In a word, yes.

It does take “guts” to solicit reviews, because some can be negative . . . some even unethically submitted by your competitors.

But because people put more faith in their peers then they do in advertising, reviews can be powerful inducements to business prospects. As long as the majority of reviews are positive, the negative ones can tend to make the good ones more credible.

Interestingly, studies have shown that sales increases are dramatic when the positive reviews dominate, even though there may also be negative ones. It’s important to remember that if you deserve the good buzz, the good buzz will follow.

99% of the time, words are ultimately what generates leads, motivates people to action, powers your marketing and makes you money. The right words can produce an astonishingly better response. We all have the same words available for our use. It is how they are arranged that makes the critical difference.
– Allan Starr

Innovation is about letting go of today’s assumptions to make room for tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

Seek Out and Embrace Unexpected Changes—These Are Your Greatest Opportunities

Shifts in the market, culture, and technology rarely happen the way they are predicted. Always keep an ear to the ground for early signs of change.

Don’t be excessively loyal to the old ways of doing things. Set your best people to work on identifying tomorrow’s opportunities, not fixing yesterday’s problems with yesterday’s products.
– The Startup Daily

To survive in an era of constant change, stay focused on the core of your business; the one problem you solve for your customers.

Stick to What You Do, but Reinvent How You Do It

Remember that your customer’s world is being disrupted too. How can you make it easier for them to take advantage of the new world?
– The Startup Daily

If there is one common trait among successful people, it is the ability to keep pushing the ball forward.

Develop A Relentless Bias Towards Action

Ideas come cheap, but without taking the next step they fade away, often replaced by the next idea.

To have an impact, continuously ask yourself “Now What?” and take action.
– The Startup Daily

Feedback is typically focused on the past, and on what someone did wrong. The problem is that most people don’t like to give negative feedback, and even fewer people like to hear negative feedback. Uncomfortable topics—the ones that need the most attention—are either avoided, or the feedback is not heard.

Ask “What Can I Do Better in the Future?” Not “What Did I Do Wrong in the Past?”

With “feedforward” people can focus on hearing the suggestions without becoming defensive or worrying about their reply. People respond better to ideas they can still act on, and we are all free to change the future.
– The Startup Daily

The deferred life plan is doing what you have to do today so that someday you will be able to do what you really want to do.

The problem is that most people will work hard their whole lives and never get past that first step.

Don’t Sacrifice Your Life to Make a Living

Ask yourself “What are you willing to do for the rest of your life?” In entrepreneurship, and in life, the journey is the reward.
– The Startup Daily

The Best of the Startup Daily #5
Make room for the things you know you should be doing by eliminating the things that don’t matter.

Create a “To-Stop-Doing” List

Write down all the things you are doing that are draining your energy and are not essential to reaching your goals. Take advantage of the fact that stopping is easier than starting.
– The Startup Daily

Nobody likes the “networking jerk.” The person who sees everyone they meet as a chance to increase the size of their Rolodex. The person who’s insincere probing is an obvious effort to suss out how useful each new contact might be to them.

A single deep connection around a shared passion is more rewarding and valuable than a dozen business cards and quick introductions.

Don’t Make Contacts, Make Friends

Genuine relationships in business are based on the same principles as personal relationships.

Instead of asking what people can do for you, focus on what you can do for them.
– The Startup Daily

Most products try to do too much, and because of this they do nothing well. Designers add features in an effort to stand out, but those features clutter the user experience.

Elegant design is not about adding the right features, it is about leaving the right things out.

Say No to Everything that Does Not Contribute to the Essential Experience of the Product

Steve Jobs has famously said that he is most of proud of the things he hasn’t done. Only by saying no to the distractions can you concentrate your resources on getting the essentials right.
The Startup Daily