Never trust a seller – check it out

  May 20, 2021

by Jerry Bellune An entrepreneur we once worked with was a hard-nosed negotiator. We didn’t like his style but we had to admire the little empire of more than 25…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, business-services, media

How to make business plans that work

  May 19, 2021

By Jerry Bellune When an angel investor hired us to advise him on a proposed new newspaper, we took the plan to 3 publishers we knew. Each one thought the…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, business-services, on-the-move

How to make business plans that work

  May 19, 2021

By Jerry Bellune When an angel investor hired us to advise him on a proposed new newspaper, we took the plan to 3 publishers we knew. Each one thought the…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, business-services, media

Marketing Minute Video: Asking for Feedback

  May 10, 2021

Marketing Minute with Matthew Gallagher, NP Strategy Asking clients for feedback can be scary if you’re not sure how they will respond. As business professionals, we may assume if a client…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Colliers Op-Ed: Three Things Hoteliers Should Start Doing Today

  May 6, 2021

Some hoteliers hit the pause button in March 2020 with COVID-19’s arrival to wait and see what would happen, but now is the time to set things into motion again.…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, commercial-real-estate, on-the-move, op-ed

Find their needs and fill them

  May 5, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   One of our favorite cities, Charleston, SC, has an inaffordable housing problem. The average cost of a 1-bedroom apartment is $1,223 a month. That may compare…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Keeping an eye on healthcare insurance changes

  May 5, 2021

By Guy Furay The last few months have been fairly monumental when it comes to changes in the healthcare industry. As an independent health insurance agency based in the Upstate…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, education, on-the-move

At Long Last: South Carolina Passes COVID-19 Liability Immunity

  May 5, 2021

By Brittany Clark Employment and Labor Law Associate On April 28, 2021, Gov. Henry McMaster signed South Carolina’s COVID-19 Liability Immunity Act into law.  The state’s employers will now have…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, covid-19, employment, on-the-move

SCDOR busts 10 common tax myths

  May 5, 2021

Taxes can seem confusing and complicated, leaving room for misconceptions and myths to pop up – especially during tax season. The South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) wants you to…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: accounting, advice, government, on-the-move

At Long Last: South Carolina Passes COVID-19 Liability Immunity

  May 4, 2021

By Brittany Clark Employment and Labor Law Associate On April 28, 2021, Gov. Henry McMaster signed South Carolina’s COVID-19 Liability Immunity Act into law.  The state’s employers will now have…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, law

SCDOR busts 10 common tax myths

  May 4, 2021

Taxes can seem confusing and complicated, leaving room for misconceptions and myths to pop up – especially during tax season. The South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) wants you to…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, government, on-the-move

Order of Contributions

  April 30, 2021

By Corinne Hanna, CFP® Whether you are an employee deciding about your annual benefits at election time or an employer deciding which benefits to offer, make your workplace benefits work…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: accounting, advice, banking-and-finance, financial-advisors, on-the-move

How to win prospects’ trust

  April 29, 2021

By Jerry Bellune Successful negotiation will get you what you want if you give prospects what they need, says Walker McKay of No BS Sales. You have equal stature with…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, business-services, marketing-and-communications

Keeping an eye on healthcare insurance changes

  April 28, 2021

By Guy Furay The last few months have been fairly monumental when it comes to changes in the healthcare industry. As an independent health insurance agency based in the Upstate…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, insurance, on-the-move

Marketing Minute Video: Communicating Your Expertise

  April 26, 2021

  Marketing Minute with Catherine Dingler, NP Strategy Whether you’re an entrepreneur working hard to build your brand or a business owner with tough competition, mastering your work won’t help…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move

Become a creative contrarian

  April 21, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   What do Judy Wald, JD Powers and Fred Segal have in common? These 3 highly successful entrepreneurs were contrarians. Contrarians are creative thinkers who turn accepted…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Create loving messages for your customers

  April 14, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   Our friend Bill Edmonds checked into a hotel and found a message in his room. “Sure, life can be messy. That’s why I’m here. Don’t worry…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Ads that ring your cash register

  April 14, 2021

By Jerry Bellune Bob Bly and I are direct response apostles. It’s the best way to advertise. Bob says if we embrace direct response ads in print and online, the…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, business-services, on-the-move

Marketing Minute: Crisis Communication

  April 12, 2021

Marketing Minute with Jean Cecil Frick, NP Strategy Communication isn’t always as simple as it sounds, especially if the information you’re sharing is sensitive, or even controversial. Knowing your audience…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Outplacement and Career Transition Benefits Promote the Bottom Line

  April 12, 2021

By Gene Mills Gallivan, MS Whether you call it reorganization, right-sizing, termination, downsizing, layoff, reorganization or restructuring, turnover is daunting for both the organization and the individuals involved. In today’s…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, on-the-move

Ads that ring your cash register

  April 8, 2021

By Jerry Bellune Bob Bly and I are direct response apostles. It’s the best way to advertise. Bob says if we embrace direct response ads in print and online, the…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Outplacement and Career Transition Benefits Promote the Bottom Line

