A Fool & His Money (Part 3)
You’ll also find this post at The Pulse
Parts 1 and 2 have brought us to this stage of my better-bank-deal quest.
Thank you so much for reading and responding!
Today the plot finally crystallises.
Bert
As Sheryl the Specialised Case Manager presaged, Bert the Bank Manager and I had ‘fruitful conversations’ (via email).
Alas, the fruit was small, hard and [...]
A Fool & His Money (Part 2)
You’ll also find this post at The Pulse
Thank you for reading Part 1. (If you haven’t, here it is.)
So there I was, clutching my mouse mat with anticipation of my bank’s direct message (DM).
Sure enough, it came through, requesting my contact number.
I replied that, since all prior phone conversations had failed, I’d rather communicate by [...]
A Fool & His Money (Part 1)
You’ll also find this post at The Pulse
I’ve been reading with increasing frequency that it’s a fabulous time to negotiate a better interest rate with your lender.
In a world first, Choice has gone one step further by grouping borrowers for a better deal.
Their target was 1000 people prepared to look at switching loans.
In the first [...]
Some exciting changes at the Small Business Owner blog.
No-one goes through their entire life with the same hairstyle – and neither do we here at the Small Business Owner blog. Thanks to you, this blog has been such an incredible success that it’s getting a fabulous new makeover!
The team at MYOB has loved bringing you the latest thoughts from the wordsmith de jour, [...]
Paper Runs
I must get a proper NO JUNK MAIL sign.
Each time my home-made one falls off, I have a Brazil moment.
Someone, somewhere, must benefit from this bumf.
But who?!
Client companies?
Ad agencies?
Graphic designers?
Printers?
Paper mills?
Plantation foresters?
Walkers?
Dogs?
Customers?
Australia Post?
Certainly not me. How about you?
Do you like receiving unsolicited print advertising?
Is (or was) it part of your business marketing mix?
Captive Audience
Keep Australia [...]
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em
Here’s a business tip I learnt the hard way:
If you get a gig, job, order, project, piece of work or commission, do it NOW.
If you don’t, it may not be there tomorrow.
For several reasons.
Unkind Cut
A large IT firm gave me 100 recruitment ads to critique.
I toiled for much of Easter, getting 50 done.
Then I rewarded [...]
Sour Cream & the Metagame
We can reasonably describe business as a game.
There are certainly winners and losers.
Gaming is an important analogy.
These days, it’s not enough to merely play the game.
Because chances are, your customers are playing the metagame.
What’s the Metagame?
The metagame comprises all out-of-game elements that affect in-game decisions.
You’re playing the metagame if:
Having learnt from past poker nights [...]
Should We Tell Them about Nanna?
Disease is visiting my family.
I’ll spare you the details; it’s life and we all must live it.
The question is, do our private lives concern our customers?
Family Feud
Fonnie and I differ on so little, it’s significant when we retain opposing views.
Hers is that family affairs have nothing to do with business.
Mine is that clients appreciate candour [...]
What Lovely Teeth You Have!
Do you sing your clients’ praises?
We know it’s vital to make customers feel good.
But how often do we make them feel fantastic – like life is beautiful and the world is a happy, marvellous place?
Too seldom, I’ll wager.
Dear God
I don’t pray often, but once a year I always do.
It’s when I’m stiff with fear [...]
Vouchsafe
Remember our voucher discussion?
There’s been a development.
Booked
Last month this book hit my letterbox. The accompanying letter said:
Hey Paul, ever wished you had all the answers?
I wish this all the time, so I scanned the book. The production quality was high and the writing rather good. Ninety shiny pages addressed 105 questions, including:
Q13 What does an [...]
