Sunday, March 19, 2000
SMALL-BUSINESS DIARY
Boss must know needs of workers
Managers who cannot answer “yes” to the following questions on employer-worker relationships are at an increased risk of losing employees, according to Mastery Works Inc., of Annandale, Va., an educational company that specializes in career planning:
• Do you know why this person works for your firm and not somewhere else?
• Have you talked with this employee about several different career options and does he/she feel he/she is moving in that direction?
• Do you know how valuable this person's skills are in the competitive market?
• Do you remain vigilant for any sign of fatigue or overwork, and do you take prompt supportive action to correct it?
• Do you have an open, trusting, respectful relationship with this person?
• Does this employee know that he or she is fairly compensated for his or her contributions?
• Does this person's work environment meet the employee's personal and professional needs?
• Does this employee seem satisfied with his or her work situation — projects, colleagues, reputation, learning, etc.?
Managers are the pivotal factor that determines whether people stay or leave an organization, according to a survey by Mastery Works last year.
Keep Web address before the public
Want to get more out of your Web site?
Communications development columnist Karl Walinskas of www.SpeakingConnection.com has some tips:
• Promote your Web address in other marketing material. “That site address needs to be on every piece of print material that you have — brochures, letterhead, return address labels, and business cards, of course.”
• Promote your Web address online through:
1. Banner ads that pop up on pages like search engines, etc.
2. Online malls and Web rings, which allow you to specialize and target markets by promoting your site in a mall or ring of other similar businesses. “You're there with your competition, but people who browse here have a higher chance of wanting to see what you've got,” Mr. Walinskas said.
3. Search engines and directories.
• Position your company as the expert. “Have people from your company submit articles of importance to your industry to magazines, trade journals and online publications. Make sure that you have a reprint policy that mandates that the publication print your positioning statement, toll-free number, e-mail address and Web site address.”
• Create a trade-link program. Call up or e-mail all the complementary businesses, consultants, trade organizations and competitors you know and ask them whether they want to trade Web links. You put a link to their site on your “Links” page, and they reciprocate.
Big radio airs the sound of sameness
Pay stations, Internet to change what and how you hear
Clear Channel's wide reach
How Clear Channel became the biggest
Investors scorn city's 'old' firms
P&G ready to prove worth of Iams merger
Ohio processing plant to expand
Americans driving a little to save a little on gas
Banks hold off on major deals
Ohio Casualty regroups, plans new analysis
Bus driver markets anti-hate shirts
SMALL-BUSINESS DIARY
