CATEGORIES > WORKPLACE FACILITATION > BUSINESS STRATEGY

FAQ: Business Strategy card decks

Business Strategy / Business Administration decks are toolkits that contain tactics, frameworks, and prompts to help professionals craft clear, actionable business strategies. Each card typically offers bite-sized guidance on decision-making, leadership, market analysis, and long-term planning. These decks aim to break down complex strategy topics into digestible steps, guiding users through structured approaches to business challenges. By distilling decades of business wisdom, these decks help businesses operate efficiently, streamline processes, and remain adaptable.

These decks are used by business leaders, entrepreneurs, managers, and strategists who are looking for structured guidance to improve decision-making, solve business challenges, and lead their teams more effectively. Accessing these decks on your phone enhances the experience by making strategic insights and tactical guidance available on-the-go. Whether during a meeting, brainstorming session, or a quick decision-making moment, users can pull up relevant frameworks and tactics to make informed choices instantly.

These decks are valuable because they provide practical, step-by-step tactics to solve business problems, enhance strategic thinking, and drive business growth. As a mobile resource, these decks become even more valuable by offering immediate access to strategic tools wherever and whenever they are needed. The mobile format allows for features such as saving favorite tactics, tracking progress, and receiving personalized notifications, ensuring that business strategy becomes a consistent, integral part of everyday operations.

You use these decks by drawing cards that present specific tactics, frameworks, or questions to help guide business decisions, from evaluating market opportunities to leading teams or navigating challenges. Having the deck on your phone enhances this by making it easier to integrate strategic thinking into your daily routine. You can quickly reference key tactics during meetings, workshops, or even on-the-go, ensuring that your decision-making is always backed by solid, practical advice.

By leveraging mobile apps, users can access real-time business insights and ensure their strategies are informed, effective, and aligned with business goals.

Quality and Efficiency Expert

WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS QUALITY AND BUSINESS EFFICIENCY FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Quality and Efficiency Expert Section of our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

Quality in business is not only crucial for providing superior products and services but also for enhancing the bottom line.

Studies show that on average, 20% of a company's annual turnover is wasted on correcting mistakes and redoing tasks.

As business is fundamentally about people, and people can make mistakes, it becomes imperative to address and mitigate these errors effectively.

Our Operational Quality modules are designed to raise awareness among your staff about the significant implications of poor quality.

By emphasising the importance of doing jobs '100% Right First Time,' we provide the tools and knowledge necessary to reduce errors and increase efficiency.

This proactive approach helps in minimising waste, saving valuable resources, and ultimately boosting the overall profitability of your organisation.

The modules in our Quality and Business Efficiency section offer some of the most effective tools and techniques proven to improve operational quality and streamline business processes.

From Lean methodologies to Six Sigma principles, each card is crafted to deliver actionable insights and practical strategies that can be implemented immediately.

Equip your team with the skills to enhance operational quality and business efficiency.

Our card decks are designed to foster a culture of excellence, where high standards are consistently met, and continuous improvement is a shared objective.

By integrating these practices into your daily operations, you can ensure that your business not only meets but exceeds industry benchmarks for quality and efficiency.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Pain Point Power

TRANSFORM CUSTOMER PAINS INTO PROSPERITY

SINGLE DECK

Dive deep into the heart of your customer’s frustrations and challenges with this customer pains deck. Discover tips to address these pain points head-on. Improve customer experiences, attract new customers. Offer solutions that truly resonate with customer needs and desires. Transform dissatisfaction into delight and thrive.

The Pain Point Power tagline, "Transform Customer Pains into Prosperity," succinctly captures the essence of what this deck offers. Through the 48 picture cards, each depicting different customer pains, the Pain Point Power deck provides a comprehensive exploration of the diverse range of challenges that your customers may encounter. These pains are pivotal in shaping customer experiences and perceptions of your brand.

What sets this deck apart is its focus on not just highlighting customer pains but also providing actionable insights into how to address them effectively. Each card offers valuable strategies and ideas on how to harness these pains and turn them into opportunities for growth and prosperity. Whether it's by improving product offerings, enhancing customer service experiences, or refining marketing messaging, this deck equips you with the tools to create more impactful brand experiences for your customers.

Animal Symbolism

ROAR YOUR BRAND’S STORY WITH ANIMAL ALLIES

SINGLE DECK

Communications Expert

WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS AND COMMUNICATIONS FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Communication Expert section of our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

Effective communication is fundamental to any business interaction, and mastering this skill is crucial for professional success.

Our comprehensive communication section delves into all aspects of interpersonal and organisational communication, providing you with the workshops, tools, strategies and tactics to enhance your interaction skills across various scenarios.

This section covers essential topics such as eye contact, Body Language, and Micro-expressions, helping you understand and leverage non-verbal cues to convey confidence and empathy.

