We asked our favorite entrepreneurs for the tips and tricks they have used to pilot their businesses through difficult times. The result: 23 things you can do right now to energize your employees, wow your customers, and get your business back on track...

The first two quotations come from writing professors whose names I've since forgotten (and they were quoting other people whom they'd forgotten). The last one is one I just made up myself. But regardless of the source, the advice is sound: no email should be clicked-to-send without revision.

Why is “small” big? Small companies can better win the trust and confidence of recession-weary customers. No matter what the size of your company, here’s how you can imitate what small companies do well:

In this troubled economy, it’s especially important to ensure your team remains competitive. An audit can help you determine if you are operating at peak productivity. Begin by asking your employees two questions:

One of the last places to embrace big changes in patterns of behaviors and practices is the Sales function. With the changing demographics, where Boomers are retiring and Millennials are going into sales roles in record numbers, the spotlight is on how sales staffs are rewarded and its impact on performance. What can you do to be sure you motivate your Millennial sales staff? Here are some recommendations.

With competition for customers and clients keener than ever, your product related presentations can make or break sales. Close the deal by sharpening your pitch with the methods of Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs, a widely acknowledged master of presentations.

This month's collection of real-world quick tips from American business leaders, brought to you by members of The Alternative Board.

Macy’s CEO Terry J. Lundgren knows it’s valuable to see your business the way your customers do. So he spends time each week walking Macy’s floors as a customer would. The experience allows him to get a feel for the shopping experience in a particular store and to take any issues or concerns back to management.

Everyone talks about getting good customers to give you a referral, but few businesses actually pursue them. Earning referral business can be a fantastic way to grow your business. The best part: All of the calls are warm leads. Here's a step-by-step plan for asking for (and reeling in) those referrals.

Digging your company out of this recession will probably require some unconventional thinking. Most small businesses can’t simply play it safe and expect to thrive, let alone survive. Ira Blumenthal, author of Ready, Blame, Fire: Myths and Misses in Marketing, points out 10 common business myths that small business owners are too quick to believe in.

Online shoe retailer Zappos has gotten a lot of attention lately for its knockout customer service. But Tony Hsieh, founder of the billion-dollar company, says his secret of success is really about his employees. “Our belief is that if you get the company culture right, most of the other stuff, like great customer service, will just happen,” he says.

What difference does empathy make in business? The answer is most visible in the tales of two major product launches from the same company: the Xbox and Zune from Microsoft. What led Microsoft teams to deliver a great performance in one case and a dud in the other?

What should you know when planning a lead-generating direct mail program?  Here are a few pointers to guide you in the right direction.

The economy is in trouble. But good marketing can still lure plenty of qualified buyers. It’s just harder to close the deal. A “shared risk” offer can warm up those with cold feet.

One of the toughest questions beginning and experienced service providers wrestle with is: "How much should I charge?" Here are four important factors to consider when determining what to charge the client:

Driving visitors to your company’s web site and coaxing them to provide contact information is a great way to generate sales leads. However, only 4% to 8% of people who click to a web site leave their personal information. To convert those web surfers into customers, consider these four surefire tips from FuelNet.

James Andrews is a stealth force in sports, making (or saving) teams billions by mending their players, including 62 Hall of Famers. Aside from his skills as an orthopedic surgeon, Andrews has made his own fortune by pressing an extreme form of customer service.

If you are trying to convince potential customers that they need your product, you’re on the wrong track. The old rules say that you should control your resources. The new rules say just the opposite, says Rob Slee, author of Midas Managers: How Every Business They Touch Turns to Gold.

We think the economic downtown will yield a silver lining: better customer service. Here’s a case in point out of Microsoft a few years back. ...

When it comes to advertising, high costs and low response rates can tempt small business owners to throw in the towel. But print, online and broadcast ads can indeed deliver results. The secret is to run the right ad in the right medium.

Even when the economy hits the skids, it doesn’t mean everyone has stopped buying. People still need products and services; the challenge is attracting them to your doorstep. To help goose your sales before year-end, go back to some of these traditional tactics.

The fourth quarter is here, and if your company’s sales reps are behind on their numbers, it’s make-or-break time. Luckily, it’s not too late to turn things around. To win the sales revenue game, business owners must respond “like football coaches whose teams are behind at the start of the fourth quarter,” says George Ludwig ...

The fourth quarter is here, and if your company’s sales reps are behind on their numbers, it’s make-or-break time. Luckily, it’s not too late to turn things around.

A California commuter train engineer may have been distracted by a text message seconds before he crashed into a freight locomotive in September, an accident that killed 25 passengers. The accident is a powerful reminder that employers must restrict texting (and talking on cell phones) while employees on duty drive vehicles or operate dangerous equipment.

As sales decline, you think about cutting expenses. But it’s also important to prepare for the next upturn. Case in point: Lucent Technologies in the early 2000s.