Jon’s Blog
Montana Movie Theatre Chain Reinvents Itself with Destination Creation Course
Becky Dupuis, owner of nine Polson Theatres in Montana, started Jon Schallert’s online Destination Creation Course because she thought it might help with marketing and special events. She finished the class with a whole new vision for her business. “What it was really about was looking at your own company and finding out what you really are, what...
Destination Business BootCamp Starts Today: Owners Come to Longmont to Reinvent Their Businesses and Communities
I'm going to be posting short excerpts from our Destination Business BootCamp that is happening today over at the Marriott Hotel Complex here in Longmont, Colorado. We have owners flying in from Australia, Newfoundland and British Columbia Canada, and groups of...
Why Business Owners’ Skills Aren’t Like Baseball Players’ Skills
Not having the skills to perform a sport is different from how most business owners think about their skills to create a successful business. But out there in left field, you’ll often find the most unsuccessful owners thinking they’re doing everything they could, and thinking that they’re doing it well. Something else or someone else is to blame for their sales decline and their customers not coming in
If few people know about your Destination, are you still one?
How many people should know about this amazing place? Every meat-loving, tailgating, sausage eating, liverwurst-spreading, bologna-eater in North America, that’s who! They should all know how great Brant’s!…
How to Write Your Way Out of a Business Slump
For over five years, one author who I’ve wanted to interview has been Henriette Anne Klauser. Next week, I’m interviewing Henriette Klauser for the first time, and soon her words and advice will be shared with all of you.
Setting Yourself Apart is the Key to Becoming a Destination
The South Bend Tribune did a great story on my upcoming workshop in Middlebury, Indiana on August 24 next week. Rarely does a reporter take the time to actually understand the process of becoming a Destination. This one did. You can read the full article here:...
In Today’s Economy, a Book That All of Us Can Use
I want you to know about Lynn because her newest book, Listen: Trusting Your Inner Voice in Times of Crisis. This is a book that can help many owners who are troubled by today’s economic woes…
Running a Business: Much Tougher than Becoming a Destination
Building a house isn’t hard for a home builder who has a set of blue prints that he or she can follow. But try to build the house without the plan, and you’re going to make a lot of errors in the process…
The Economy and What’s Coming, I Think
With summer in full bloom, not many people are thinking about what’s going to happen to small businesses in the 4th Quarter of this year, on into the 1st Quarter of next year. But I am. And I think that many businesses are not prepared for the possibility of a second plateau in sales and consumer spending. Here’s what I think owners should be doing…
How to Use Facebook to Grow Customer Traffic & Sales in Your Business
Facebook announced last week that they have surpassed 500 million users. Depending on when you read this, that number could be a distant memory. With that many people using Facebook, you'd think there would be more businesses out there that were actually making their...
The Secret to Staying Smarter than Your Competition, When You Have No Time
How do you stay smarter than your competition and learn the newest techniques to grow your business when you don’t have time? Start by realizing that as an independent business owner, you cannot keep up with the newest tricks, tools, and techniques on your own. It’s just not going to happen…
As Cities Cut Back, Some Communities Step Up to Help Their Local Small Businesses
Thank you for taking a group of people who have been beaten down by the economy and giving them back the belief that it is possible to be prosperous again by empowering them to take charge of their own business in ways they never thought of before…
How to Free Up Your Dominant Wall and Boost Your Retail Sales
I enjoy watching business owners depart from our Destination Business BootCamp and return to their businesses with ideas that they immediately put into practice. That’s just what happened to Brad Hamlett, co-owner of Bradley’s, a great store in Knoxville, Tennessee which carries a full gift assortment and their one-of-a-kind handmade chocolates
Shawne Duperon’s “What Newsrooms are Looking for This Month”
Shawne Duperon is a media expert who helps my clients get free publicity and land their businesses on television. She is also one of our Experts who contributes to the learning in the Destination University Student Center. Every month, Shawne sends out her free ezine with top story ideas that the media want to cover. Shawne is allowing me to share with you what newsrooms across the country are on the lookout for right now:
Don’t Let Customer Negotiators Erode Your Profit Margin
It’s become a new fad in this economy for consumers to try to beat up any retailer and negotiate for price discounts, even when the merchandise is fairly priced. Part of this trend comes from discount-gurus and price negotiators who “teach” how to ask for better deals.
Large Cities, Small Towns, and Business Success
13 Generalizations on Large Cities, Small Towns, and Business Success: I know why many small business owners will go extinct, why small towns are better than large cities, how Frank Sinatra was wrong, and where you can find the worst marketers in the world.