We also explore Personality Awareness and Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP), offering strategies to tailor your communication style to different personalities and enhance your persuasive abilities.

Building trust is a cornerstone of effective communication. Our card decks include techniques like Isopraxism and rapport-building, enabling you to create strong, trust-based relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. These skills are vital for fostering a collaborative and supportive business environment.

Additionally, our communication section provides practical guidance on presentation skills, ensuring you can deliver clear, compelling messages to any audience.

We also cover the essentials of crafting effective press releases, helping you communicate your organisation's news and achievements with clarity and impact.

Whether you are looking to improve your daily interactions, enhance your public speaking abilities, or master the art of written communication, our

Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS offer a comprehensive, practical approach to developing your communication skills.

Equip yourself with the expertise needed to excel in any business setting.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Values in Action

THE CORE OF CULTURE, CATALYST FOR GROWTH

SINGLE DECK

Define your organisational values and align your actions with your core beliefs using our Values deck. Build a strong company culture based on integrity, authenticity, and purpose. Inspire trust and loyalty among employees, customers, and stakeholders by staying true to your values and driving positive change in your industry and your community.

The tagline, "The Core of Culture, Catalyst for Growth," perfectly encapsulates the essence of what this deck offers. Through the 48 picture cards, each encapsulating a core value that is internal to your brand, this deck provides a powerful tool for aligning your team around shared principles and driving collective growth. These values serve as the foundation upon which your organisation's culture is built, guiding behaviours and decisions at every level.

What sets this deck apart is its ability to not only identify these core values but also provide actionable insights into how to bring them to life within your organisation. By flipping over each card, leaders gain access to valuable insights into the meaning behind the values, as well as the strengths and challenges associated with selecting a particular values card. Additionally, they will find practical ideas on how to demonstrate these values in action through behaviours that contribute to organisational and business growth.

Emotional Brands

STIR HEARTS, BUILD BETTER BRANDS

SINGLE DECK

Build Emotional Brands by connecting with your customers on a deeper level and arouse brand feelings. Harness the power of emotion to create authentic brand experiences that resonate with hearts and minds. Build trust, loyalty, and advocacy by tapping into the universal language of feelings / emotions and crafting meaningful brand narratives that leave a lasting impression.

The tagline, "Stir Hearts, Build Better Brands," encapsulates the essence of what these cards offer perfectly. Through the 48 picture cards, each depicting a different emotion that individuals may feel when interacting with a brand, this deck provides a comprehensive exploration of the diverse range of human experiences. From the strongest passions to the subtlest nuances, it offers a rich tapestry of emotions that play a crucial role in shaping brand perceptions.

What sets this deck apart is showcasing the various emotions and delving deeper into their meanings, implications, and applications for business growth. Flipping over each card reveals a wealth of information, from the specific words that individuals might use to describe their feelings to the strengths and challenges associated with each emotion from a brand perspective, as well as the inclusion of strategic ideas on how to harness these brand-aroused feelings as growth opportunities. By leveraging the insights provided by this deck, you have the potential to not only strengthen the emotional connections with your audience but also drive tangible business growth. This deeper understanding empowers people like yourself to craft more compelling brand stories, communications, and strategies that resonate with your stakeholders on a profound level.

Thrive Well

TRANSFORM EMPLOYEE PAINS INTO PERFORMANCE

SINGLE DECK

Prioritise empathy in every interaction. Cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, inclusivity, and people wellbeing. Ultimately unlock the full potential of your team. Propel your people and organisation towards sustained growth and excellence. Understand employee pains. Inside find the conversation starter for each pain point along with ideas to connect with and re-engage your talent, helping them to thrive well at work.

Thrive Well deck's tagline, "Notice, Connect, Thrive," perfectly encapsulates the essence of what this deck offers. Through the 48 picture cards, each highlighting different pain points that employees may experience, the Thrive Well deck provides valuable insights into the challenges that can impact team engagement. These pain points are crucial indicators of areas where support and intervention may be needed to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of your team members.

What sets this deck apart is its focus on not only identifying these pain points but also providing actionable strategies for leaders to address them effectively. By flipping over each card, leaders gain access to valuable insights and conversation starters to help them engage one-on-one with their employees. Whether it's through re-engagement conversations, improvement wellbeing ideas, or strategies to help employees reconnect with their team, this deck equips leaders with the tools to foster a supportive and inclusive team culture.

Productivity Expert

WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS AND PRODUCTIVITY FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Productivity Expert section of our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

It is widely recognised that action is the key to success. However, as Pareto's principle illustrates, taking the right actions can yield exponential results.

Our productivity expert section is meticulously crafted to equip you with the essential tools to maximise your productivity and achieve outstanding outcomes.

