Recent Articles
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3 areas where small improvements can make a significant difference
Deborah Ike Religious CommunityAs we start to wrap up a challenging year, making any significant changes or improvements may be a bit too much to ask. However, there are several ways to make incremental improvements that lead to lasting impacts. We all want to see significant results from ministry efforts. We want to see more people coming to Christ, increased attendance at worship services (online and/or in-person), more volunteers serving consistently, etc. Those are worthwhile goals that would be wonderful to see happen. However, getting to that fruit typically doesn’t happen overnight. So, what can you do now to see that fruit later?
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Putting on the best virtual conference — Part 2: Learning to be more…
Linda Popky Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementThe recent virtual annual meeting for my association, the Society for the Advancement of Consulting, was a great success. We had 34 Zoom sessions and more than 50 speakers over a two-day period. More than three times the number of people attended as the previous in-person event. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Not everything was perfect, of course. But the event ran smoothly, even in spite of a few behind-the-scenes glitches. Here are our key learnings — of both what went well and areas for improvement.
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Can leisure and work-from-home demand stimulate extended-stay hotel growth…
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementThe lodging industry is still struggling to fill empty rooms. For months, U.S. hotels have been running at an occupancy of 50% or lower. Not every segment in the industry suffers the same impact from the pandemic, however. Demand for home-sharing facilities already bounced back over the summer. Airbnb reported a higher booking rate than last year. Marriott’s home-sharing arm is also doing well, seeing a sevenfold increase in booking over last summer. Similar to what a residential rental or home-sharing facility offers, guestrooms in extended-stay hotels also feature a full-size kitchen or a kitchenette.
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How web development and UX can improve ROI
Indiana Lee MarketingUser experience (UX) is all the rage these days — and with good reason. The $3.5 trillion e-commerce world is booming, and businesses small and large want to get in on the action. However, running an e-commerce storefront is a completely different animal from a brick-and-mortar operation, and the struggle to provide a good experience for your online customers can be profound. Before you lift a finger to improve your site’s user experience (UX), it’s important to sit down, weigh your options, and do the math. Only once all of this has been taken into account can you properly execute a UX strategy that addresses your users’ experience and your bottom line at the same time.
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The future of restaurants and restaurant marketing
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageAdaptability is truly a great human phenomenon. Perhaps that's why we emerge from the worst of times with new knowledge and ways to thrive. This is precisely what we see happening across industries, particularly in the food and beverage industry. Restaurant brands are evaluating their post-COVID-19 strategies. They have to devise ways to drive as much revenue as they can and satisfy new consumer expectations at the same time. They realize they have to adjust and adapt on the fly to deal with future changes.
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The most powerful weapon in all of selling
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIt is the most powerful weapon of all and appropriate for any sales situation, any product or service, and any type of customer or prospect. And yet most sales professionals don’t use it enough. It works whether you are selling shoes or real estate, advertising or jet aircraft. It works whether you are selling retail, B2B, B2C, face-to-face, via virtual meeting, or over the phone. It doesn’t matter whether your products or services are priced at a few dollars or a few million dollars. The most powerful weapon in all of selling is this: asking effective questions whenever you speak with a prospect or customer.
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Putting on the best virtual conference — Part 1: A successful pandemic…
Linda Popky Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementApril seems like about a thousand years ago, but even back then, we realized the chances were slim to none that we’d be able to hold the 17th annual meeting of our association, the Society for the Advancement of Consulting, in New York City this fall as planned. We correctly surmised that there would be insurmountable issues, so we pivoted to producing an online meeting instead. We knew we’d miss the engagement and camaraderie of an in-person event, but we also realized we had new opportunities. How do you plan and pull off an outstanding online event? Here’s where to start.
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How construction can contribute to a recovering economy
Patrick Hogan Construction & Building MaterialsThe construction industry could be a means for the economy to recover after the outbreak of COVID-19, as history has shown that construction has been relied upon in the past to help improve the economy. The federal government has usually driven the upswing by increasing investments in building and infrastructure. Construction will also indirectly benefit local businesses when they supply food, shelter, raw materials, transport and other services to workers for the duration of the projects. To kick-start the economy and employment, sound principles and pledges are required.
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8 great Florida botanical gardens
Dave G. Houser Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAlthough most tourists flock to Florida for its gorgeous beaches and fun-filled theme parks, the Sunshine State is also home to a number of the nation’s most lush and exotic public gardens. Horticulturists, gardeners and ordinary nature lovers alike will find these enticing green oases the answer to a vacation dream come true. From Jacksonville to Coral Gables to Sarasota — here are eight of Florida’s finest botanical gardens.
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Will the pandemic make us better educators?
Brian Stack EducationI try to be an eternal optimist, even when times are tough. I’m the person looking for the silver lining in every bad story. Some days it drives my wife crazy because she tells me I don’t have to find a lesson in every situation. The pandemic has offered all of us a series of lessons, whether we like it or not. I’ve been struggling lately to be the instructional leader that I want to be for my New Hampshire high school staff. They look to me for advice as they navigate the tricky waters of teaching in a pandemic, and yet I cannot offer them first-hand advice from experience, because I’ve never been in this situation before.