Have you ever gotten so wrapped up with the everyday that you forgot to take the time to appreciate what you have? I believe this is, mostly, a rhetorical question for just about anyone. It definitely is for me. My wife and I run a local small business in Dayton, OH

Think you want to do a market research survey? You’re pretty sure that your product is what the market needs, but you really don’t know. So, it’s time for a plan to find out .

Market research surveys should always be a tool in your arsenal for staying on top of customer needs, changing demand, and the competitive landscape in industry. They can help you  to test an idea, evaluate the success of your plan, and are an important part of data validation.

When Acadia was first starting, it was based on a remote employee model. I was not only a professional but a mother, wife, friend, and neighbor. Using my experience, I built Acadia realizing that at-home professionals, specifically women with children, had the potential to be a really valuable resource. Working remotely was mutually beneficial for both the employees and Acadia. While this model became very successful, collaboration was always a challenge. “I will never forget the day that Google Docs became available," I said, "it was a game changer for the way we could share information and collaborate.” New technologies have allowed for a greater level of communication, making it easier to grow and utilize talents from around the country. 

We all have been bombarded with information about millennials in the workplace. A great deal of it revolving around the their expectations and behaviors. Unfortunately, I do believe they are getting a bad rap. Here at Acadia, we have been actively hiring millennials as  interns for the past 5 years. I'm not saying that what we read or hear is incorrect, but more often than not, it is laced with opinions and perceptions which are not wholly accurate. Most of the time, these opinions come from, let's say, more seasoned individuals. I'm guilty as well. As business owners, we better figure out the formula. Why? Because these young professionals are the fastest growing sector of the work force and 50% of buying and sourcing decisions are being made by them. 

Although no single rule governs which questions are most effective for generating leads, your approach could make or break the success of your outbound campaign. It's not simply a matter of divining the right questions, but investing in a process that works.  In order to produce the results you're hoping for, you should:

• Be clear on your objective
• Know your prospects
• Develop a rapport that establishes trust
• Showcase your solution
• Build an ongoing relationship (i.e., another call or contact point)

Let's look at each individually.

Prospect calling, or cold calling as it's commonly known, is not for the faint of heart. However, it can be less daunting with proper preparation, research and a plan. If you look deep enough, each call, even the bad ones, offers loads of information and learning opportunities. In this blog, I lay out some tips that I've picked up in my 10 years of lead development. 

As  a lead generation company, we're always discussing the importance of being found on the internet through SEO, blogging, content development, the list goes on. But in addition to being found -  you must be REMEMBERED.

Let's face it, getting found is a difficult task unless you have a big budget for marketing (which most  of us don't). So, when you do get found, you'll want to take advantage of that opportunity and draw people in with something special and unique.

How do you do that? By telling YOUR story. Stories are retained, much more so than a list of products or services.  A  story will help you stand out in the crowd of companies vying for attention. You may say, "I don't have a story," but you do.  Everyone has a story.