Outfoxing The Small Business Owner: Crafty Techniques For Creating A Profitable Relationship (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Before I started my own business, I spent almost nine years at an international accounting and consulting firm that primarily dealt with multinational companies..." (more)
Key Phrases: payment delay tactics, unfinished fox, small business marketplace, Service Tip, United States, American Express (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Whether you're an account manager for a large corporation or a fledgling entrepreneur, the small business market is one you can't afford to ignore. Your bottom line depends on it. Yet to capture this market, you need to adopt a new strategy-a strategy that recognizes the limited budgets, intense competitors, oppressive taxes, and inadequate resources that plague most small business owners.

Outfoxing the Small Business Owner shows you how to tap the heart, mind, and pocketbook of these cagey customers. You'll rethink your usual approach, tailoring it to your customers' individual challenges and idiosyncrasies. You'll learn what works for small business owners-and how it's different than what works for your larger accounts. Most important, you'll find innovative, effective ways to:

Get your product or service noticed

Foster long-term partnerships

Identify and address their true business needs

Collect payments in a timely manner

And much, much, more!

Marks provides the unique insights you need to sell, service, and just plain deal with your small business customers. With this knowledge in hand, you can turn your smallest customers into your biggest profits.

About the Author

Gene Marks owns and operates The Marks Group, a highly successful consultancy firm that sells and services popular software applications to small- and medium-sized businesses. Prior to starting The Marks Group, he spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of the international consulting firm KPMG. During his tenure there, Mr. Marks supervised multiple projects and worked with many small companies throughout the United States and Europe. Mr. Marks has spoken nationally at numerous Microsoft Technology Business Conferences on small business matters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 227 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media Corporation (January 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593371578
• ISBN-13: 978-1593371579
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,025,416 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have small business book, July 17, 2006

By	Webturtle "webturtle" (Albany, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Besides being quite possibly the best small business book I've read in a long time, Outfoxing is just plain FUN to read. Mr. Marks, a "foxy" business owner himself, shares the ways you can identify what kind of small business owner you're dealing with, what their most pressing business needs are, and create a strategy for marketing and communicating with your small business clients. He gives an insider view on the psychology of small business owners which helps with such common issues as getting paid time. He identifies the most common objections small business customers have and how to get around them. I especially loved that he puts an emphasis on creating loyalty and long term partnerships with our customers.

I can't count the number of "aha" moments this book gave me - and I'm supposed to be one of those crafty, seasoned business owners myself. I am going to be using this book as a gift and giveaway for a long time - it's fantastic!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Working with the tough customers, January 28, 2005

By	Howard A. Powell Jr. (West Chester, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book reinforced my opinions on managing difficult accounts and gave me many valuable ideas how to close and manage several customers that I could not nail down in the past.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to grow their business.

Howard

5.0 out of 5 stars Better understand the small to mid-market sector, March 24, 2005

By	Amy Laing - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Required reading for anyone who is dealing with small to mid-market companies-- or thinking about entering this marketspace. Gene has worked successfully with both large Fortune companies and the small to mid-market sectors and in this book he discusses the differences and really hones in on the small to mid market space. He then takes it to the next level and gives you the tools you need to be successful in this market space. Gene's writing style makes for a quick, straight-forward read.