<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!--Generated by Squarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/) on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:13:53 GMT--><feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><title>AdviCoach Blog</title><subtitle>Blog</subtitle><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/</id><link rel="alternate" type="application/xhtml+xml" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/"/><link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/atom.xml"/><updated>2010-06-24T19:35:29Z</updated><generator uri="http://www.squarespace.com/" version="Squarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)">Squarespace</generator><entry><title>Best Advice I Ever Got</title><category term="Business Coach"/><category term="Business Planning"/><category term="best in the business"/><category term="business conflict"/><category term="eric schmidt"/><category term="fortune magazine"/><category term="perspective"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/6/10/best-advice-i-ever-got.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/6/10/best-advice-i-ever-got.html"/><author><name>Mike Byrne</name></author><published>2010-06-10T12:36:33Z</published><updated>2010-06-10T12:36:33Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[Fortune magazine produced a wonderful series featuring the best advice people like Tiger Woods ever received in their life. For Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, it was to “hire a coach.”]]></summary></entry><entry><title>A Time Management Plan that I Have Time For</title><category term="Larry Frank"/><category term="Management"/><category term="Time Management Plan"/><category term="default calendar"/><category term="time management program"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/6/2/a-time-management-plan-that-i-have-time-for.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/6/2/a-time-management-plan-that-i-have-time-for.html"/><author><name>Lawrence Frank</name></author><published>2010-06-02T14:56:35Z</published><updated>2010-06-02T14:56:35Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[One of my clients insisted that I read Chet Holmes’ bestseller, The Ultimate Sales Machine and I am glad he did. Early in the book, Holmes outlines a time management program that not only do I have time for, but I am actually implementing in my business.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>Where to Start When Negotiating</title><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/5/21/where-to-start-when-negotiating.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/5/21/where-to-start-when-negotiating.html"/><author><name>David Weaver</name></author><published>2010-05-21T19:21:34Z</published><updated>2010-05-21T19:21:34Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[I’ve always been intrigued with the principles of negotiating. We all negotiate, whether for a raise from our boss, a better price from a vendor or my 13 year-old wanting a higher allowance. When my good friend, Bruce Hoelzen, a sales and negotiating skills trainer for Atlanta-based Sales Effectiveness, posted an article on using “anchoring” as a starting point for negotiations, I decided to share it here:]]></summary></entry><entry><title>The Ideal Customer</title><category term="Customer"/><category term="Empower Employees"/><category term="Marketing"/><category term="Marketing &amp; Sales"/><category term="Sales"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/5/7/the-ideal-customer.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/5/7/the-ideal-customer.html"/><author><name>David Weaver</name></author><published>2010-05-07T16:22:44Z</published><updated>2010-05-07T16:22:44Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[Everyone has one. The customer who places orders large enough to generate a decent profit but not large enough that they consume inordinate amounts of time and resources in proportion to the order. The customer whose needs represent a sweet spot for your product or service so that you deliver knowing you represent the very best of what they want and need.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>Are you really in business for yourself or just self-employed?</title><category term="Small Business Owner"/><category term="Strategic Planning"/><category term="business basics"/><category term="business focus"/><category term="business start-up"/><category term="self-employed"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/5/4/are-you-really-in-business-for-yourself-or-just-self-employe.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/5/4/are-you-really-in-business-for-yourself-or-just-self-employe.html"/><author><name>Lawrence Frank</name></author><published>2010-05-04T19:30:00Z</published><updated>2010-05-04T19:30:00Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[When you meet small business owners and ask them what business they are in, they will often describe their trade; "I sell fitness equipment"; "I'm a CPA" or "I own a restaurant".   A few questions later, you can get a pretty good idea of whether the owner is really "in business for himself" or merely self-employed.