Our workshop cards provide comprehensive coverage of over 40 of the most effective and proven frameworks, strategies and tactics tailored for business leaders. This includes setting SMART goals to ensure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

The Eisenhower Matrix helps you prioritise tasks based on their urgency and importance, allowing you to focus on what truly matters.

Additionally, our card decks introduce Kanban, a visual workflow management method that enhances efficiency and productivity.

Visualisation techniques are included to help you maintain clarity and focus on your goals. Implementing

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) will align your team’s efforts with the organisation's strategic vision, driving performance and accountability.

Whether you are aiming to enhance your personal productivity or improve your team's efficiency, our

Productivity Section offers an extensive array of tools and techniques. Each card provides practical, actionable insights designed to optimise your time and resources effectively.

Empower yourself with a toolkit of strategies needed to excel in a fast-paced business environment. Our card decks deliver a structured yet flexible approach to productivity, ensuring you can implement these powerful methods seamlessly into your daily routine.

Achieve more with the right actions and drive your success forward with our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Learning Expert

WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS AND LEARNING FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Learning Expert section of our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

Drawing directly from our 2018 book Learning Expert, this section compiles essential notes and insights originally provided to our trainees in preparation for our live training courses.

Learning Expert™ features proven accelerated learning tools and strategies to ensure that your educational efforts are effective and that the knowledge you acquire truly sticks.

This section encompasses a broad range of techniques, from time-honoured methods like mnemonics to modern approaches like micro-learning.

We aim to cover all the bases to help you maximise your learning potential and retention.

Mnemonics, one of the oldest and most effective memory aids, is included alongside Micro-learning, a modern approach focusing on short, focused learning sessions.

Chunking, which involves breaking down information into manageable, digestible pieces, is another of the key techniques covered.

In addition, we delve into critical thinking, enhancing your ability to analyse and evaluate information logically.

Mind Maps, visual tools to organise information and foster better comprehension and recall, are also featured.

We also explore the significance of The Most Important Graph in the World, helping you understand the learning process the human brain uses to remember things.

Each card in this section provides practical, actionable insights to help you integrate these techniques into your learning routine.

Whether you're a student, professional, or lifelong learner, the Learning Expert Section offers a comprehensive guide to mastering effective learning strategies.

Empower yourself with the tools and methods from the Learning Expert Section, to ensure your educational endeavours are both efficient and effective.

Transform your learning experience and achieve success with our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Business Expert

WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS AND BUSINESS FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Business Expert Section of our CARD DECKS.

This section encompasses some of the most crucial, general business skills that are not addressed in our specific modules.

Derived from our comprehensive research, these skills are identified as essential for business owners, managers, and key stakeholders to thrive in today's dynamic environment.

Our curated workshop topics and tactics include the Balanced Scorecard, a strategic planning and management system; Cognitive Bias, understanding and mitigating unconscious errors in decision-making; and Digital Transformation Strategy, the roadmap to integrating digital technology into all business areas.

We also tackle the art of Decision Making, managing Dissatisfied Customers, and the role of Empathy in Business, which fosters better relationships and outcomes.

The section emphasises the importance of an Ethics Check to maintain integrity, making strong First Impressions, and the balance between Hard Skills and Soft Skills.
With the increasing relevance of professional networking, we cover LinkedIn strategies.

We also focus on effective Onboarding Employees and overcoming psychological barriers such as Imposter Syndrome.
Innovative topics like Prompt Engineering and its practical application, Self-Discipline, and Skill Stacking are also included to enhance personal and professional growth.

Storytelling in Business and Stress Management offer insights into maintaining mental well-being and effective communication.

Additionally, we explore the Peter Principle, Wardley Map Creation, and Wardley Mapping to understand organisational dynamics and strategic planning.

Each card is designed to provide actionable insights and practical advice, ensuring you are equipped with the skills necessary for success in the 21st-century business landscape.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Business Strategy Expert

SUCCESS THROUGH PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT - WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS AND BUSINESS FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Business Strategy Expert section of our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS!

This deck is a curated selection of cards drawn from all nine of our specialised decks, inspired by strategies from over 50 of the most impactful business books ever written—and proven in our live training courses and our own business operations.

For example:
• Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People teaches you how to prioritise tasks effectively and focus on what truly matters.

• Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog offers tips to overcome procrastination by tackling your biggest tasks first.

• Simon Sinek’s Start With Why highlights the power of purpose-driven leadership.

• Damon Zahariades’ The Art of Saying No guides you in setting boundaries and regaining control of your time.

Each card distils key strategies from these books into concise insights, spotlighting essential tools and principles—allowing you to benefit without reading every page.

Presented in a microlearning format, each card is designed for quick understanding and immediate application.

