A recent research report which was aimed at determining the state of small business website and online advertising spending points out…

America’s 14.6 million small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) were responsible for more than $6.7 billion in locally generated, locally targeted interactive advertising in 2008 – more than half of the US total, according to a recently released report from Borrell Associates, which predicts these numbers will grow significantly as activities continue to shift online.

Here is the kicker, many Marketers don’t understand about small businesses though. The report also indicated more than two-thirds…

STRATEGY ONE – Strategy is King…Status Quo is Dead!

Of all the things that entrepreneurs and small business owners fail to do, one of the most serious is strategic marketing planning. Strategic marketing planning in today’s marketplace IS the most important thing you should do. A Strategic Marketing Plan is a management tool that determines which steps to follow, and the methodologies and times to reach certain objectives. Gone are the days where marketing planning is an isolated activity! It has to be perfectly linked to the rest of the business functions (First contacts, billing, assistants/virtual, production, personnel, etc.)

STRATEGY…

Lately I have been hearing all over the web ‘marketing is conversation‘ and you better be on board with social media or you are not marketing.

I say that’s hog wash (I get it! Like pigs wash!).

I am not going to be arrogant enough to say I have the total explanation of what marketing means or what it is because I believe it encompasses really everything you do in your business.

But I will say I know it is about a whole lot more than conversation. No doubt, conversation is one of the “tools’ or methods we can use…

Because understanding what is going on with people and technology is critical for any business strategy today, I would like to share some information that reveals theory on where the web (3.0 & 4.0) is going and why that is important to consider.

The truth is we (people, your customer) are the web and we always have been! But technology has empowered us to connect with one another like never before…and this is just the beginning.

Here is a informative map on the convergence of technology and social connections…

Today I came across a tweet on Twitter providing a link to a YouTube video titled Bank of America Walkout. WOW! is all I can say.

This is consumer power using social media to the 10th power!!! I predict this video will spread like wildfire and I also believe many  B of A customers will join in on this move.

This is a perfect example of what I have been saying for awhile now…this is the Age of the Super Consumer. Businesses both large and small have nowhere to hide anymore when it comes to their…