Small-business lending hit a 4 year high in November 2011, according to Thomson Reuter/Pay Net Index.  Listen as Dave describes a small but positive change for small businesses.  Read the complete article on the Wall Street Journal site.

2012 Business and Marketing Planning

It’s not too late to start simple but effective planning for this New Year.  Small-Business Marketing Expert Amanda Cullen and Small-Business Financial Expert Dave Weatherholt give practical tips on planning for 2012.  Be bold and set a sales goal that will make you smile.  Dave provides tools and advice on how to achieve that audacious goal.  Amanda gives you practical cost effective marketing tips that will move your company toward achieving that sales goal.

Here are some useful handouts from the show:

Financial Budgeting Tools

Sample Marketing Plan

Listen or download below:

It’s Not Too Late

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A business incubator called VETransfer provides free mentoring and facilities to military veterans who start their own businesses.  The program is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and has a waiting list for their services.  Listen as Dave discusses the WSJ article.

SBA 504 Loan Program

When you need to get a job done right, the correct tool works best.  Listen as Barbara Gill, VP & Senior Loan officer with Evergreen Business Capital, describes the SBA 504 loan program.  If your business needs a new location, land, buildings or even leasehold improvements, financing with the 504 program maybe the right tool for you.

Go it Alone

Listen as Geoff Burch discusses the bargaining process and its potential negative impact in sales. Chapter 17 of Irresistible Persuasion provides great advice.

Listen or download below:

More Than Bricks & Mortar

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The passing of Steve Jobs had an impact on me.  The “Information Age” developed during my business career and the entrepreneurs, innovators and founders are  a source of inspiration to us all.  The world will miss the inspiration and energy of Mr. Jobs.  He ranks with Great American Entrepreneurs: Ford, Carnegie, Morgan, Vanderbilt, McLean, Gates, etc.

Business Succession Planning

Starting and running a small business is an emotional experience.  The business contains a lot of the founder which makes it hard to pass on.  Succession planning is something most small business owners don’t think about.  Listen as Russell Ball, Founder and owner of ACB Solutions, a 25 year old business tells the story of his plan and how it involves Tim White, the company’s Chief Technology Officer.  Find out more by visiting: www.akcb.com.

Go It Alone

Listen as Geoff Burch, author & business expert, talks about “Big Decisions” from his book Irresistible Persuasion.  As usual, Geoff has some great advice along with a great story.  Visit Geoff atwww.geoffburch.com.

Listen or download below:

Exit Stage Left – Business Succession Planning

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In an “Atlas Shrugged” moment, Kingwood, Texas bank Main Street Bank gets out of the banking business because of federal banking regulations.  Listen as Dave talks about the frustration of the banks chairman and how they will handle excessive bank regulations. Read the whole article at the Wall Street Journal online.

Alaska Center for the Performing Arts

Listen as Nancy Harbour, Executive Director of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts talks about the new 2011-2012 season.  Nancy tells a story about a fun topic that has a serious economic impact on Anchorage’s community.  And they’ve got a new website! Visit it at www.myalaska.com.

Go It Alone

Listen as Geoff Burch, author & business expert, talks about effective selling without the high pressure.  Geoff is in rare form and entertaining as always. It’s a delightful (and useful) segment you won’t want to miss!

Listen or download below:

Performing Arts New Season

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Bill Dunkelberg, economist says, “Between the deluge of new regulations and a Washington policy agenda that is largely ignorant of Main Street needs, stubbornly low consumer spending, and grave concern among small firms about the federal budget, there is not much to be optimistic about as a small-business owner.”  Listen to the Getting Down to Business analysis.

Starting a restaurant with Crush Wine Bistro & Cellar

Chris Pobieglo sitting in for Dave talks with Anchorage entrepreneur Chad Culley one of the founders of Crush Wine Bistro & Cellar talks about starting a restaurant. Listen as Chad talks about employees, team building, customers, the economy, and what wakes him up at 3:00 am. For more information go to www.crushak.com

Go it Alone

Listen as Geoff Burch, bestselling author in business discusses the “Show Business” element in sales from his latest book Irresistible Persuasion.

