Posts Tagged ‘Flathead Beacon’
Blue-Winged is the New Black
By ROB BREEDING- It's been my kind of winter: a blue-winged olive winter. Hardcore dry fly junkies know the sure signs of blue-winged weather: canceled ice-fishing and pond hockey tournaments. ... more
Desperate for Business?
By MARK RIFFEY - Are sales down? Don't get desperate. Get Facts. When an owner is desperate for business, (at least) two things often take place in an effort to turn things around:... more
Do You Value Your Clientele?
By MARK RIFFEY - The behavior of our business indicates how we value our clientele. Some businesses value what they do and work hard for every lead. Every client. Every order. Every payment.... more
We Have No Time for Yoga Pants
By MARK RIFFEY - Whether you believe the yoga pants thing was a joke or not, it doesn’t really matter. Helena's work is serious business, and it's personal.... more
Looking to Disrupt a Market?
By MARK RIFFEY - We earn the privilege to stay in our market every day. When we don’t, we often expose opportunity we’ve ignored, provoking someone to disrupt a market.... more
The Pace of Change
By MARK RIFFEY - If things have seemed a bit frenetic in your business lately, you’re not alone. Things are changing faster than ever, including the pace of change.... more
Spinach Salad with Fennel, Apple and Citrus Vinaigrette
By CHEF JAMIE LIPHARDT-A great salad to accompany the most simple or the most elegant meal.... more
Planning For a Strategic Tradeshow
By MARK RIFFEY - Trade shows aren't vacation. They're strategically important. Plan them that way.... more
New Year Low-Fat Carrot Muffins
It’s that time of year when most of us resolve to take better care of ourselves. These muffins are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you feeling too guilty.... more
Do I Really Need to Exhibit At Trade Shows?
By MARK RIFFEY - Trade shows are focused gatherings of clients, prospects and vendors. Why bother?... more
The Shortcut To Easier Sales
By MARK RIFFEY - The Shortcut to sales starts with a simple question: Who is the ideal person for your product/service? Who's Your Target Audience?... more
Baked French Onion Soup
By CHEF HOWARD KARP - French onion soup is a wintertime favorite, but making this dish true to its roots does have some secrets. ... more
How To Make a Good Upsell
By MARK RIFFEY - When someone asks me how to make a good upsell, I suggest that they focus on being helpful.... more
Reinvigorate Your Business For The New Year
By MARK RIFFEY - It's time to get things ramped up for 2015. What can you improve without spending much?... more
Defending Your Business
By MARK RIFFEY - Take an active role in defending your business, because if you don't, few others will.... more
Creating Client Loyalty = Depending on You
By MARK RIFFEY - This time of year is always a good time to remind you of the difference between working on the business vs. working in it.... more
Focused On The Holiday, The Now or The Future
By MARK RIFFEY - This time of year is always a good time to remind you of the difference between working on the business vs. working in it.... more
Your Systems Should Serve All Customers
By MARK RIFFEY - Do your systems serve your internal customers or all of them? These systems don’t often focus on the client’s needs, even though they ultimately serve that client.... more
The Magic Triangle of Small Business
By MARK RIFFEY - The Magic Triangle of Business? Quality, customer service, management. It's that simple.... more
Customers Cost Too Much to Let Them Disappear
By MARK RIFFEY - What happens to the clients who don't come back? Every business loses customers at some point. What separates the successful from the rest is how they act after that.... more
Have You Thanked Them Lately?
By MARK RIFFEY - Can you remember the last time you received a personal, hand written thank you note from someone you do business with? Thanksgiving isn't the only time to be thankful.... more
Are They Talking About You?
By MARK RIFFEY - Are you customers talking about you? They should be. One of the most powerful tools in marketing is the testimonial. Yet they are used so infrequently.... more
Can You Sleep When The Wind Blows?
By MARK RIFFEY - Taking care of business means more than just caring about today.... more
Has Your Client List Heard From You Lately?
By MARK RIFFEY - As we head into retail’s peak shopping season, the big question is “Will my clientele buy…again?” Have you had any contact with them since last November or December?... more
Selling to Everyone
By MARK RIFFEY - Selling isn’t about the shine; it’s about what happens when the shine has worn off.... more
Does Your Business’ Reality Match Theirs?
