Kristin Zhivago Blog | Revenue Coach

The truth about SEO: How search engine marketing really works

What is search engine optimization (SEO)? It’s unfortunately one of the more misunderstood campaign activities by business owners who are trying to use it to attract qualified customers. It doesn’t help that the industry is literally flooded with hypesters who promise immediate results.

The attack of the legacy systems: How to avoid the Southwest Syndrome

For a company that does so many things right—and yes, I am a staunch Southwest Airlines fan, based on personal experience with numerous domestic airlines—they really messed up over the holidays, as we all know by now.

Recession coming? Here’s what happens in a recession and how to grow your business

I saw an old term—“single point of failure”—used in a new way today. I’ve always thought of it as an engineering term, reminding me of that one Bay Bridge panel that fell down during the Loma Prieta earthquake in the Bay Area, in 1989, an earthquake that my husband and I experienced for ourselves—it was a whopper! But today, the term was being used to describe a business failure.

The ultimate secret to getting qualified leads: “Thirsty horses”

There’s an old saying, going back centuries: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” One of my very smart clients said he had a mentor who quoted that old saying, but then added, “This is why I always look for thirsty horses.” I’ve been smiling about that ever since.

Digital marketing vs. digital manipulation: Where’s the line?

I’m not alone in noticing that we seem to be in the midst of an explosion of not-so-nice behavior. I’m not surprised, having noticed decades ago that the entertainment industry seemed intent on showing us the seedier side of life.

Management for revenue growth: Your company is only as strong as your primary weakness

It’s a sad fact of business life—and one people hardly ever talk about—that your company is only as strong as your primary weakness. No matter how well you perform in one or several areas, your primary weakness will drag down your revenue growth potential.