Discover proven techniques for leadership, productivity, communication, marketing, and more.

Whether you’re optimising processes, inspiring teams, or making smarter strategic decisions, this deck equips you with actionable wisdom to drive results.

Think of it as your shortcut to mastering principles that have propelled countless businesses to greatness—right at your fingertips!

Explore, learn, and apply strategies that will elevate your expertise and performance, one card at a time.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Selling Like We're Human — Reflection Card Deck

A CARD DECK FOR GENTLE CHANGEMAKERS WHO WANT TO SELL WITH RESONANCE

SINGLE DECK

Selling Like We're Human — Reflection Card Deck

A card deck for gentle changemakers who want to sell with resonance

Discover a new way to approach sales — one that feels aligned, ethical, and true to who you are. The Selling Like We're Human reflection card deck is your soulful companion on the path to marketing and selling with integrity, confidence, and calm. Inspired by Sarah Santacroce’s book Selling Like We’re Human, this deck invites solopreneurs to reconnect with themselves — so they can sell from a place of being, not performing.


What’s Inside

  • 25 reflection cards with powerful, thought-provoking prompts
  • Cards are inspired by the BEING, KNOWING, DOING structure of the Selling Like We're Human book
  • A selection of cards includes audio meditations, guiding you into deeper awareness before or after reflecting
  • Cards help you shift your relationship to sales — moving from fear to flow, pressure to presence, push to partnership

Each card invites you to pause, reflect, and gently challenge old beliefs around selling. Whether you're struggling with visibility, pricing, self-worth, or follow-up, this deck meets you with kindness — and nudges you forward with courage.


How to Use This Deck

There’s no one “right” way to use the deck — follow what feels good:

  • Card of the Day: Draw one card intuitively each morning and reflect or journal on the prompt.
  • Sequential Journey: Move through the cards in order, following the BEING → KNOWING → DOING progression to create a full transformation.
  • Challenge-Based: Choose a card that speaks to a specific challenge in your sales journey (e.g., pricing, rejection, overwhelm).

Works Beautifully With...

This deck can stand on its own — or be used alongside:
- [Selling Like We’re Human book](https://humane.marketing/selling-like-were-human/) — for deeper exploration of each phase
- [Mandalas & Selling adult coloring & journaling book](https://amzn.to/3TKwvDL) — for a right-brain meets left-brain experience
- my Selling Like We're Human meditation playlist on Insight Timer (https://insig.ht/dpJFkKVR4Ub)
You can mix, match, and move between the tools in the way that best supports you.


About the Creator

Sarah Santacroce is a Humane Marketing coach, author of Marketing Like We're Human and Selling Like We're Human, and host of the Humane Marketing podcast. She’s on a mission to revolutionize the way we do business — by bringing more empathy, ethics, and consciousness to the way we market and sell.

She helps quietly rebellious solopreneurs create alignment between who they are and how they show up in the world. Her work blends heart and strategy, soul and structure — always with a generous dose of humanity.


Ready to sell like you’re human again?

Use this deck as a mirror, a meditation, and a meaningful guide. Whether you pull a card once a week or daily, it’s a space to return to yourself — and redefine selling as an act of care and connection.

Let’s sell with soul. One card at a time.

Creator:

Sarah Santacroce

Marketing Expert

WORKSHOPS STRATEGIES TACTICS AND MARKETING FRAMEWORKS

SINGLE DECK

Welcome to the Marketing Expert section of our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS.

Marketing has always been a cornerstone of business success and its importance has only grown with the technological and digital revolutions of the 21st century.
The advent of search engines, video content, and the recent inclusion of

Artificial Intelligence (AI) have profoundly transformed the marketing landscape, setting new standards and creating new opportunities.

Our goal in creating this section was to equip you with the comprehensive tools and knowledge necessary to effectively market your business in today's dynamic environment.

This section features 57 card workshop modules, including nine dedicated to AI, making it one of the most extensive collections of marketing tools, tactics and frameworks available.

Each card is meticulously designed to offer practical insights and strategies, covering a wide range of topics from traditional marketing principles to the latest digital and AI-driven techniques.

Whether you're looking to enhance your SEO, leverage video marketing, tell stories or harness the power of AI for personalised customer engagement, our card decks provide the essential guidance you need.

Stay ahead of the curve with cutting-edge marketing strategies and ensure your business stands out in a crowded marketplace.

Our Essential Business Skills CARD DECKS offer a structured yet flexible approach to mastering marketing, empowering you to drive growth and achieve your business objectives with confidence and precision.

As an added bonus, we have included 41 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help you measure and track your success effectively.

A Practical MBA In Your Pocket.

Creator:

Mike Hardcastle

Superpowers

TRANSFORM STRENGTH POTENTIAL INTO POWER