Get your prospects to open their wallets
September 9, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Does your advertising really work? It may but the $5,000 question is, does it gain the results that you want? Our friend Ruth King had a…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Ignore your balance sheet at your own risk
September 2, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Do you only check your profit and loss statements? Your balance sheet tells you much more than your profit and loss statement, says our friend Ruth…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: accounting, advice, marketing-and-communications
Crisis Management in The Year of the Crisis
September 1, 2020
By Erin Sanders Senior Communications Advisor with NP Strategy As a professional crisis manager, I help organizations prepare for and avoid a variety of crisis situations. Despite all of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Leaving a Legacy – Using a Retirement Account Beneficiary Designation to Gift to Charity
August 31, 2020
By J. Abigail Mason, CFP® Designating a charity through a retirement account beneficiary designation is a great option for those who are philanthropic and who also want to ensure money…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: accounting, advice, banking-and-finance, law, on-the-move
Turn antagonistic foes into ardent fans
August 26, 2020
By Jerry Bellune A business friend occasionally calls to invites me to lunch – and I know why. Across the table he says, “You know I never call you…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Brushing basics for our Clinton Dental Care kiddos…
August 21, 2020
By Dr. Kristin Derrick Clinton Dental Care It’s never too early to start focusing on the importance of brushing your teeth for kids. The fact is that tooth decay…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, health-care
Say sayonara to Someday Island
August 19, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Covid-19 has given us the gift of reflection. We reflect on what we want from life. What are we willing to do to achieve it? Before…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Tax tips for emergency preparedness: securing your tax records
August 18, 2020
With the height of South Carolina’s hurricane season approaching, the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) offers tips to help you keep your tax records safe in the event of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, government, on-the-move
“I’ve Been Looking for You!” Social Media Privacy – and Other Things to Know
August 18, 2020
By Emily Eckert NP Strategy When’s the last time you thought about your social media privacy settings? If you’re like most people, it probably hasn’t crossed your mind since…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Believe in yourself and what you offer
August 17, 2020
By Jerry Bellune The great success thinker Napoleon Hill wrote that to sell yourself and your products or services you must believe in yourself and your offerings’ true value. Hill,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Covid-19 opens doors to new opportunities
August 6, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Stephanie Hall is a genius at diversifying her business strategies in this pandemic. Before covid-19 halted her event rental business, she launched a luxury brand of…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Internal Communication Tips during COVID-19
August 4, 2020
By Jesica Johnson Mackey NP Strategy Effective and regular communication during COVID-19 is a must for any organization. As COVID-19 changes the daily operations of organizations, so should your…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Charitable Considerations When Selling a Business
July 30, 2020
By Bethany M. Griffith, CFP®, EA Running a business is full of decision points, strategy planning, and opportunities. All of these factors remain when it is time to sell…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: accounting, advice, banking-and-finance, on-the-move, philanthropy
Why Stakeholder Engagement Matters
July 22, 2020
By Jean Cecil Frick NP Strategy I’ve long been a fan of the insights of author Seth Godin. Last week, one of his blog posts spoke to me: I…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
How to insult your best customers
July 22, 2020
By Jerry Bellune You can call them micro-insults – the tiny things that most annoy your customers. Sadly, unless you ask, you will never be able to correct them.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
What a rubber duck can do for you
July 20, 2020
By Jerry Bellune What can we do to delight and surprise our customers? What will get them talking about our companies? It doesn’t have to cost much. The rubber…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Has COVID-19 Opened the Door to Business Fraud?
July 13, 2020
Bauknight, Pietras & Stormer CPA Jessica Kaczor Says “Yes!” Editor’s Note: I recently sat down, virtually of course, with Jessica Kaczor, a business fraud super sleuth and Certified Fraud…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: accounting, advice, on-the-move
Coming Soon!
July 10, 2020Coming Soon!
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Your best covid-19 business strategy
July 8, 2020
By Jerry Bellune I’ll never forget the salesman who ended his presentation by asking for the names of 3 people who might use his products. I told him he…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Finding a New Way to Connect with Your Audience During a Pandemic: A Case Study
July 7, 2020
By Kara Gormley Meador NP Strategy When COVID-19 hit in full force, the NPS+ team started brainstorming on our weekly call. As schools, businesses and people became paralyzed by…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
How you can survive covid-19 nonsense
July 2, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Some of us are starting to suspect there was more to the lockdowns and non-essential business shuttering than science and epidemiologist caution. Could this have been…
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Seeing beyond the chair requires a clear vision
July 1, 2020
By Demetra Moore When will the cosmetology industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic? That’s the question on the minds of barbers, hair stylists, nail technicians and estheticians as states implement…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, on-the-move
Finding Calm in the Chaos
June 30, 2020
By Liz Ashley The times of uncertainty we find ourselves in of late could be the best time to tap into our internal resources to help calm anxiety and cultivate…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, on-the-move
What to Consider in a Buy-Sell Agreement
June 30, 2020
By Jonathan J. Robertson, CFP® If your business has more than one owner, having a buy-sell agreement in place is vital. A buy-sell agreement is used to determine in advance…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: accounting, advice, banking-and-finance, on-the-move
Use covid-19 to strengthen your team
June 25, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Retired university professor Preston Hardy wrote us the other day with the story of a boy in rural Ohio who became the first human survivor of…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
COVID Positive Employees: How to communicate with stakeholders
June 23, 2020
By Heather Matthews NP Strategy If you are a business serving the public you know this all too well: there is no playbook for navigating COVID-19. You are making…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Build greater loyalty in a pandemic
June 18, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Churches, civic and networking groups, book and garden clubs share a secret many business owners ignore at their peril. Which of these 2 customer groups would…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Tax tips for newlyweds in South Carolina
June 16, 2020
While your wedding plans may have changed this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however you get married carries tax changes you should consider before walking down the aisle. The…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, government, on-the-move
How to make more money in a pandemic
June 11, 2020
By Jerry Bellune The real question is not should you but what should you advertise. Take Kentucky Fried Chicken. Even after covid-19 became a pandemic, they ran ads of people licking…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
The protests have exposed the flaws that we Americans must keep working to repair
June 9, 2020
By U.S. Rep. James Clyburn In my memoir “Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black,” I share a philosophy I developed as a student protester on the campus of South…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, government, on-the-move, op-ed
Post COVID-19, What’s Your Social Media Plan?
