10 Hot Small Business Trends
10 Hot Small Business Trends
1. Creating an interactive experience with your website
You need to find a way to engage and interact with website visitors. You can do this by creating videos, audios, compelling blogs or forums or adding free widgets or resources. Video is definitely exploded as the preferred interactive media. Download a free version of CamStudio, or purchase a webcam with microphone and you're in business. Upload your video to YouTube and post the link on your webpage.
2. Social network marketing or media
Write articles and submit to article directories, leave comments on relevant blogs and popular forums, create a lens and join groups at Squidoo.com. Post press releases on free online press release sites, start a Facebook page, ask others to bookmark your webpages on sites like del.icio.us. Place a profile and build a network on LinkedIn.com. That's not even scratching the surface. You can build a huge network and drive massive traffic to your website through social network marketing or Web 2.0. No business can ignore this, even if you're primarily local. If you want to learn how to use Web 2.0 to drive traffic to your website, go to www.MaximizeYourWebsiteNow.com.
3. Customer power
Involve your customers in an interactive way to help you decide what your next product or service will be. Give them choices. The internet has shifted power to the consumer and you want to be on the bandwagon. Ask people to sign up for your e-mail list so you can ask their opinion through surveys.
4. Focus more of your marketing budget online
Spend less in places like the Yellow Pages or local newspapers
5. Hip design.
Design is hot right now in all areas or product creation. Look at Target. It's also hot online. Look at all the design options available at MySpace. Update your graphic look or website design to show that you're not stuck in the 90's.
6. Nuggetize.
We are all suffering from shorter attention spans-a kind of mild ADHD-due to being bombarded daily with more information than we can process. Develop a talent for breaking information down into specific important nuggets if you want to be noticed. You can do this when writing e-mails or articles, webpages or marketing materials. It's especially important when you write a subject line or headline. If you create information products, focus on one specific topic, rather than taking a general approach.
7. Go green.
It's no longer optional and everyone is doing it, even Walmart! See where you can use green practices in your business, even it's just using energy efficient bulbs or doing a better job of recycling. Donate to green causes. Use green materials. Let your clients know about your green practices in your marketing materials and on your website.
8. Think global.
If you have special knowledge to share, and almost every business owner does, think of packaging it as an e-product that can be sold to thousands of people who would love to know what you know. You can sell your knowledge globally rather than just sharing it with a few hundred people locally. Info products are bigger than ever, with an ever-growing global market of English-speaking business people clamoring for knowledge.
9. Update and increase your use of technology and automation.
If you're still using outdated technology or little at all, you're going to left behind if you don't "bite the bullet" and update. Learn to maximize the use of database software, e-mail, e-fax, and bookkeeping software. Learn to make regular updates to your website yourself and to use an autoresponder to keep in touch with clients by e-mail. Learn to make videos and upload them and digital photos to the web. Maybe you need a PDA or scheduling software. Many professions have software that's been customized to help you streamline your business. Think of the most time consuming tasks in your business and do some research to see if there is a technology solution that could automate some processes.
10. Strategic alliances and joint ventures
This is huge. There are other successful business owners who have already spent time, money and effort acquiring the clients you want. If you have a product or knowledge that they don't, but which would benefit their clients or subscribers, you can set up a partnership with them to endorse your product for a percentage of sales. You can do the same for others who have products your clients would buy but that you don't offer. This is a topic worth exploring because 20% of revenues from the top 2000 European and US companies come from strategic alliances and joint ventures. This is a secret success tool for small businesses that can double or triple your sales.
How can your business cash in by following these trends?
10 Hot Small Business Trends - To learn more about this author, visit Janis Pettit's Website.
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The small, solo and micro businesses that jump on these trends quickly will have a real edge over the majority and will create a bigger opportunity for success this year. Look at each of these trends and brainstorm how you could integrate them into your business.
1. Creating an interactive experience with your website
You need to find a way to engage and interact with website visitors. You can do this by creating videos, audios, compelling blogs or forums or adding free widgets or resources. Video is definitely exploded as the preferred interactive media. Download a free version of CamStudio, or purchase a webcam with microphone and you're in business. Upload your video to YouTube and post the link on your webpage.
2. Social network marketing or media
Write articles and submit to article directories, leave comments on relevant blogs and popular forums, create a lens and join groups at Squidoo.com. Post press releases on free online press release sites, start a Facebook page, ask others to bookmark your webpages on sites like del.icio.us. Place a profile and build a network on LinkedIn.com. That's not even scratching the surface. You can build a huge network and drive massive traffic to your website through social network marketing or Web 2.0. No business can ignore this, even if you're primarily local. If you want to learn how to use Web 2.0 to drive traffic to your website, go to www.MaximizeYourWebsiteNow.com.
3. Customer power
Involve your customers in an interactive way to help you decide what your next product or service will be. Give them choices. The internet has shifted power to the consumer and you want to be on the bandwagon. Ask people to sign up for your e-mail list so you can ask their opinion through surveys.
4. Focus more of your marketing budget online
Spend less in places like the Yellow Pages or local newspapers
5. Hip design.
Design is hot right now in all areas or product creation. Look at Target. It's also hot online. Look at all the design options available at MySpace. Update your graphic look or website design to show that you're not stuck in the 90's.
6. Nuggetize.
We are all suffering from shorter attention spans-a kind of mild ADHD-due to being bombarded daily with more information than we can process. Develop a talent for breaking information down into specific important nuggets if you want to be noticed. You can do this when writing e-mails or articles, webpages or marketing materials. It's especially important when you write a subject line or headline. If you create information products, focus on one specific topic, rather than taking a general approach.
7. Go green.
It's no longer optional and everyone is doing it, even Walmart! See where you can use green practices in your business, even it's just using energy efficient bulbs or doing a better job of recycling. Donate to green causes. Use green materials. Let your clients know about your green practices in your marketing materials and on your website.
8. Think global.
If you have special knowledge to share, and almost every business owner does, think of packaging it as an e-product that can be sold to thousands of people who would love to know what you know. You can sell your knowledge globally rather than just sharing it with a few hundred people locally. Info products are bigger than ever, with an ever-growing global market of English-speaking business people clamoring for knowledge.
9. Update and increase your use of technology and automation.
If you're still using outdated technology or little at all, you're going to left behind if you don't "bite the bullet" and update. Learn to maximize the use of database software, e-mail, e-fax, and bookkeeping software. Learn to make regular updates to your website yourself and to use an autoresponder to keep in touch with clients by e-mail. Learn to make videos and upload them and digital photos to the web. Maybe you need a PDA or scheduling software. Many professions have software that's been customized to help you streamline your business. Think of the most time consuming tasks in your business and do some research to see if there is a technology solution that could automate some processes.
10. Strategic alliances and joint ventures
This is huge. There are other successful business owners who have already spent time, money and effort acquiring the clients you want. If you have a product or knowledge that they don't, but which would benefit their clients or subscribers, you can set up a partnership with them to endorse your product for a percentage of sales. You can do the same for others who have products your clients would buy but that you don't offer. This is a topic worth exploring because 20% of revenues from the top 2000 European and US companies come from strategic alliances and joint ventures. This is a secret success tool for small businesses that can double or triple your sales.
How can your business cash in by following these trends?
10 Hot Small Business Trends - To learn more about this author, visit Janis Pettit's Website.
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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