It’s Monday and you know what that means, time for a roundup!
Mistakes. Everyone makes them, but smart people learn from them. This week’s roundup focuses on business mistakes made, and issues you may or may not have faced. Either way, these seven posts teach some important business lessons… because we’re all about learning from our mistakes!
Image: Mike Gifford via Flickr, CC 2.0
1. Seven distractions to avoid to improve your productivity
Why: In this post for LeadersWest, Audrey Thomas outlines several common productivity mistakes and how to correct them.
2. 5 Biggest Issues Faced by First Time Entrepreneurs When Starting a Business
Why: Alex Genadinik speaks from his personal experience on the most common issues faced by entrepreneurs and offers solutions.
3. Does Your Home Page Pass The Simplicity Test?
Why: Is your business homepage costing you potential clients? Rich McElaney explains how a little can go a long way when it comes to webpage design.
4. 15 Reasons Your PR Pitches Suck [Redux]
Why: One of the most popular post ever to run on WUL offers 15 ways that PR professionals can improve their pitches and stand out in their field.
5. Five Fat Phrases Clogging Up Your Content
Why: Jennifer Kane focuses on making your content count by ridding it of unnecessary fillers.
6. Agency Outreach Gone Wrong: And How to Avoid It
Why: Although Shelly Kramer focuses on PR agencies in this post, the points she makes are useful for anyone reaching out digitally to potential clients.
7. When Send Isn’t Your Friend: 5 Awkward Reply-all Blunders
Why: A collection of funny yet cautionary tales by Ritika Trikha via YouTern remind us why we should always double check before hitting “send.”
Now it’s your turn. Is there a business lesson that you’ve learned the hard way? If so, don’t be shy, share with us in the comments below.
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It is not wrong to commit mistake, that is one good way to learn but if keep on committing the same mistake, that is not good and it means we don’t learn anything. There are many things we can consider if we are involved to online business, but not all tips are applicable and appropriate for us, shall we say we need to evaluate every decision we should make.
Oh my…reminded me of a Reply to All “D’oh!” moment 7 or 8 years ago. 5AM, cranking out the email. I read an email from a particularly difficult client, giving us a heads up they were terminating the contract with hard copy to follow via first class mail. In my early morning stupor, I somehow thought I was providing a concise and cathartic two word commentary to my boss ..”Thank God!” Not only was the client’s full board of directors copied, so were representatives from the company who had been selected to replace us. I so enjoyed bumping into our competitor’s Executive VP at a networking event a couple of months later. He sidled up to me and said with a Cheshire cat smile, “So Tom, we really enjoyed your two word email…” Arrrrgh. Measure twice. Cut once. Slow down. NOW I know.
TomWillis Oh my goodness. That couldn’t have been pleasant at all. This is why I don’t send emails at 5 am if I can help it. On the plus side, perhaps it made your client take a long hard look at themselves in the mirror?
That did make me laugh, though. Thanks for sharing!
Yikes, I’ve learned from many mistakes in the past that I shutter to write them all down here! One lesson learned from working in an agency with demanding clients is listening to what people are saying even when they are *not* saying it. For example, the dean of our college is a wine connoisseur, and at the first board meeting I attended over two years ago, when a colleague bought 2-liter bottles of Bolla, he made a comment that he wouldn’t water his lawn with that wine!
So, when I had the responsibility of buying wine for the next meeting, I found some decently priced wines that were a step up from a frat party. Needless to say, he complimented my wine selections and I found out through conversations with him before the meeting that he likes Central California wines and doesn’t mind screw top bottles. Now, I have a better sense of what wines to select at alumni dinners and for meetings where he will be in attendance.
It goes a long way to make mental notes and to cater to your customer’s likes– whether a client, a higher up or a colleague for that matter.
Krista I would have failed miserably at that task! I tend to buy wine based on the cuteness factor of the animal on the label. ;) But that’s a great story, Krista. Mental notes are terrific, and I will even put them into my Contacts if I need to.
And, it’s great to see you here! How’ve you been?
Shonali Hi Shonali! Yes, I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. I had some personal stuff going on last Fall and needed to retreat for a while. I’m re-evaluating my blog theme and plan to re-launch soon. It feels good to be back :)
Krista I know the retreating feeling, I’ve been doing it quite a bit recently. Well, it’s good to have you back, my dear!