An early Christmas gift parable
December 16, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Here’s another early Christmas gift to help you end a dark year on a bright note. The great physicist Albert Einstein spent most of his life…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Planning for Public Affairs Success
December 8, 2020
By Seth Palmer NP Strategy A well-organized public affairs plan is a powerful tool that all organizations need to drive focus to important issues that affect their key audiences.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice
A Health Insurance Program for Medical Professionals – SCMA’s Members’ Insurance Trust
December 8, 2020
By William Render Executive Director for the SCMA Members’ Insurance Trust For nearly 40 years, the South Carolina Medical Association Members’ Insurance Trust (SCMA MIT) has been committed to…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, health-care, insurance, on-the-move
Can, and should, employers require that employees be vaccinated for Covid-19?
December 7, 2020
By David Dubberly As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalizes its review of two COVID-19 vaccines and prepares to authorize them for use, employers are asking if they…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, covid-19, employment, law, on-the-move
How to get high email open rates
December 3, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Have you heard marketers or bloggers brag about the high number of addresses on their email lists? A blogger said he had more than 5 million.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Become a Master of Gratitude
November 29, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Can you attract more business without it costing you a dime? Absurd, you say. No, it’s simple, says our friend Ruth King. Show gratitude. Say thank…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Community Spotlight – WLS Foundation and City of Clinton Partner to Raise $5,000 for Local Veterans
November 13, 2020Veterans Day 2020 started out dreary and wet but ended with sunshine and smiles in Clinton, South Carolina. As reported earlier on the BUZZ, the City of Clinton partnered with…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: advice
Ignore your balance sheet at your own risk
November 12, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Do you check your profit and loss statements and balance sheets monthly? They tell you how profitable your business is, says our friend Ruth King. Your…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Curiosity Corner: Fixin’ those Foggy Windshields
November 12, 2020
Question: Why does cold air hold less moisture than warm air? Why does cool air clear a foggy windshield better than warm air? (Asked by a foggy column reader via…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, on-the-move
COVID-19 is a Wake-Up Call to the Need for Better Long-Term Planning
November 11, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on long-term care facilities. Thousands of residents have died from the virus. Families haven’t been able to visit loved ones for months. As…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: advice, covid-19, health-care, on-the-move
Employers can expect OSHA to issue emergency rule for COVID-19 early in Biden administration
November 10, 2020
By David Dubberly COVID-19 cases in the United States have been increasing rapidly in recent weeks, and the surge is expected to continue into the winter. On Nov. 10, 2020,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, covid-19, on-the-move
‘Tis the Season (for relevant content)
November 10, 2020
By Emily Eckert NP Strategy For my communications and marketing friends: anyone else struggling to get excited by content lately? This year has felt like a never-ending slog of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Reporting the truth
November 9, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Good morning. Dr. Tracey Jones invited me to appear on her podcast. I don’t think she realized what a blabber mouth she was getting. But we…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
How to attract more Ideal Clients
November 4, 2020
By Jerry Bellune An inexpensive way to attract Ideal Clients is with a referral system. It’s expensive in terms of time. When you get busy it’s harder to find…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Concentrate on your Ideal Customers
October 28, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Every business has Ideal Customers. Knowledge of those customers is the starting point for all marketing strategies, says business consultant Bill Edmonds. To better understand your…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Compassionate Communication
October 27, 2020
By Kara Gormley Meador NP Strategy While my home base is no longer a cubical inside a television newsroom where eight monitors blast shows from all of the major…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Why do your customers buy from you?
October 23, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Our friend Ruth King says you need to know why your customers do business with you for 4 make-or-break reasons: 1. It defines your business…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Are you prepared for open enrollment in a digital world?
October 15, 2020
By Andrew Monk, Manager Benefits Education The Cason Group With a global pandemic continuing to affect the workplace, many businesses will be conducting open enrollment for 2021 with a remote…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, insurance, on-the-move
Attract more prospects, more income
October 14, 2020
by Jerry Bellune Lead magnets can change how you do business and produce more income. It will attract more prospects to your sales funnel faster then you ever dreamed.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Do you react or respond?
October 13, 2020
By Heather Matthews NP Strategy Do you react or respond? That question felt like a stab to my heart and almost made me fall off the treadmill one evening. …
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Responsibilities of Leadership: Navigating Business During Times of Societal Upheaval
October 12, 2020
By Brian T. King President and Owner of Carolinas-based A M King Today, we find ourselves in a period of societal crisis. Albeit this is a unique crisis, quite…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: advice, construction
The power of relentless rehearsal
October 7, 2020
By Jerry Bellune When our friend Michael Aun won the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking he had rehearsed his speech to family, friends and his dog, Author Rick…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Post Pandemic Litigation in Skilled Care and Assisted Living Facilities
October 1, 2020
By Kelli Sullivan Shareholder at Turner Padget Every industry in America has been affected, in some way, by the changes wrought by the COVID -19 pandemic, but perhaps no…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, health-care, law
How to get high email open rates
September 30, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Have you heard marketers or bloggers brag about the high number of addresses on their email lists? I heard a blogger claim more than 5 million.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, telecommunications
Show off your Stats! Using your organization’s data to create visual content
September 29, 2020
By Stephanie Heikkila Holman NP Strategy There’s something comforting about numbers, whether it’s the way they gently guide us to sleep as children counting sheep in our beds or…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move, the-arts
3 ways to make a great 1st impression
September 23, 2020
By Jerry Bellune Good morning, fellow entrepreneurs. MaryEllen Tribby believes in making a great impression with 3 strategies. 1. Be generous. When you help others, “getting” will follow. It…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Harness the power of word-of-mouth
September 16, 2020
By Jerry Bellune A couple of our friends were discussing a German restaurant 45 minutes from our town. My wife and I miss German food since the only place…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
School, work, COVID, oh my
September 15, 2020
By Amanda Loveday NP Strategy I continue to read stories about the demise of the working mother. Every night I scan my Facebook and Twitter feeds before going to…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
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!
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: accounting, advice, agriculture, architecture, ariail, banking-and-finance, business-services, chamber, commercial-real-estate, construction, conversations, economic-development, education, employment, employment-agencies, energy, engineering, environmental, food, government, headlines, health-care, hi-tech-information-tech, hospitality, insurance, it-services, laurens-county-sports, law, life, manufacturing, marketing-and-communications, media, military, music, non-profit, op-ed, philanthropy, residential-real-estate, retail, sports, technology, telecommunications, the-arts, transportation, uncategorized, utilities, wordless-news
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
