Pleiades WebCenter no longer provides Hosting for our clients’ sites… However, we are happy to recommend Hosting solutions to our clients based on their site requirements. For clients with high value WordPress sites, for whom security, scalability and performance are critical, we recommend hosting by WP Engine. Their architecture is hand-tuned to deliver reliability and […]
Business Best Practices
Small Business Check List
These are just some general tips to keep in mind as you design/operate your small business: 1. Take the time out to explore and understand whether or not you are compatible with running your own business. Some people are just plain happier and better off financially on the other end of the paycheck. 2. Get […]
Keeping Your Website Fresh and Relevant
Your website can be designed to be a stand alone sales site, or as an introduction to your business products and services. As a business owner, you must keep your focus on the needs of your potential clientele while developing your website and supporting marketing literature. When you approach business prospects, do you take the time to find out what their specific business needs are and incorporate that business intelligence into your web presence?
Can You Make a Decision?
Decisions, decisions, decisions… When starting and implementing a major marketing initiative like upgrading to a WordPress site, expanding an existing WordPress site, or designing a new logo and updating your corporate identity package, it seems like every time we turn around, we have to make more decisions. The question is, “Are you a good decision […]
Market Mix: Pricing, Communications and Media Relations
Market Mix Pricing and Payment Analyze your fee structure; look for areas requiring modifications or adjustments. Establish a credit card payment option for clients. Give regular clients a discount. Learn to barter; offer discounts to members of certain clubs/professional groups/organizations in exchange for promotions in their publications. Give quick pay or cash discounts. […]
The Vision Thing
Since the “Whatcha Do?” Blog entry, I’ve fielded a number of questions about the difference between a mission statement and a vision statement. Some clients have asked if their company’s Vision Statement is an “Internal Document, meant to guide and inspire stake holders or a “public statement” that should be included on their website or […]
The End of Business as Usual
The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual Pleiades Publishing Services clients and our Blog readers are primarily small and emerging business owners. A large number are home-based businesses enterprises. As a retired SBDC counselor and as a business blogger I often am asked to respond to variations of the following statement, “I’m just […]
The Power of Delegating
Do What You Love — Delegated The Rest It is quite liberating once you really do let go and put your trust in other people. The key here is to identify good people, enlist them in your cause or business, give them the ball, and then allow them to run with it. Only you will determine […]
Experts Delegate
Becoming an Expert Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. The old adage holds a lot of weight in today’s entrepreneurial environment. No one can possibly run a small business alone. I know this because I have tried. Know what you do and do it the best you can. I recently started a small business. I could never […]
Why Delegate?
Successful Entrepreneurs Have Learned How To Delegate There is not a single management skill more critical to your personal and professional success as an entrepreneur than learning to delegate. There is much more to delegating than meets the eye. It does not mean to simply hand out assignments. It is a science and an exercise […]