the Internet as a place to level the playing field against larger competitors. Yet less than 5% of U.S.-based small businesses currently have an e-commerce Web site. If the cost or complexity has stalled your online plans, here’s good…
Armstrong's Secret Weapon: Creativity
Digital Library > Defining and serving a market > Differentiating your company “Armstrong’s Secret Weapon: Creativity” When advised to "loosen up," a sales manager at Armstrong International dreamed up an imaginative Christmas card: He was photographed in a Santa Claus suit sitting on a pump trap — one of the company’s core products. The card generated more response from customers…
When Errors Are Not an Option
Digital Library > Operations and Technology > Inventory control “When Errors Are Not an Option” Alaskan Brewing Co. leveraged its biggest operational obstacle to develop impressive organizational muscle. The Juneau-based microbrewery, which generates more than $10 million in annual sales, is landlocked. This adverse geography affects everything — from bringing in ingredients to shipping finished product. A weekly barge from…
Determining the Real Costs of Lead Generation — and Making It Work
Keys to a successful marketing program: targeted audience, sharp appearance, valuable offer.
Don't Put Me on Hold
Digital Library > Defining and Serving a Market > Customer service “Don’t Put Me on Hold” Speedy customer service is what consumers want from their online services, whether it’s a mortgage lender or wireless-communication vendor, according to a study from Mobius Management Systems, a provider of Web-based software. Ninety-one percent of survey respondents said they would change vendors if it…