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NFIB’s monthly Small-Business Optimism Index dropped one tenth of a point (0.1) in June, settling at 90.8, an unsurprising reading, unchanged from the previous month and solidly in recession territory. Read the full article from NFIB, then listen to Dave’s commentary.

Customer Relations Management as a Tool

Techniques are not tools, and Customer Relations Management (CRM) software is a tool to help your sales staff to be more effective.  Back when I first started in sales (I sold printing for 18 years), we used 3’ x 5’ client cards, daily sales sheets and weekly sales forms– a manual system designed to track contacts with customers and potential customers.  CRM automates the client tracking process and provides much more sales help.  Listen as Andre Horton, a Microsoft Dynamics CRM consultant talks about CRM.

Business Risk Management

Do your employees use their personal or business autos during their work day?  If so, you may need to have a commercial auto policy to minimize your risk.  Listen as Chris Pobeiglo, President of Business Insurance Associates talks about commercial auto insurance. Dind out why your company may need this coverage.

Listen or download below:

Tools of the Trade – CRM

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In this article from Microsoft, learn “4 Ways to Simplify Your Powerpoint Presentation.” The article starts:

“Microsoft PowerPoint is a terrific medium because it allows you to reinforce your message with visual prompts. But too often, the power of PowerPoint is lost because the speaker doesn’t use it to help viewers focus on the message.”

Read the article: “4 Ways to Simplify Your Powerpoint Presentation”

Subscribe to the Newsletter

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Dave Weatherholt starts off this Getting Down to Business with social-networking sites that link entrepreneurs to pools of money.  Security & Exchange Commission (SEC) considers allowing equity stakes on crowd-fund sites.  This could be a great source of funding for small businesses, says Dave.

Outcast Productions

Kimberley Gray and Elisa Hitchcock met 14 years ago working on murder mystery dinners and started Outcast Productions, LLC. Today, their part-time business with expanded services is thriving.  Listen and learn from their business story.

Go it Alone

Geoff Burch is in rare form on his “Go It Alone” segment.  Listen as Geoff gives business advice to Kimberley & Elisa with great wit and witticism guaranteed to make you laugh.

Listen or download below:

A Great Bunch of Characters

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Sales and entrepreneurial expert Geoff Burch has his segment “Go it Alone” later in the show. And we’d all like to congratulate Geoff for being voted the Business Communicator of 2011 by the U.K.’s Speechwriter’s Guild!

Listen or download below:

The House of Barry Matteson

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Small business marketing expert Amanda Cullen weighs in with how to get customers to call your business. Listen for her easy-to-implement tips and strategies.

Listen or download below:

Fire Island Wind

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Our resident sales expert Geoff Burch talks about his new book Irresistible Persuasion, and he gives listeners lessons from the early days of door-to-door salesmen. As always, he peppers his tips with plenty of humor.

Listen or download below:

The Business of Risk Management

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Following a process, with repetition and practice, has been proven to contribute to a positive outcome. Yes, you guessed it! There is a process to selling – known as the sales cycle.

Read more… Sales Process Defined

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I just returned from a business trip to Israel, where I also had a little time to tour with an amazing guide. He took my companions and me from Jerusalem to the northern part of the Sea of Galilee, relating the biblical and recent history of each place we passed. He took us to places tourists couldn’t ordinarily go. He was charming, funny and extremely well-informed. For logistical reasons, I didn’t find out the price of the tour until the end of the day. I was expecting to pay perhaps $200-500. And I was glad to pay it. I got an incredible education.

His price? $300 a day. Not per person. Per day. My share worked out to $60.

You see, my guide priced his tour based on his costs. He loves to visit Israel, so he charges enough on tours to cover the cost of his airfare. But his pricing should be based on the value to his customers. I felt so bad paying only $60 that I gave him a substantial tip. But if you are a small business selling products or services, it’s very rare that your customers will think to tip you. They assume the price you’ve set is fair.

Read more… The Value of Pricing

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The December Business/News & Views® will help you bring your small business into the new year!

David Weatherholt brings us economic news with the exciting title, “It’s Pedal to the Metal Time” and the continuation of his peerless competitor series, “Be The Best V.” Amanda Cullen asks, “Is your pricing too low?” and answers that is probably is. She gives advice for how to maximize your price potential with value pricing.

