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Last week, I was on a much-awaited, exclusive teleconference with a well-known and very successful business and marketing consultant. As the call began, the tips and ideas started flowing, and I feverishly took notes and tried to digest all of the information. Everything was going really well, but then…things started to get ugly. About half way through the call, the sound got weaker and weaker on my phone. “What’s going on?!” I decided to walk around to see if the signal got stronger in different locations. First, I went into the bathroom and closed the door.

Times are tough right now, and the recent earthquake in Haiti really makes us stop and think about our blessings. With this in mind, have you thanked your customers, partners, associates, and media contacts lately? If not, here are three simple ways to use this six-letter word to improve your relationships – and your business:

Over the holidays, I found myself having two, long layovers in Milwaukee’s airport and in need of a good meal. As I walked past several gates, I noticed a lot of people eating and drinking at an Italian restaurant/sports bar. Great! Finally, I’ll get to rest and stop my grumbling stomach.

If you are like most small business owners, you are working harder than ever to find and secure new business in today’s uncertain economy. It can be tough to exceed customer expectations, conduct marketing and PR efforts, pay bills, and keep things running smoothly on a tight budget. With this in mind, here are five tips to help boost sales without spending any additional funds.

Many people are unemployed. Homes are in foreclosure. The economy is uneasy. Things in our country are tough right now. But it’s not the time to give up and stop pursuing your career goals and dream lifestyle. Instead, use this negativity as a driving force to promote yourself and make things better for you and your family in the future.

If you are like most people, it can be nerve wracking to talk to the press. But there are several things you can do to give a great interview… even when you’re heart is racing.

First, just like the Boy Scout motto, “be prepared.” A media member can call at any time so review your messaging and write down the key points you want to convey in advance. Think about what you want to say and how you plan to say it. You may even want to keep some talking points near your phone for easy access.

As the holidays approach, you are probably swamped with year-end work activities and preparing for your own personal celebrations at home. The last thing on your mind may be the thought of purchasing business holidays cards, writing messages and addresses, licking envelopes, and buying stamps. But you may be missing out on a great opportunity. Not only are holiday cards a fantastic way to spread some cheer during tough times, but they offer a great way to get through to potential new clients, investors and sponsors, renew relationships with media members and thank valued customers.

As a new business owner, it's easy to rush through publicity efforts in order to concentrate or core business activities and priorities. But before you contact the media or post a press release, ask yourself if the information you're about to send is really newsworthy. Will a reporter really care about what you have to say? If you can't answer this question accordingly, you need to conduct additional research, rework your story angle or rewrite your announcement. Focus on a specific benefit, current industry trend or unique idea.

With the competition in today’s business environment, it’s essential to get your priorities straight. And one of your key objectives is probably to increase sales…so how do you get an edge over others in your industry?

The key is to focus on customer service. Did you know that people are creating lists to tell you how to bypass voicemail automation to get through to a human being? Check out www.gethuman.com.

When was the last time you shared an article, publicity piece, website copy, or marketing document with a co-worker, expert or associate? If your business is in a rut, it may be time to get an outside opinion.