eNewsletter from Next Step Solutions!

Subject: eNewslett= er from Next Step Solutions!

You are receiving the Next Step Solutions newsletter because you are someon= e we know, have worked with, met at a business event, or you have specifical= ly requested inclusion on our email list. We hope you will find our newsletter interesting and useful. However, we respect your time and your privacy.= So if you prefer not to receive future editions, please let us know. To en= sure that you continue to receive emails from us, add margaret@nextstepsolutions.com to your address book today. <= /span>

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Welcome to t= he Next Step Solutions E-Newsletter!

3D"http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs046/1101096837488/img/1= Dear Margaret,

Happy Hallowee= n to all of our readers! It is that day when we can all be children again, regardless of our ages. (And my age will remain a deep dark secret!) I have a pair of skeleton earrings I pull out every year to celebrate t= his day.

My celebration is fairly low key. Many among us don more extensive, even controversial garb, complete with masks. According to= a news item I saw, political masks are big this year, with Hillary Clinton's and Rudy Guiliani's deemed the most scary! I'll refrain from additional comment there.

While we all have fun, we probably need to consider the possible business impact. Banks, for example, generally post signs requesting the removal of any masks. Given the danger of robberies, t= heir stance is understandable.

Regardless, I trust all of our readers' businesses will thrive in the midst of the fun. And the candy! Keep those toothbrushes poised! And remember that Halloween candy has a special dispensation = from calories.

Next Step in= the Press!

by Margaret = and Dennis Purvine

3D"http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs046/1101096837488/img/1= We are delighted to report that our article, "Big mistakes small-business owners can make", has just been publishe= d in the Puget Sound Business Journal. You will find it in the October 5, = 2007 issue, both print and online. Please be aware that the online version= is restricted to print subscribers only for the first 30 days. After that time, it is available online to all.

Here are a couple of short excerpts to pique your intere= st!

Excerpt #1: There is a saying that those who ignore hist= ory are doomed to repeat it. In business, those who refuse to learn from mistakes are likely to repeat them, too. Some years ago, Dennis heard= about a situation we offer today as our cautionary tale.

Excerpt #2: This story points out several mistakes made = that could have been avoided. Let's consider them. There's more to busi= ness than making the sale: Contrary to a popularly held sales belief, = getting the sale is not everything. It's great to bring in that big deal, but, unless it also brings in a profit, it's not going to sustain your business.

Interested in reading the entire article? Click here to find it online. Please let us know what you think! We alw= ays value your input. =

Still Bloggi= ng! <= span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareas= t-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black'>

by Margaret Purvine

3D"http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs046/1101096837488/img/1= Our new Next Step blog, BusinessInWashington.com, is moving right along! We've added a number of posts since our last newsletter. Here are some samples to whet your appetite. Don't forget= to post your comments and share your ideas!

Managing Employees: Now that you've got them, how do you keep them?=

It's tough hiring great employees these days! There are more jobs than people to fill them, so we have to work really hard to find and hire = the personnel we need to expand our businesses. Once we've got them, how = do we keep them? We're kidding ourselves as employers if we think we just have to get them in the door. There was a great article in the Wall Street Journal recently, written by Carol Hymowitz, "Managers Lo= se Talent When They Neglect to Coach Their Staffs." She contends th= at the "engaged employees work for managers who spend a big chunk of their time helping their subordinates succeed." I thoroughly agr= ee with her. I believe the most important job of a manager is first to ensure that their people have the tools, training and guidance to do their jobs and second, to take roadblocks out of their way. more....

= The customer is always.....wrong?

IYesterday, an item appeared on CNET's "Crave" site about Sprint breaking up with customers. I was totally struck by the article when I saw it and spent some time digging into it. It seems Sprint decided to shed customers who they felt were overusing their customer service lines. The letter was sent in late June to a supposedly small number of Sprint customers, citing too many phone calls as the reason= for terminating their service. more.....

Free Resourc= es from Next Step

Bus= iness Book List

Bus= iness Articles & eNewsletters

Words of Wis= dom <= /b>=

Never tell peo= ple how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity - George Patton

In matters of style, swim with the current; In matters of principle, stand like a rock. - T. Jefferson

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