Make Resolutions Sticky with New Patterns

If you focus on results (your desired future) – which is what new year’s resolutions are, your conditioned patterns (where you have been) will work against you. Patterns are habits. You have to take notice and change a few of them – and I do mean a few. Starting with ONE may be the best way to move to the next level.

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Small Business Trends for 2011 – Relevance

What is REALLY driving the decisions of your customers? If you think you know, you are probably wrong. Why? It takes years to determine what drives the buying behavior of your best customers.

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Small Business Trends for 2011 – Accessibility

Trends are not predictions. They are what is happening now that merits your attention. If you are a forward thinker, you pay attention to trends because you want to move your business forward. Ask yourself what you want. You want information. You want answers. And the only way to get that is to have access.

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Small Business Trends for 2011

You can see that 2011 will be a year of taking what we learned in 2010 to the next level. As social media goes mainstream, more personalization will be expected. You have to really make that shift in your marketing to something you do WITH your customers. Like it or not, they are your new business partners.

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A Non-Linear Strategy for Enhanced Productivity

Does it make sense to have a linear work strategy in a non-linear world? The problem comes when you have multiple projects running simultaneously. Each one demands your attention – which means none of them receive your best effort.

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Use Your Blog as a Proving Ground

You can (and should) blog to test drive your expertise – what you share with your community. If you aren’t blogging – start. If you are, keep your hands on the wheel and the pedal to the floor and you will drive right past your competitors.

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Your Social Media Structure – Part 3 of 3

Social networking and other communication technologies are giving customers more influence. We are social creatures, and given a choice, we will do business with those individuals and companies that are more engaging, more personal, and therefore, likeable.

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Your Social Media Structure – Part 2 of 3

When you are building a social media structure, you should follow one of the cardinal rules of selling: meet them where they are. Your design process helps you to clearly understand your target audience. Now you just need to learn where they are most likely to hang out so that you know where to build your presence.

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Your Social Media Structure

The process of achieving practical results with social media should be familiar to most entrepreneurs and small business owners: First you design, then you build, and when all of that is in place, you get out there and engage with customers! How can you use social media to build a structure that engages your community with your expertise?

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Your Conditioned Collaboration with Facebook

Facebook’s process is one of asking you open-ended questions that you willingly answer – and then using that information to build categories for enhancing their imminent social search engine. Whether you like it or not, you are a co-conspirator. Just consider how you can use this for the benefit of your small business.

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