All Business Management, Services & Risk Management Articles
  • March Madness may be good for the workplace

    Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    March Madness is a boon for TV and streaming media ratings, and the NCAA earns over $1 billion per year during the tournament between ticket sales and broadcast rights. There's one stat that doesn’t increase during this time frame: employee productivity levels. But is this necessarily a problem? According to some estimates, corporate losses during the yearly NCAA Tournament are close to $4 billion. Companies may be losing the productivity game, but according to two recent studies, they may be winning in another important area.

  • The 411 on the latest updates for top social platforms

    Emma Fitzpatrick Marketing

    ​If you've been handling your company's social media marketing for some time, you've surely developed a system for how to juggle the many moving parts. But the downside of having a go-to routine is how easily you can miss changes on the social platforms you regularly use! Luckily, we're here to help you take full advantage of all the platforms' offerings and latest happenings. Read on to discover the changes to the big social media platforms that you can't afford to miss.

  • Improve your writing: Avoid nominalizations in your proposals

    Maryann Lesnick Civil & Government

    One of the best ways to improve your writing is to use active verbs instead of nominalizations. What is a nominalization, anyway? A nominalization is a verb converted into a noun. Nominalizations come in two forms. Those that have endings such as -ment, -tion, -sion, -ing, and -ance, and those that link with verbs such as achieve, effect, give, have, make, reach, and take. For example: "The last step is the collection of data for the monthly report," is longer and less clear than: "The program manager collects data for the monthly report." Eliminating a nominalization often reveals passive voice and enables you to correct that as well.

  • Cater to your ‘currents,’ and you’ll beef up your bottom…

    Fred Berns Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

    Looking to build your interior design business? Look no further than your current clients. After all, your current clients are your best ones. They’re the ones who know, trust and value you. They’re the ones most likely to refer you. And they’re the ones as interested in forging lasting partnerships as you are. Perhaps more so. The problem is most design professionals fail to tap into their resources of clients as much as they could, or should.

  • Taking 10 minutes to escape a rut

    Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    Whether it has been a frustrating quarter or the job itself is not as interesting as it once was, as leaders we all face times that challenge our ability to be inspiring. Yet, our teams and organizations depend on us to bring our best regardless of challenges. While it does not work to pretend to be perfect, it does work to have tricks up our sleeve we can easily pull out when needed. Here are a few simple ways to get out of a rut and back into the leadership groove.

  • Podcast: Growing a cash practice with zero paid marketing

    Jarod Carter Sports & Fitness

    During this podcast, Dr. Jarod Carter catches up with Dr. Carlos Berio of SPARK Physiotherapy about hiring employees for a cash-based practice, what kind of physical therapy and training services SPARK Physiotherapy is offering, and how he has continued to grow his practice with zero paid marketing! You'll really get a feel for how connecting with patients drives his cash practice, brings in clients, and creates marketing opportunities.

  • Professionalism in risk management

    Dr. David Hillson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

    Are you a "risk professional"? How do you know? Do you use the services of "risk professionals"? How can you tell they’re really professional? This article provides 10 criteria that risk practitioners and their clients can use to determine whether the risk services being offered can be described as "professional" or not. Before you start your next risk engagement, as either the provider or receiver of risk services, consider how you would answer these questions.

  • 5 ways to make your marketing images more effective

    Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

    Are your advertising graphics making the biggest impact possible? If you're focused on other, less effective revenue-building strategies, they might not be. A study from the University of Cologne found that focusing on being a market leader is not as important as building customer relations and building your brand. This includes revamping the images you present in campaigns. If your gut says you could be doing better when it comes to capturing consumer interest with graphics, no worries: more studies have been uncovering ways to change up your approach.

  • How retailers can still thrive in an Amazon-led world

    Linda Popky Retail

    The daily news is full of retail stores that are cutting back their operations or closing shop completely. Toys R Us, Sears/Kmart, Gymboree, Abercrombie & Fitch, BCBG, Bon-Ton, Payless, Dollar Tree, and even Victoria’s Secret are on the recent list. Is it Amazon’s fault all these chains are struggling to the point that many have had to declare bankruptcy? Or is there more to it? E-commerce is certainly a major factor. But it’s not the only reason.

  • Chasing squirrels at the board table

    Robert C. Harris Association Management

    If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it dozens of times at board meetings: "I just have a question." I observed it at a meeting recently. The offending director may or may not have realized what she was causing. Without being recognized by the chair, she said, "I just have a question." She followed her question with what seemed to be a personal opinion. For example, "Have we ever done it this way? I think if we change our approach and use new technology we will get better engagement." Directors have a duty to ask appropriate questions at the right time. But they should not hijack the meeting.