Business Development

University of Minnesota Extension Specialist Michael Darger focuses on community economics and business succession. His background with economic development agencies led him to focus on business retention and expansion work, which eventually landed him at the U of M conducting and publishing important research on entrepreneurs and their exit...

Publishing a book is like building a house. This is a truth for agency owners and others who want a book for more impact and influence, such as business coaches and strategic consultants. Hard truth: self-publishing is like being your own general contractor who must hire and manage all the subcontractors. The simple way to succeed is not to find...

Agency owners who want to grow their businesses can take a lesson from a hit TV show. Shonda Rhime’s Bridgerton confidently stands as the most-streamed television series on Netflix. Season three, released in May of 2024 with an outstanding 165.2 million hours viewed globally, quickly surpassing season two’s opening weekend, despite the shorter...

Is virtual selling really new? “Many companies would have you believe virtual selling is new and constitutes a huge paradigm shift for them. But does it really?” says author Craig Lowder. “Virtual selling has been around for over a hundred years; think catalogs, newspapers, direct mail offers, late-night TV infomercials, telemarketers, and...

In today’s digital landscape leveraging social media is not just beneficial—it’s essential. For agency owners, a robust social media strategy can significantly broaden your business’s reach and engagement. Here are seven steps to effectively leverage social media and elevate your business: 1. Influencer Collaborations Partnering with influencers...

The number one rule for agency owners who want to attract right-fit clients is this: don't sound like a salesperson.  "Enroll, don't sell" is the main message of David Goldman, lead author of Bringing in the Business Without Sounding Like a Salesperson (2024, Indie Books International). "Many professionals are averse to being...

Agency owners and strategic consultants are invited to join Indie Books International and Agency Owner News on September 27 and 28 at the annual “2024 Agency Rainmaker Forum.” “We have assembled an all-star cast of authorities, including Hall of Fame and World Champion Speakers and best-selling authors,” says Henry DeVries, CEO of Indie Books...

To attract right-fit clients, don’t just use facts to tell when you can use stories to sell. Agency owners who attract right-fit clients are typically great storytellers. “Trying to influence people by using words to appeal to their intellect isn’t enough,” says author Dr. Paul Homoly. “We need stories.” I caught up with Homoly in Phoenix when he...

If you want to grow your B2B company, focus on creating best-in-class client and employee experience. Every high-performing B2B company is vying for that enviable spot where they stand out from the competition. But what does quantifiable research say separates the best from the rest? To understand business leaders’ views on what it takes to be a...

A book deal is an agreement between a publisher and an author, by which the author agrees to write a book or a certain number of books to be published by the publisher. Book deals for nonfiction business advice authors are getting more and more rare. If you want to get published by a big-name traditional publisher like Penguin or McGraw-Hill you...