Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice
    The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice
    The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice
    Ebook115 pages3 hours

    The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice

    By Robert Jones

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    A business book written by a successful businessman who has worked with major corporates whilst in many of the top world-wide advertising and marketing companies.
    The book is based on many of the important tips and pieces of advice that he has learned and put into practice in over 40 years of business.
    The hints and tips are written in 'bullet-point' format and sorted into main themes such as 'work ethics', 'skill management', 'contacting and meeting customers' and then 'marketing and selling' your products or services. There is also some interesting hints on how to employ and look after staff.
    This is a very useful book for anyone thinking of starting up a business, already runs their own business, or works within marketing and selling and wants to develop their business skills.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRobert Jones
    Release dateDec 17, 2012
    ISBN9781898798040
    The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice
    Author

    Robert Jones

    Robert Jones was born in Gloucester in 1957 and read Philosophy and English at Cambridge. He is a director at Wolff Olins, one of the world's best brand consulting firms, and has worked as a consultant in corporate communications for 16 years, with companies such as Andersen Consulting, Cameron McKenna and the National Trust. He lectures at Oxford Business School on marketing.

    Read more from Robert Jones

    Related to The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice

    Related ebooks

    Business Development For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      How to Leave Your Business: A 5-Year Plan

      Feb 13, 2019

      Ask any former business owner whether it was harder to start their business or leave it, and you'll likely be surprised by the answer. Sure, starting a business is extremely challenging, with any number of variables and unexpected obstacles that cou

      3 min read

    • Article

      Improving Your Close Rate

      Mar 26, 2019

      Improving Your Close Rate
      2 min read

    • Article

      How To Hire Your Head Honcho

      Jun 25, 2018

      How To Hire Your Head Honcho
      3 min read

    • Article

      Get Happy

      Jun 18, 2021

      Get Happy
      2 min read

    • Article

      How to Sell Yourself

      Dec 1, 2019

      How to Sell Yourself
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Tools Of Attention

      May 15, 2019

      The technology of the day is of vital importance to marketers. It doesn’t just define how we make what we sell, it defines how we connect with those we sell to. Modern marketing has only been around for a little over 100 years. What many believe to b

      4 min read

    • Article

      All About Wealth

      Sep 3, 2020

      All About Wealth
      1 min read

    • Article

      Car Buying Is Stressful

      May 9, 2019

      Buying a car is one of the most anxiety-producing financial tasks many people will ever tackle. Cars have price tags, of course, but everyone knows you're not supposed to pay the full sticker price and that you'll have to haggle face-to-face with the

      2 min read

    • Article

      4 Pricing Tweaks To Increase Profit

      Apr 20, 2022

      Most small business owners I know got into business to have more freedom and flexibility. Or more recently, to have more control over their financial stability.  Yet, often the more successful you become, the more the needs of your business take ove

      2 min read

    • Article

      Getting More from Less

      Dec 1, 2020

      Getting More from Less
      2 min read

    • Article

      Small Business Spotlight

      Oct 4, 2021

      Hi there, I’m Sashe, the owner and founder of Pop My Way. I’m married to an incredible guy and am the proudest mama to an amazing 6-year-old girl. Before Pop My Way popped, I spent 6 years in a senior position within ‘Buying and Merchandising’ at Bur

      1 min read

    • Article

      Fastest-growing Brands

      Mar 9, 2021

      Fastest-growing Brands
      1 min read

    • Article

      The 11 Most Valuable Personal-Finance Lessons of 2018

      Dec 28, 2018

      Editor's Note: Kim Lankford answers readers' real-life financial queries in her popular Ask Kim column on Kiplinger.com and in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. She receives hundreds of questions every month. Thank you for your questions this pa

      6 min read

    • Article

      Tata Steel’s India Bet

      Jul 8, 2022

      The government’s big push on infrastructure over the past few years could not have come at a better time for Tata group steel giant Tata Steel. The storied steelmaker, which thus far had been focussing on a mix of domestic and overseas operations, is

      2 min read

    • Article

      The First 90 Days

      Feb 1, 2018

      The First 90 Days
      14 min read

    • Article

      Live Well Work Hard

      Apr 22, 2019

      Live Well Work Hard
      4 min read

    • Article

      8 Side Hustles to Consider This Summer 2021

      Jun 24, 2021

      “Side Hustle” has become quite the buzzword as of late. Granted, people have had a lot of time in the last year and a half to sit inside, potentially sidelined from their 9-to-5 due to the pandemic. This time and freedom have helped people turn their

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Struggle With The Juggle

      Jan 24, 2022

      The Struggle With The Juggle
      2 min read

    • Article

      How To Start A Side Hustle: A Playbook For A New Economy

      Jun 18, 2021

      Your idea doesn’t have to be special. My idea for NicSocks definitely wasn’t unique. I just had a drive to succeed that was uncontrollable. • Six weeks to build the business • R5 000 capital, no more • 30 days to turn a profit These also became my fa

      4 min read

    • Article

      6 Fantastic Business Ideas for Moms

      Dec 24, 2020

      Rather than work a 9-5 job every day, what if you could be your own boss and make your own schedule? That's where business ideas for moms play a major role. Starting a work-at-home endeavor is a rising trend that is only going to become more prevalen

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Little Black Book of Business Hints and Advice - Robert Jones

      The Little Black Book

      of

      Business Hints and Advice.