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>How To Hold Your Price and Still Make Sales</title><category term="Revenue &amp; ROI"/><category term="Sales"/><category term="customer discount"/><category term="negotiation"/><category term="price integrity"/><category term="sales goals"/><category term="volume discount"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/14/how-to-hold-your-price-and-still-make-sales.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/14/how-to-hold-your-price-and-still-make-sales.html"/><author><name>Bill Keeler</name></author><published>2010-04-14T18:23:55Z</published><updated>2010-04-14T18:23:55Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[Recessions are no fun. No fun at all for anyone. Customers have fewer dollars to spend, but still need to make purchases. Small businesses need to make sales, but still have margins to consider. It’s the perfect storm. So how does the small business owner discount products and still make the numbers he needs to make?  It’s all about two things....price integrity, and good old fashion negotiation.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>Before the Business Plan, Your Personal Plan</title><category term="Business Plan"/><category term="Business Planning"/><category term="Cash Flow"/><category term="business dictates"/><category term="business planning"/><category term="life balance"/><category term="personal plan"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/8/before-the-business-plan-your-personal-plan.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/8/before-the-business-plan-your-personal-plan.html"/><author><name>Mike Byrne</name></author><published>2010-04-08T14:48:10Z</published><updated>2010-04-08T14:48:10Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[Are you a slave to your business?  Do you work the hours your business dictates?  Are you doing the things that your business let’s you do?  Are you working too hard for the rewards your business is giving you?  If so, you certainly haven’t put your Personal Plan ahead of your Business Plan.  In fact, I bet you don’t even have a Personal Plan.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>Marketing your Business during these Difficult Economic Times.</title><category term="Business Planning"/><category term="Coaching"/><category term="Growth"/><category term="Marketing"/><category term="Marketing"/><category term="Profits"/><category term="Sales"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/7/marketing-your-business-during-these-difficult-economic-time.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/7/marketing-your-business-during-these-difficult-economic-time.html"/><author><name>Robert Morgan</name></author><published>2010-04-07T17:13:24Z</published><updated>2010-04-07T17:13:24Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[As you know, today’s economic climate is tough – for everyone!  The pipe line of new leads and clients has been significantly curtailed or even dried-up. How many business owners would like to kick-start their marketing effort to get your phone to ring? This post will cover a few areas intended to do just that – boost your sales into a higher gear.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>Your Unique Selling Proposition</title><category term="Buying Triggers"/><category term="Differentiation"/><category term="Marketing"/><category term="Marketing &amp; Sales"/><category term="Sales"/><category term="Selling"/><category term="Unique"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/5/your-unique-selling-proposition.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/4/5/your-unique-selling-proposition.html"/><author><name>Jerry Baltus</name></author><published>2010-04-05T16:00:33Z</published><updated>2010-04-05T16:00:33Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[Most business owners don't take the time to consider their selling proposition, much less attempt to make it unique.  Yet the value of defining the USP is tremendous.  Consider this:  Most businesses market their products or services based on their internally focused view of what they are selling and what the product or service does.]]></summary></entry><entry><title>Be Persistent in Your Marketing - Part II</title><category term="Business Planning"/><category term="Marketing"/><category term="Unique Selling Proposition"/><category term="mike byrne"/><category term="persistence"/><category term="recognition program"/><category term="target market"/><id>http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/3/31/be-persistent-in-your-marketing-part-ii.html</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.advicoach.com/blog/2010/3/31/be-persistent-in-your-marketing-part-ii.html"/><author><name>Mike Byrne</name></author><published>2010-03-31T16:57:45Z</published><updated>2010-03-31T16:57:45Z</updated><summary type="html" xml:lang="en-US"><![CDATA[I have a restaurant client that wanted to stimulate more business with local business people, owners and employees.  We brainstormed ideas and came up with one that we both thought to be pretty creative.  Go to each business in the area (about 50) and offer a free dinner, with wine, for the owner and the Employee of the Month.  They would have a great dining experience, tell their friends, and come back themselves.  And the owner would have a ready made recognition program.]]></summary></entry></feed>