“What are the mistakes I should avoid?” At Strategic Choice Partners, this is one of most common questions we hear from a start-up or young party plan company. I’d like to say that the best answer is “Avoid them all!” But unfortunately, by the time we’re brought in to help, it’s often too late. Avoidable mistakes have already happened. It doesn’t have to be this way. Alan Luce, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Strategic Choice Partners, recently outlined five of the most detrimental … [Read more...]
6 Best Practices To Prevent Shipping Costs From Eroding Your Margins
Businesses have grown to depend on parcel shipping as a lifeline to consumers and clients. The days of just slapping on a shipping label and sending off a package have given way to a complex maze of service levels, pricing, and intricate fees and surcharges. Over the past decade, UPS & FedEx have increased their ground tariff rates 75% and their air tariffs 81.8%. Those aren’t exactly small numbers. What’s worse, is these figures do not include the infamous Dimensional Weight pricing … [Read more...]
Understanding the Due Diligence Process When Selecting a Software Vendor
This article is part of an ongoing series by Doug Finnie, titled “In Search of the Perfect E-Commerce Solution." View the rest of the series HERE. E-commerce software comes in many shapes, sizes and costs. The type of solution you pursue will depend on your internal resources. If you have little to no internal IT staff, then you want to seek out highly configurable solutions that non-IT personnel can manage. If you do have internal technical staff, then you can also include extensible or … [Read more...]
The Importance of Having a Plan in Any Direct Selling Company
I have been working in this amazing industry for nearly 20 years. I have held the posts of Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer, in addition, I have had the opportunity to serve as a consultant to many companies in the industry. I have seen how this model can grow rapidly and in the process change the lives of so many people who are willing to take advantage of a lucrative business opportunity and provide products and services to their friends and family … [Read more...]
Wisdom in 100 Words: Looking ahead to 2016
Four key phases will dominate direct selling discussions and plans in 2016 and beyond: Multi-channel retail selling: Direct sellers must compete with the convenience and efficiency of on-line selling Retail focus: 2016 will see all forms of direct selling putting increased emphasis on selling to end user retail customers. Compensation plans and marketing programs will be revised to reflect this focus. Transparency: Regulatory focus will insist on greater transparency about income and … [Read more...]
How to Use Your Social Media Platforms for Lead Generation
Lead Generation Specialist JF Media LLC Your social media marketing platforms can be more than just about increasing brand exposure. Imagine if you could reach more of your Facebook followers, and have them share your opportunity with friends and family consistently. How many new organic leads would that generate? Imagine if you could reach influencers online who have large followings, and be able to convert them and then ask them to share your opportunity to their followers consistently. … [Read more...]