Chances are, you know who your business rivals are. But do you know what they’re up to? Most companies don’t take enough time to analyze the competition and use the information to find better ways to market and sell. Here are 10 illuminating ideas: Call or visit competitors’ stores or showrooms.Experience your rivals’ products or services from a customer’s standpoint....

Teamwork. It’s a common enough term these days, and well-known companies such as General Electric, 3M, Texas Instruments and Federal Express have been using it to their advantage for decades. Now an increasing number of businesses have taken up team building for growth, efficiency and competition. However, building effective teams isn’t a snap, particularly here in...

If you could never run another newspaper, radio, television, direct mail or online ad, how could you bring in customers?” The simple answer is by working together. Frequently, many companies have absolutely no impetus for one department to collaborate with another. This kind of “departmentalism” can defeat a company. But by sharing information, your sales staff can...

Despite the popularity of e-marketing, direct mail still works for many companies. How well it works depends on a number of variables. It’s a game of percentages. Here are six tips to help improve your company’s odds: Remember that “direct” is the operative word. A key advantage of direct mail versus traditional advertising to a mass audience...

When a farmer grows crops, much time and tender loving care are required to ensure a successful harvest. When you meet with potential customers, it is unreasonable to expect that they are going to stop going to the competition and move to your firm. Prospects who have specific needs that are not being met are like...

Which of the following violates an FTC rule? A company produces barbecue grills at a Nevada plant. The major components are made in the U.S. but the knobs and tubing are made in Mexico. The company advertises that the grills are “Made in the U.S.A.” A company advertises its product, which was invented in Seattle...