'So dawn goes down today, nothing gold can stay.'
Robert Frost
'There are no more power elites.'
Manuel Castels in The Information Age
The painfully obvious implication of these quotes can be seen in the business world: IBM pulls its PCs out of retail venues because it no longer considers them profitable. The Wall Street Journal reported that in 1998, there were $301 billion in sales via the Internet, while the manufacturing sector did $350 billion in overall business. It took the Internet roughly 36 months to reach this figure; manufacturing needed 150 years.

Just when we think we've grasped what's happening in business, something changes to disrupt the precarious balance. It may occur in the economy, an industry, a region, a particular market, or technology that alters even the most flexible business plan.

Establishing a strategy, then staying with it, was possible for most businesses until the last decade. Planning a year or more in advance was relatively easy. Ups and downs would occur but with a high degree of predictability. Hitting sales and revenue targets was almost a natural outcome.

Despite fax, e-mail, and Web site marketing, direct mail remains one of the most effective methods for conveying your company’s message to prospective clients. John Graham provides tips for making your direct mail efforts as powerful as possible in this document.

A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SMALL AGENCIES by Chris Burand Independent agencies, even small ones, definitely have a bright future. Offer better service related to a specific product or offe...

No matter what their size, many businesses use most of their available energy just keeping things running on a day-to-day basis.
Unfortunately, there seldom seems to be much time for those tasks that can have a profound effect on a company's future, such as communicating the company's message and projecting its image.

A HEALTHY MARKET? PERCEPTION IS REALITY by Chris Burand A recent study by Zurich U.S. revealed what I believe could cause big problems for agents and brokers in the near future. The probl...

A ONE-MINUTE MARKETING PLAN byPatricia Czech Whether you're planning a new Web site or your site is already up and running, here's some inside information you need t...

A PERPETUATION PLANNING PRIMER by Tom Doran No one expects the current frantic pace of merger and acquisition activity to last forever. When it does cool off, more agency own...

'Call it whatever you like-re-engineering, restructuring, transformation, flattening, downsizing, rightsizing, a quest for global competitiveness- it's real, it's radical, and it's arriving every day at a company near you.' (Fortune April 5, 1993)

A QUICK AND EASY WEB MARKETING PLAN by Jack Fries Whether youre planning or upgrading your Web site, these proven principles can help. Web surfing is a fast-paced sport. ...