Articles

I spend a lot of time doing research on the web, both specifically to find new ideas and information for my clients and generally to improve by knowledge on all things related to small business. Many of the articles I find interesting are bookmarked on Diigo, and the most interesting of those are also added to a list that can be found here. The articles I’ve most recently added to that list are shown below.



  • 5 Ways to Motivate Without Money
  • Why hide your prices? The perils of writing about money. - Bad Language
  • Seth's Blog: Pennies and dollars
  • How Employee Benefits Provide Better ROI Than Cash
  • Upside vs. downside
  • The Complete Newbie’s Guide to Marketing
  • Dan Ariely asks, Are we in control of our own decisions? | Video on TED.com
  • Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation | Video on TED.com
  • Two ways to hire (and a wrong way)
  • The scientific method
  • Make the Most of Your Resources
  • What Really Generates Referrals
  • Death spiral!
  • Top 10 Thinking Traps Exposed
  • How To Build Trust
  • All above board
  • Google Wave: A Complete Guide
  • 6 Tips for Running Your Business: Lessons From 2 Failed Restaurateurs
  • Why The Job-ification of Your Passion Can be the Ticket to Hating Your Life
  • The Difference Between a Freelancer and an Entrepreneur

    • [find more articles here...]



  • 5 Ways to Motivate Without Money -

    "Yes, money is tight right now and yes, maybe giving raises and bonuses is out of the question. But if that is true, it begs the question: How do you motivate employees without money, or at least inexpensively?

    The good news is that it may be easier than you thought; others have done it, and if they did, so can you."

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • Why hide your prices? The perils of writing about money. - Bad Language -

    "Most of my clients are very reluctant to talk about the prices of their products and services. On the other hand, it’s something that readers really want to know. "

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • Seth's Blog: Pennies and dollars -

    "Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."

    I'm not sure this is true. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you watch the dollars, you don't have to worry so much about pennies.

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • How Employee Benefits Provide Better ROI Than Cash -

    "A dollar on a paycheck is worth a dollar to the employee. And it costs you a dollar. But benefits aren't like that. Employee benefits can be worth 10x their cash equivalent. It's like getting a huge discount on employee pay."

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • Upside vs. downside -

    "Here's a rule that's so inevitable that it's almost a law: As an organization grows and succeeds, it sows the seeds of its own demise by getting boring. With more to lose and more people to lose it, meetings and policies become more about avoiding risk than providing joy."

    Highlights and Sticky Notes:

    Here's a rule that's so inevitable that it's almost a law: As an organization grows and succeeds, it sows the seeds of its own demise by getting boring. With more to lose and more people to lose it, meetings and policies become more about avoiding risk than providing joy.

    With more to lose and more people to lose it, meetings and policies become more about avoiding risk than providing joy.

    With more to lose and more people to lose it, meetings and policies become more about avoiding risk than providing joy.

    Tags:

    Posted by: marcharrison

  • The Complete Newbie’s Guide to Marketing -

    Think the secret to successful marketing and running a profitable online business is some piece of Jedi mastery that you would need to study for years to learn?

    Not even close.

    Most businesses (online and off) just get the basics wrong.

    So here’s what works. Get these right and you’ll be ahead of 98% of your competition.

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • Dan Ariely asks, Are we in control of our own decisions? | Video on TED.com -

    Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, uses classic visual illusions and his own counterintuitive (and sometimes shocking) research findings to show how we're not as rational as we think when we make decisions.

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation | Video on TED.com -

    Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don't: Traditional rewards aren't always as effective as we think.

    Tags:

    Posted by: marcharrison

  • Two ways to hire (and a wrong way) -

    The wrong way first: interview someone for an hour. If you like them, have them interview three or four other people in your organization for an hour each.

    You've invested five hours of your team's time, but really you only were looking for approval, because you'd already decided you liked the person enough to work with them for years.

    All the evidence we've seen shows that this is a lousy predictor of future performance. And, let's tell the truth... if the first three people love the guy, are you really going to let the fourth, junior person veto him? Or is it just an annoying courtesy?

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    Posted by: marcharrison

  • The scientific method -

    In most interactions, we take a defensive posture. We try to defend the brand, or our turf or our job. The problem with defense is that it's static. The best way to get smarter, to embrace and to cause change and to triumph in times of market turmoil is to adopt the scientific method.

    Highlights and Sticky Notes:

    If you enter a conversation looking for something to test, measure and ultimately change, it's likely you'll find it. That change makes you more competitive, and you continue to cycle past your competitors. On the other hand, if you enter a conversation concerned about maintaining the status quo, it's likely that this is exactly what you're going to do.

    Tags:

    Posted by: marcharrison

    • [find more articles here...]

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