This month brings a bonus Views article, “The Sales Process Defined,” and learn some tips to simplify your technology with “Don’t Lose Your Bookmarks.” All this in the December Business/News & Views®!

Read Now:  Business/News & Views® – December 2010

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Read full article: Be the Best, Part IV

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Our resident sale guru, Geoff Burch, tells listeners how they can get a “yes” with every customer. Geoff knows that an endless stream of “yes” answers are every salesperson’s dream.

Listen or download below:

Art for Sale

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David takes a look at some economic indicators for small businesses- showing, among other things, that small businesses are lowering their prices and feeling slightly more optimistic. It’s not resoundingly good news, but listen to the show for David’s full analysis.

Later in the show, our favorite Englishman, Geoff Burch, joins us with his segment “Go it Alone.” He has some great sales advice for entrepreneurs. Remember, Geoff has a new book out, Irresistible Persuasion.

Listen or download below:

Creating a Great Smile

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In the news, David summarizes and explains an article on micro-lending, and how your business might be able to take advantage of it.

And back to business, sales expert Geoff Burch comes on the show to discuss his new book, Irresistible Persuasion. He explores what sales used to be… starting before World War I and going all the way back to the pharaohs.

Listen or download below:

Living in Alaska

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Geoff Burch joins the show with tips on how to get a “yes” every time. As a sales guru, he knows an endless stream of “yes” answers are every salesperson’s dream.

Listen or download below:

Art for Sale

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Blair Singer, of Sales Partners Anchorage and author of many books including Little Voice Mastery joins David on the show along with his partner Ryan Hodges. Blair’s book addresses “What you mentally need to win the battle between your ears.” He talks about failures and how they are the most valuable learning experiences.

Listen or download below:

The Voice of Business

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Sales expert and London resident Geoff Burch joins the show to engage listeners and promote his new book Irresistible Persuasion. Dave has been spreading the word in Anchorage about Geoff’s promise of showing readers “The secret way to get a ‘yes’ every time.”

Interestingly, the book has been selling well in the United States – better than in the U.K. Geoff posits that his country-men just aren’t as hungry for success. His book gets to the heart of sales, persuasion. Geoff says, “You can trace every business failure to someone failing to persuade somebody else to do something.”

Listen or download below:

Consider a Credit Union

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In the news, David informs of a business that started with the intent to sell and how planning succession early on can make the transition smooth and pain-free.

Listen or download below:

Business for Sale

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David also provides a small business news update, first looking at the small business optimism index. Good news – it’s going up and is higher than it’s been since September 2008! David cheers us that the economy is moving in the right direction, however slowly. And with it, should return Alaska’s tourism business.

Listen or download below:

Geoff Burch – Live!

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Here’s a video to get you started:

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Todd also discusses some of the business issues he faces: why he develops client relationships, what DenaliTEK does to keep clients and how they handle losing a client. All small business owners can learn from his candid assessment.

Dave and Geoff Burch, author and international guru, launched a new segment of “Getting Down to Business” called Going it Alone. In his trademark cheeky manner, Geoff encourages entrepreneurs to go out and make it alone. He says of employment, “Who was the first caveman who got another caveman to go out and kill a buffalo for him, then just give him a tiny piece of the buffalo as a wage? When did that start?”

Listen or download below:

Cloud Computing and Your Future

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International consultant Geoff Burch talks about his sales management book, The Way of the Dog: The Art of Making Success Inevitable. Dave finds this book very motivating, compelling and full of useful information. Geoff proves to be a lively guest who tells great stories.

In other news: We also learn that Dave is broadcasting during International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Listen or download below:

Sales: The Way of the Dog

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Dave finds out what his Facebook page and Twitter account really mean. His guest, Mindy O’Neill, is the Director of Integrated Marketing for news magazine Alaska Dispatch. She imparts her social media expertise to Dave’s listeners (and Dave himself!).

Listen or download below:

Making the Right Connections

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In other news: We also learn that Dave is broadcasting during International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Listen or download below:

Sales: The Way of the Dog

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Amanda Cullen of Zoo in a Jungle Marketing gave small businesses advice on how to tie marketing in with your sales strategy to reinforce your brand and customers’ impressions of your business.

Listen or download below:

Sales Strategy for Small Business

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Read now: Business/News & Views® – June 2009

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