By MARK RIFFEY - Ever watch any of the business turnaround reality shows on TV? The pattern is the same for most of them – regardless of the type of business. What's the reality at your business?... more
Big Data, Small Business
By MARK RIFFEY - Rather than being overwhelmed by your data, leverage it. You can use data for guidance and decision making. ... more
Mark Riffey on Business: Ask Great Questions
By MARK RIFFEY - I’m always looking for better questions to ask. Good questions educate me about a situation or a mindset someone is in and help me understand where they’re coming from.... more
ROI And Why They Buy
By MARK RIFFEY - If you can't explain the ROI of your stuff to a random person in your prospect's lunch room or warehouse, it's going to get picked to shreds.... more
What Are Your Compelling Reasons?
By MARK RIFFEY - People need compelling reasons to change what they're doing, even if they're not doing anything.... more
Earning Return Business, Part Four: Confidence
By MARK RIFFEY - Your clients' confidence in you is critical to earning return business. Take a pizza for example...... more
Earning Return Business, Part Three: Little Things
By MARK RIFFEY - Getting you to return comes from you getting the little things right, even if you're the only game in town.... more
Flathead Cherries and Heirloom Tomato Tart
It’s time to celebrate our Flathead cherries and local tomatoes! This symphony of flavors screams summer with these two sweet-and-tart fruits that ripen at the same time.... more
Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms
By JAMIE LIPHARDT - You will not only impress yourself with this dish, but also your garden friend and anyone else you decide to invite to dinner that night.... more
Sailing the Flathead
BY XAVIER FLORY - An evening race with the North Flathead Yacht Club, which was founded in 1976 and currently has 132 members. ... more
Earning Return Business, Part Two
By MARK RIFFEY - Not long ago I heard someone say “Excuses are a lie wrapped in a reason.” Training is a critical component to building a team that brings clients back repeatedly.... more
Earning Return Business
By MARK RIFFEY - When you make client service decisions, do you weigh the cost of losing the client?The incremental cost of service is usually tiny compared to losing the client.... more
Peach Pie and Pecan Crumble
BY CHEF HOWARD KARP-For the short time while peaches are in season, this recipe might just become your favorite fruit dessert, especially with this ultimate crumble-top.... more
Consistency is Critical to Repeat and Word-of-Mouth Business
By MARK RIFFEY - What inconsistencies can you address to increase repeat and word of mouth business?... more
Busy Business Owners Have No Time
By MARK RIFFEY - The average CEO says they only spend about 25% of their day doing what they feel is meaningful work. Does that sound like your typical work day?... more
Help Them Produce Their Best Work
By MARK RIFFEY - No matter what business you’re in and what summer does to your workload – summer is a great time to implement improvements that help your staff produce their best work.... more
Business is Personal: Even Black Cats Need a Reason Why
By MARK RIFFEY - I didn’t do a Friday the 13th promo last week. Did you? There are all kind of reasons to do a promotion, but they are more productive if there’s a reason behind them – even if the reason ... more
Ten Can’t-Miss Events in the Flathead This Summer
By MOLLY PRIDDY - Here’s a list of 10 of the most-popular events in the Flathead in the summer, so mark your calendar before it fills up.... more
Choose your Legislature Carefully
By MARK RIFFEY - What does "serve the people" really mean? Primary season is upon us. It's time to pick someone to serve the people's needs, collectively and individually--and that applies to business too.... more
Still Water Season
By ROB BREEDING - If you don’t know what you’re doing, stay away from moving water in Montana for the next month or so. There are western Montana rivers no one has any business floating this time of year. ... more
You Aren’t the Business owner You Need to Be
By MARK RIFFEY - Are you preparing yourself so that you're ready to lead the company your business will be in six, nine or 12 months? Are you learning enough to be ready to manage your company's needs?... more
Choose Your Market Or Craft It? Or Both?
By MARK RIFFEY - Sometimes you choose your market, and sometimes it chooses you. Today, we get a little of both.... more
Tourist Season is Coming. Are You Ready?
By MARK RIFFEY - It's almost tourist season. Are you ready? Is your facility ready? Here are some steps to help you make tourist season better than expected:... more
Business Rules of the Road
By MARK RIFFEY - While they vary from person to person, our values are the central driving force in our everyday lives. It's worth considering where your rules come from and how you use them.... more