      Robert Jones BSc FRGS FInstSMM

      Copyright 2012 Robert Jones

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Published by

      Ingenius Media & Communications

      www.ingeniusmedia.com at Smashwords

      ISBN: 978-1-898798-04-0

      INTRODUCTION

      This book is intended to help entrepreneurs and small business owners to run a successful business. Rather than write large chapters of detailed information, I have provided over 500 bullet-point styled facts and hints that can be used as fuel to ignite your imagination and fervour to succeed in what ever you do.

      They are collated into sections with broad themes. This way you can easily find some useful information but some of the tips would work equally well in a different section, where appropriate.

      If you are thinking of setting up a business or already have one, here is a thought that might encourage you to make the most of each day…

      A friend of mine opened his wife’s underwear drawer and picked up a box wrapped in expensive paper and tied with a silk band. This isn’t any ordinary package, he said to himself. He unwrapped the box and stared at the contents. He then remembered that she got the garment when they first went to New York, eight years ago. She had never worn it - she was saving it for a special occasion!

      He got near to the bed and placed the box and the garment next to the other clothes he was taking to the charity shop - his wife had recently died.

      He now reads more and listens to the music he loves most. He spends more time with his family. He uses the best crystal glassware and china to drink out of. He wears his expensive clothes just to go shopping. He uses expensive cologne and aftershave every day not just at weekends.

      More importantly, the words ‘Some day’ and ‘One day’ are no longer in his vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing, listening to, or doing, he sees, listens and does. He doesn’t delay, postpone, or keep anything unimportant. But more than that, each morning he says to himself This is a special day.

      So, never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life should be a special occasion.

      Enjoy!

      CONTENTS

      INTRODUCTION

      CONTENTS

      SECTION 1 - YOUR BUSINESS

      SECTION 2 - WORK ETHICS & ADVICE

      SECTION 3 - DEVELOP GOOD SKILLS

      SECTION 4 - OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

      SECTION 5 - MARKETING and ADVERTISING YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

      SECTION 6 - SELLING and PROMOTING YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

      SECTION 7 - MARKETING YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES USING ON-LINE and SOCIAL MEDIA

      SECTION 8 - CONTACTING AND MEETING CUSTOMERS

      SECTION 9 - EMPLOYING AND LOOKING AFTER STAFF

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      SECTION 1 - YOUR BUSINESS

      Hobbies as a career

      Many successful businesses were started from their owners’ hobby. If you have a hobby that you are really interested and knowledgeable about, it is worth seeing if there is a gap in the market you could fill, providing you can produce a good business plan.

      Beware of fads

      Don’t try and set up a business based on the latest fad or gizmo. They are called that because they are usually here today and gone tomorrow. However, if you can come up with the next potential fad then go for it!

      Make a three-year business plan

      Look ahead and make a plan for where you want your business to be in three years hence. Then, annually monitor it to ensure you are on track.

      The purpose is to make profit

      Always remember that you and your business exists to either make or do something to generate income and, more importantly, to make a profit. So make sure that your daily actions strive towards that goal and that your staff see that you are aware of their requirements.

      Seek clarity in decisions

      In all sales and marketing situations, make sure you clearly understand the reasons behind any decision-making. Keep ambiguity to a minimum.

      Understand paradoxes

      Try to understand paradoxes such as growing a business by implementing restrictive budgeting.

      Have a clearly stated goal

      The most common mistake made by entrepreneurs is leaving out their business objective. If you don't show a sense of direction, potential financers and employees won't be interested. Having a clearly stated goal doesn't have to confine you, if it's stated correctly.

      Where is the future?

      Try and picture yourself and your business in five years time. Whilst avoiding sounding inflexible, demonstrate your goals for professional growth and advancement.

      Be succinct

      Be able to succinctly describe your business to anyone.

      Change can happen

      Believe that change can happen, even if there is overwhelming evidence that things may never get better. Also, try and work out how you’d change things for the better and suggest your ideas to your staff.

      What is your goal?

      If you don’t have the answer to the What do you want? question, you can forget everything else. This is the first step in defining any project or business and is the reason for doing it.

      What if?

      Regularly consider your answer to the question What would you do if you lost your main customer tomorrow?

      Don’t consider change as bad

      Change is usually good for both a company and a person. Being in a rut is never good, and doesn’t bring rewards.

      Business planning

      Don’t be too predictable about your future business. Sometimes the unexpected opportunities lead to a more satisfying and happier life.

      Now not then

      Embrace the present and don’t look to the future in any great detail. Future plans are harder to make and fulfil than the ones you can make, implement, and change now.

      Continue to monitor your business performance

      Remember to constantly monitor the performance of your business in relation to your business plan. Be honest with yourself and always strive to do better.

      Revise your three-year business plan

      Regularly update, and if necessary, revise your three-year business plan. Do this annually to monitor that you are on track.

      Take care with consultants

      Make sure you really need consultants before you bring them into your business. They are usually very expensive and maybe you can solve the problem yourself.

      Peaks and troughs

      When you are doing well, just remember to plan for the eventual slow period, which will inevitably happen. So always find time during the peaks to cater for the troughs.

      Remember the bird in the hand

      Don’t just listen to promises regarding future income for your business. What you earn now is more important than

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1