Business Archives

Diffusion of Innovation Theory—Target the Right Customers

What is the diffusion of innovation theory? Why is it a critical piece of a good marketing strategy? The diffusion innovation theory is a theory that explains how innovations–whether they are products, services, or ideas–spread through a population. Also known as the law of diffusion of innovation, or the diffusion of innovation model, the theory looks at how different tiers of people–innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards–affect the marketing process. We’ll cover how the diffusion of innovation theory works, and what it means for your business.

Marketing Messages—How to Get Through to Your Target Audience

How do you spread your marketing message? How do you make sure your marketing communication is striking a chord with your target audience? According to entrepreneur and author Simon Sinek, an effective marketing message starts with WHY. We’ll cover why you should start with why in your marketing, and how to do it effectively.

Southwest Airlines Marketing Strategy—How It Beats its Rivals

What is Southwest Airlines’ marketing strategy? How has knowing their WHY led to a more successful business? We’ll cover Southwest Airlines’ marketing strategy and look at how they achieved success when they understood their purpose. From Simon Sinek’s Start with Why.

Celery Test: The Simple Tool for Making Better Decisions

What is the celery test? How can it help you make better decisions, in life and in business? The celery test is a tool to help you make better decisions by understanding the purpose behind the decision. The celery test was made popular by Simon Sinek in his book Start with Why. We’ll cover the celery test analogy and how to use it to make good decisions. Then we’ll look at an example of how the celery test is used in making business decisions.

#1 Leadership Weakness: A Fixed Mindset Ruins Your Company

What are some of the biggest leadership weaknesses? How can you avoid them to more effectively manage your company and increase its success? Leadership weaknesses range from being egotistical to being in denial, and almost all of the most common ones have to do with having a fixed mindset. Learn why even the biggest names in business fail when they demonstrate these leadership weaknesses.

Compete Against Yourself to Create a Successful Business

The common sentiment when it comes to building a business is that you have to make sure you’re beating the competition. But is it more important, in business and in life, to compete against yourself? The problem with the idea of crushing the competition is that it makes you focus on what other companies are doing rather than steering your own. Instead of competing against others, it’s more effective to compete against yourself. Learn why.

It Starts with Why: Key Takeaways from Simon Sinek

Why does it always start with why? Start With Why covers everything you need to know about creating an organization that puts its values at the center of its business. The core concept is simple and straightforward: great businesses know why they’re doing what they’re doing—and they use that mission as their guiding principle. Given this goal, Start With Why covers three aspects of WHY: 1) defining your WHY, 2) understanding how your WHY affects your company on all levels, and 3) making sure you stay focused on your WHY in the long-term. We’ll cover why, to create a successful

Simon Sinek on Leadership: Get People to Trust You

What are Simon Sinek’s views on leadership? What does he think is the most important element of good leadership? Simon Sinek’s views on leadership center around establishing trust. We’ll cover why Simon Sinek believes good leadership creates trust within the business, and how to establish the trust necessary to be a great leader. Here’s Simon Sinek on leadership from his book Start With Why.

Lou Gerstner: How He Saved IBM

How did Lou Gerstner of IBM turn the company around? What key factors made Lou Gerstner one of the most successful CEOs in the world? Lou Gerstner was the CEO of IBM from 1993 to 2002. He took over IBM at the request of the board of directors, who realized the company was in trouble, and turned the company around. We’ll cover the lessons Lou Gerstner can teach you about leadership and the most important qualities for a successful leader.

Albert Dunlap: What the Nation’s Worst CEO Can Teach You

What can we learn from the ousted CEO of Scott Paper? How did Albert Dunlap’s fixed mindset hold his company back, and how can the rest of us avoid his mistakes? Albert Dunlap is the former executive of Scott Paper. He considered himself a hero and savior of struggling companies. We’ll briefly cover Albert Dunlap’s career at Scott Paper and examine why a fixed mindset is a bad quality in a leader. We’ll also look at the advantages of hiring with an eye for growth rather than talent.