Estee Lauder has raised the bar on its purchase “giveaway” from $1.00 below the price of not-so-cheap-to-begin-with moisturizer to $1.00 above. Which means you either leave without the extras or spend money on something you don’t want. Or option 3: change brands. There’s a lot of competition out there.

Let’s be clear: Although cosmetics companies put a dollar value on their giveaways, it doesn’t cost them that much. The aim of the promotions is to generate sales and customer loyalty.

So why would a company risk alienating customers, especially during a recession?

©2010 Independent Thinking. All Rights Reserved.

Check out this piece from the Jacksonville Business Journal on why small businesses should consider establishing a blog. The article offers several compelling reasons to blog:

• add new content to your Web site
• become recognized as an expert
• identify potental business
• leverage sales
• draw traffic to your Web site

Read the article here.

Of course, you need to have something to say. Does your business have a blog? Why or why not?

©2010 Independent Thinking. All Rights Reserved.

Sales people are always trying to sell something. That’s what they do. I know one terrific salesperson who could sell you the Brooklyn Bridge and convince you that you could move it into your back yard. Great, until you find out the promise and the reality don’t mesh.

Too many consultancies operate like sales operations: they close the deal and then try to figure out how to do the job. But consulting isn’t transactional; it’s about adding value.

Are you willing to tell a potential client their premise is flawed or what they want to do won’t work? I’d rather lose a job upfront than set everyone up for problems later.

©2010 Independent Thinking. All Rights Reserved.