  April 7, 2021

By Gene Mills Gallivan, MS Whether you call it reorganization, right-sizing, termination, downsizing, layoff, reorganization or restructuring, turnover is daunting for both the organization and the individuals involved. In today’s…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, employment, on-the-move

Reading, Writing… and Financial Literacy

  April 5, 2021

By South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis Where did you learn about personal finance? Did a patient parent explain the difference between spending for what you need versus what you want?…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, education, on-the-move

Why ads should appeal to our emotions

  March 31, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   Consumers rarely buy on the facts. Even the most analytically minded. They buy with emotion and justify it with logic. Think about your last purchase, why…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

How to Think About Insuring that Second Home

  March 30, 2021

By Molly A. Thomas, FPQP™ Many people dream of a second home—a place to go for some rest and relaxation, a place to call your own, a place for family…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, banking-and-finance, financial-advisors, insurance, on-the-move, residential-real-estate

Marketing Minute: Responding to Controversy in the Media

  March 30, 2021

  When damaging information about your organization is publicized, your credibility matters. NP Strategy’s Vice President Jean Cecil Frick shares tips on responding to controversy in the media.   

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

How to deal with difficult decisions

  March 24, 2021

By Jerry Bellune All of us must make many decisions each day in business and in life. Most of them are relatively easy and we make them. Even if they…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Suffering and perspective

  March 18, 2021

By Jeff Becraft Suffering has a way of shifting our perspective. Whether it be an illness, a death of a loved one, a disappointment or whatever it is. Often times,…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, on-the-move

Who can you help today?

  March 17, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   A local banker and his wife were among the most successful couples in our town. Each morning, they prayed for guidance about who they might help…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Be Distinct or Become Extinct

  March 15, 2021

By Ken Gasque Tom Peters said “distinct…or extinct” in his book The Brand You. He was talking about personal branding, but the same tactics apply to businesses. If your product/service…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Become your customers’ best friend

  March 11, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   Tiffany Wright operates a small business bookkeeping service in our county. She believes in building a close, personal relationship with each client to better understand and…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Retain your loyal customers for life

  March 4, 2021

By Jerry Bellune When loyal customers’ friends ask who they use for what you offer, they not only mention your name but tell them about something special you did for…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Effectively Increasing Your Engagement on Social Media

  March 2, 2021

By Joshua Simelton Strategic Communications Specialist, NP Strategy For companies with an online presence, there are several ways of executing a successful social media strategy. In this article, we’re going…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, business-services, on-the-move

Effectively Increasing Your Engagement on Social Media

  March 2, 2021

By Joshua Simelton Strategic Communications Specialist, NP Strategy For companies with an online presence, there are several ways of executing a successful social media strategy. In this article, we’re going…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

What is your most important branding tool?

  March 1, 2021

By Ken Gasque   Your logo, if you do it right. However, your logo is not a brand, but there is no brand without a logo. The Starbucks logo is…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, business-services, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move

Trouble Sleeping? Wear Socks to Bed  

  February 24, 2021

The struggle is real. Millions of people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Sleep is a vital part of our life and much needed to stay healthy and be…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, health-care, on-the-move

Avoid becoming a public disgrace

  February 24, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   Every business owner, manager, entrepreneur or politician should learn a critical lesson from NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s cover-up of his fatal nursing home blunder. By sending…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Whom Should I Select to Serve as Trustee?

  February 24, 2021

By Jonathan J. Robertson, CFP® When people are updating their estate documents, they frequently leave assets in trust for someone else. The key concept behind the idea of a trust…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: accounting, advice, financial-advisors, law, on-the-move

Whom Should I Select to Serve as Trustee?

  February 22, 2021

By Jonathan J. Robertson, CFP® When people are updating their estate documents, they frequently leave assets in trust for someone else. The key concept behind the idea of a trust…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, banking-and-finance, law, on-the-move

Your abominable No-Man

  February 17, 2021

By Jerry Bellune   When it comes big bucks CEOs, you could not pick a pair more different than Angelo Mozilo and Warren Buffett. Angelo founded Countrywide Financial, a giant…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications

Periodontal Disease and COVID-19?

  February 17, 2021

What is Periodontal Disease? You may have heard the term “periodontal disease” or “gum disease” at your dental office before. Periodontal disease is defined as serious infection and inflammation of…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, health-care, on-the-move

A lifetime of lessons in stakeholder management

  February 15, 2021

By Amanda Loveday NP Strategy   I recently celebrated five years at NP Strategy. Since I began as the first full-time employee, we’ve built an incredible group of 25 individuals…

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Posted in: laurenscountybuzz   Category: advice, on-the-move

A lifetime of lessons in stakeholder management

  February 15, 2021

By Amanda Loveday NP Strategy   I recently celebrated five years at NP Strategy. Since I began as the first full-time employee, we’ve built an incredible group of 25 individuals…

Read More

Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: advice, marketing-and-communications