June 9, 2020
By Sarah Robinson NP Strategy After three full months of navigating the coronavirus in the United States, let’s check in on how it has impacted the marketing landscape, and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, non-profit
5 steps to turn problems into profits
June 3, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Has the covid-19 crisis crippled your confidence, your sales and your income? Our friend Jill Konrath says that when she faces the same thing she: 1.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
The crucial moments this crisis calls for you
May 28, 2020
By Jerry Bellune The 2 most important days of your life, Mark Twain said, are the day you were born and the day you find out why. You were…
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Four Tips for Webinar Success: How to master your next online meeting or interview
May 26, 2020
By Casey Watson NP Strategy Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has taught us a major lesson in adaptability. Part of my adjustment was dusting off my computer’s webcam and becoming Zoom-savvy…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
More trends that may help or hurt you
May 22, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Last week we talked about 3 trends that can help or hurt you. Here are 3 more: • A friend observed that the political bickering in…
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Trends to help – or hurt – your business
May 15, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Alert business owners and entrepreneurs need to be aware of new consumer trends that may help – or hurt – their business. • A local ad…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Estate planning in the COVID-19 era
May 15, 2020
By Sterling Moose In uncertain times like these, COVID-19 reminds us to be prepared for the unexpected. Do you have an estate plan in place? If so, now is the…
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Transferring the Ownership of Your Business as You Approach Retirement: an ESOP may be the answer
May 14, 2020
By Ann J. Beckwith, CFP® As the owner of a business, you have worked tirelessly to build a profitable company in which you take pride. Now, as you approach…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, banking-and-finance, on-the-move
Managing employees in a time of crisis
May 13, 2020
By Jean Meeks Koch, Ph.D. As we try to navigate through the uncertain times this COVID-19 pandemic has presented to every one of us and our businesses, we probably don’t…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, on-the-move
2 Keys to Accelerating Your Business
May 12, 2020
By Bill Edmonds In 1901, Charles R. Walgreen opened a drug store on the corner of Bowen Avenue and Cottage Grove in Chicago. Within 12 years he had four stores on…
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Video as an ongoing investment
May 12, 2020
By Taylor Kearns NP Strategy The Hollywood film industry runs on a system of expectations, standards and edicts that are probably pretty dissimilar from the work you or your…
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In a crisis, focus on survival, not fear
May 7, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Our friend MaryEllen Tribby’s daughter Delanie is training to play pro tennis. She has won dozens of junior tournaments and observers say she’s the next Chris…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Unemployment Benefits for Furloughed Employees in South Carolina
May 4, 2020By Reggie Belcher and Hannah Stetson The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect all aspects of society. For many businesses and employers in South Carolina, the pandemic’s effects have necessitated tough…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, law, on-the-move
What can you control in trying times?
May 4, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Our friend Jill Konrath admits it’s tempting to slip into “poor me” thinking. But we have a single option right now. We need to focus on…
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Put Empathy Into Action
April 28, 2020
Leighton Lord Board Chair, Nexsen Pruet Founder and Managing Director, NP Strategy, LLC Empathy is a key element of emotional intelligence – the connection between self and others. We’re…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
What to do if you’re forced to close
April 22, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Manufacturers are switching from their prime products to making health care products such as masks and gowns. Some have even designed ventilators and are selling to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Thoughts from the COVID-19 Frontlines
April 20, 2020
By Cynthia Feldman, MBA I write this in the midst of the COVID-19 chaos; we don’t know if we’re at the beginning, the middle, or nearing the end. But we…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, on-the-move
Maintaining Good Financial Habits in a Time of COVID-19
April 20, 2020
By South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis It’s no secret that money has a significant influence on our lives. While this is frequently made obvious in our daily routines, nothing underscores…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, banking-and-finance, education, on-the-move
Hard times challenge us to innovate
April 16, 2020
By Jerry Bellune A friend of ours was looking for a birthday gift for her teenage daughter. Amazon was backed up in deliveries. She found what she was looking…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, technology
What’s ‘the Buzz’ with SC Business?
April 14, 2020
By Burnie Maybank Nexsen Pruet Today’s dominating business buzzwords are a little different than what we might have thought they’d be a few months ago. “Uncertain times;” “a new…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, media
