Steve Pruden

expert panel

Here's how to build better relationships with your community workforce, local government, and area businesses. There is much to consider when company leaders begin negotiating and collaborating with local governments to possibly open headquarters in a new or unfamiliar area. It's not only about understanding the potential target audience, but it's also about protecting, respecting, and maintaining the workforce and consumer pipeline that already occupies the community. All brands must be aware of the direct impact and responsibility that comes with settling into the cities they plan to conduct business in worldwide. Here, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board offer tips to help business leaders execute their grand opening plans without a hitch—and with the local community's connection and buy-in.

expert panel

Industry experts share top tips to make your mark in business and continue to move ahead. When your brand is competing in a saturated market, it's important to figure out how to stand out from other businesses. But it's not about being the loudest voice online or placing out-of-home advertisements. Standing out is most effective when leaders do their research to understand who they are talking to and what will resonate with their audience. Below, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members each provide one successful tactic for reaching the right audience and staying visible in a crowded market without being spammy or offensively persistent.

expert panel

There's a better way to reach direct consumers in the digital marketplace. In a fickle economy that is difficult to gauge from one moment to the next, the worst thing that brand leaders can do is to take their consumers for granted. Having an open-door policy on social media or even meeting face-to-face with current clients and customers is always a good way to gain a better understanding of what the consumer is looking for and going through. Engaging in those types of conversations upfront will only help a growing business thrive further in the future. It also helps leaders and teams strengthen client relationships and build better trust. Here, 15 Fast Company Executive Board members share one tip to help brand managers and their teams stay accountable and better connected to their customers in the digital marketplace.

article

Instead of looking at the presence of an e-commerce site as a threat, look at it as an accelerator.