Ashleigh Vogstad

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As the founder of a business-to-business marketing agency that generates the lifeblood of the sales development rep—their raison d’etre—let me tell you one scary truth marketers never admit: Leads are useless.

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While most tech giants have veered clear of flagship in-person events for the last few years, VMware took the plunge and hosted one of the first post-pandemic large-scale tech conferences in San Francisco.

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Here's how business leaders are getting customers to participate and connect on a regular basis. Launching a viable company is not only about developing a quality brand of products and services, it's also about building long-lasting relationships with loyal clientele. But how can a business owner gain initial attraction from potential customers and partners in the marketplace that will enable their early establishment to grow?   Whether it's an online chance to stack up on reward incentives, or an in-person special event featuring a CEO AMA, the customers are sure to appreciate every opportunity to rub shoulders with the company's representatives, share their feedback on an added value item, and much more. To offer leaders and their teams some additional ways to keep the conversations going, below are 14 Fast company Executive Board members to share tips on what's been working for them.

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Committing to a good cause doesn't need to break the bank. Although start-up business owners are oftentimes running their operations on a tight ship with a limited budget, that doesn't necessarily prevent them from giving back to the local or global community on a regular basis.  With their heart in the right place, leaders who are passionate about a worthy cause should research specific organizations that align with their company's core values and overall mission. Then, commit to involving their entire team in a company partnership–with at least one of those charities–that will truly make a better difference. Below, Fast Company Executive Board members provide 11 ideas to help early employers get creative about how to incorporate philanthropy with purpose in a cost-effective way.

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Salary alone isn't enough to attract and retain top talent amid the Great Recession. You need great benefits, too. Over the course of the last few years, employees' values and priorities for their work lives have shifted. Many are searching for employers that will provide them with not only a competitive salary but comprehensive benefits that offer them balance, stability and overall well-being. As the labor pool continues to tighten, it's essential to make your business stand out to top-notch talent by providing competitive benefits, especially if your business is just starting out. To that end, 13 members of Fast Company Executive Board each described how new businesses can provide a solid benefits package for employees without breaking the bank.

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The painted picture is a great tool to challenge yourself to think big, dare to dream, and to enlist friends, family, and colleagues on your journey.

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Here's how to build a pipeline of services to address your department's needs.  In a gig-driven economy, it's essential to find highly-skilled freelancers who are willing to handle extra assignments during a busy season for your team. Be selective about your decision when reviewing the feedback of the consultant's previous and current clients. And, based on the expectations about the job requirements,  keep an open line of communication so that everyone is on the same page.  Below are 15 best practices, courtesy of Fast Company Executive Board members to help leaders to attract a diverse group of candidates and retain them for future projects. 

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There’s a method in the madness to build purpose in the blank slate of what your next year could be. 

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If you're outsourcing your content creation efforts, it's important to ensure your brand "voice" is consistent. Successful businesses have clear, powerful messaging that lets customers know their values and what they stand for as a brand. The messaging these companies use doesn’t differ on each social media platform, either: It stays consistent, whether you read about the brand on Instagram, LinkedIn or other sites. Sometimes, when companies outsource their consumer-facing content, the messaging and voice don’t appear consistent. To ensure this doesn’t happen to your business, 15 Fast Company Executive Board members shared their tips for maintaining a consistent tone of voice, regardless of the channel. 

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The business world demands constant innovation, but when is the right time to unveil your "latest and greatest" ideas? Company innovation is an important part of a company’s growth. Without innovation, sales may become stagnant and customers may lose interest in seeing the same products or services offered after a long period of time. To ensure your business seems relevant and continues to excite your customers, adding new products or services becomes imperative. But when is the right time to introduce a new product? When should you launch that new marketing campaign? Here, 15 experts from Fast Company Executive Board shared their best advice for gauging whether now is the right time.