Insights & Quotes from Successful People

"Personal leadership must come from the inside out. You cannot wait for someone else to push you; you must motivate yourself through goal setting."
—Paul J. Meyer


"If you do not consciously decide ahead of time where you are going, you may very easily end up somewhere else."
—Laurence J. Peter


"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them."
—Denis Watley

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."
—Anatole France


"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."
—Epictetus


"Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk."
—J.C. Penney


"You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there."
—Yogi Berra


"A successful individual typically sets his next goal somewhat but not too much above his last achievement. In this way he steadily raises his level of aspiration."
—Kurt Lewin


"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work."
—Oprah Winfrey


"The person with a fixed goal, a clear picture of his desire, or an ideal always before him, causes it, through repetition, to be buried deeply in his subconscious mind and is thus enabled, thanks to its generative and sustaining power, to realize his goal in a minimum of time and with a minimum of physical effort. Just pursue the thought unceasingly. Step by step you will achieve realization, for all your faculties and powers become directed to that end."
—Claude M. Bristol


"Failure is not in an unsuccess goal, but in having no goal to reach."
—Benjamin Mays


"The purpose of goals is to focus our attention. The mind will not reach toward achievement until it has clear objectives. The magic begins when we set goals. It is then that the switch is turned on, the current begins to flow, and the power to accomplish becomes a reality."
—"The Best of Success," by Wynn Davis


"The most important thing about goals is having one."
—Geoffry F. Abert


"Until input (thought) is linked to a goal (purpose) there can be no intelligent accomplishment."
—Paul G. Thomas


"You will now have a starting place and a destination, and you will be able to determine what it will cost you to get there...You will be going someplace."
—H. Stanley Judd

Article Source: SFI Blog Forum Time-Tested Tips

Effective B2B Marketing Strategies for Working Remotely

As many more people are taking their businesses online, working remotely is increasing in popularity and acceptance. This together with the recent pandemic restrictions directly affected the work schedules of many businesses. Changes in workforce schedules have greatly impacted the business-to-business (B2B) marketing strategies of many businesses. Presently, with more and more employees working remotely and many customers staying home, traditional marketing strategies are no longer as effective as effective as they used to be. Emphasis has shifted to digital marketing strategies and remote business transactions. Following are some online B2B marketing strategies that are effective for working remotely in today’s digitally connected world.

Focus More on Digital Channels

For remote work, digital channels are the most effective to get things done. They are generally more effective for advertising, business transactions and making sales. So, if you want to effectively reach your target audience even when working remotely, online digital channels are most handy. This is because when people work remotely, they tend to spend more time online than ever. When businesses focus more on digital channels therefore, they have a great opportunity to reach their target audiences better through online channels like social media, email, and paid advertising.

Utilize Content Marketing

Content marketing is one of the most effective ways for businesses to reach their target audience. Content marketing is especially an effective strategy for B2B companies because it allows them to establish themselves online as thought leaders in their industries. Businesses can package content by creating informative blog posts, eBooks, whitepapers, and infographics. Through this info packaging, businesses can provide important information to help their audience understand the value of the products/services they are marketing. When businesses provide quality information in their content, it helps them to build trust with their audience because the info helps position them as the right experts people can rely on. That way, they can positively use content marketing to generate leads and drive sales for their businesses. If the content is well optimized for search engines, it allows the target audience to see the content online anywhere when searching online with the right keywords.

Use More Networking Online

With remote work, many business events and conferences that require person-to-person contacts are de-emphasized. Such events have given way for more opportunities to network online. Business owners have unlimited access to numerous networking groups and forums they can join to connect with other professionals and business owners in their business niche industry. Popular social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Instagram are excellent platforms for networking. On these platforms, you can easily connect with other professionals, join business groups, and participate in discussions. In addition, you can reach out to potential customers and business partners, stay in touch with your suppliers, and pass on vital info about the new products/services you have on offer.

Market with Social Media

With 4.62 billion people active on social media around the world, there is a very huge market out there. Social media has thus become a great way to connect with your target audience and build relationships. If you engage well with your audience on social media, you can connect with them before, during, and after a sale. Doing so helps a business to build brand awareness, trust and positively drive sales. Social media is an excellent way to stay up-to-date on what’s going in a business industry.

 
Focus More on Your Existing Customers

If your workforce is working remotely, it is more beneficial to focus more on your existing customers because they are the people who have already shown interest in your products/services. They are the people who have stayed with you and have shown some measure of loyalty to your brand. It is good for business if you devise ways to engage and reward them. It is by far cheaper to market to existing customers than to prospective ones. This is because you can easily stay in touch with them and court more business from through cheap online channels like email and social media. Even while working remotely, by focusing on your existing customers, you can maintain a steady revenue stream. Through your existing customers and using digital online channels, you can generate leads and referrals. That ultimately helps to drive more sales.
 
Invest in Paid Online Ads

Paid online ads may come with some costs but they are a great way to reach a large number of people quickly even while working remotely. If properly done, paid ads can be highly targeted and effective. That justifies their costs in most instances for B2B marketing strategies. Paid online ads go with less competition and you get your message in front of your target audience more easily. This is more so if you are using the right platforms like LinkedIn for your B2B ads campaign. Be sure to track the performance of your ads to enable you make adjustments on your strategy as needed and to know if the ROI of your ads campaign is worth it.

Last Line

Even with the foregoing, working remotely comes with many challenges for businesses. However, by focusing on digital channels and existing customers, you can ensure that your B2B marketing strategy is relevant and effective. Once you are still able to meet schedules, targets and get good results, working remotely is worth the while.