It seems like every week I learn about some new online tool that can automate some part of my business, enhance my marketing, make research easier or help me reach more of my target market.

It’s truly amazing what’s out there, and how many small and solo business owners have no idea that these tools exist. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day operation of our businesses and put research, strategy and systems development on the “I’ll get around to it next week” list.

Well here are a few tools that are worth checking out now. See how you can put them to work for you right away. All are either free or low cost.

Keyword research: My favorite tool is NichebotClassic. Open an account and keep your best keywords in an “account basket”. Keyword research is crucial for every business. You need to know what keyword phrases are the right ones for each web page, online article or blog post, and what your potential clients are searching for on the web, which will help you develop and position new products.

Tele-classes: Book a teleconference line for free at FreeConference for up to 150 attendees. Tele-classes are a great way to connect and share information with prospects and clients anywhere. There are many ways you can use tele-conferences to grow your business.

Automated phone calls: Use an customized automated voice message to alert customers of special events and offers or to invite them to an event. Even set up a virtual receptionist at VoiceShot.

Social Bookmarking: make bookmarking your web pages and blog to social bookmarking sites much easier and less time consuming at SocialMarker. It’s free.

Video submissions: Submit your video to multiple video sites all at once and be able to track how many viewer you get on multiple sites at TubeMogul.

Search Engine Optimization: Want free traffic from the search engines? Here’s a free tool that will help you see how you can improve the SEO on you web pages- SEOQuake.

Track your online reputation-this is great if you want to monitor what people are saying about you and your business. TrackUR

Check your website traffic ranking: Alexa. At the top, click on Traffic Rankings and enter your URL in the search box. Your Alexa ranking tells other business and potential clients how busy and popular your website is.

Get your website graded compared to others, and learn how to improve your website at WebsiteGrader. This tool doesn’t always work properly, buy hey, it’s free.

See how your website looks in different browsers with BrowserShots. You may find that your web pages look great in Internet Explorer, but not so great in Firefox, for example. It’s important that they look great in all major browsers so that you don’t loose visitors. This is also a free tool.

Just a few cool tools. I’ve got many more I’ll share with you in the future. Do you know of a cool tool? Please include it with your comment or join my free marketing forum at:

http://greatmarketingideas.ning.com/  and share it there.

> Add to Onlywire

The small, solo and micro businesses that jump on these trends quickly will have a real edge over the majority and will create an 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 Maximize Your Website Now

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?

Janis

There’s a new phenomena called “social network marketing” which should become a part of your online marketing strategy. Some web experts are saying it could become more important than search engine optimization in driving traffic to your small business website.

What exactly is it and how can you get in on the trend?

I’m sure you’ve heard of MySpace.com. If you don’t have a page on My Space, your kids do. My Space was the first in a series of websites where people go to network online, to share information, links, music, great resources and all sorts of things. Many of these social networking sites get millions–yes that’s millions–of hits each day. Anywhere millions go, marketers and businesses follow.

Just imagine the power of posting your information, website, blog, press releases etc. on these sites! The search engines love them and crawl them often, because they contain tons of fresh updated content. In addition you’re creating links back to your website or blog.

Besides social networking sites, there are social bookmarking sites, where people save their favorite webpages. These sites act like a revved up “My Favorites” file where you can save, store and organize your personal bookmarks. The catch is that they keep track of how many other people have saved each webpage. Bookmarking your webpages and blog posts on these sites, you’re sharing them with millions of others who are doing the same. Make sure to open an account and bookmark your web pages and blog. Ask others to do the same.

Here’s my favorite?social bookmarking site:

http://del.icio.us

Then there are social news sharing sites, where you can post press releases or relevant information about your business and direct people to your webpages. Every time you post to your blog, or write an article, you can post direct links to this fresh content on these sites, where millions of others can read them.

Social newsharing sites:

http://digg.com

http://reddit.com

http://newsvine.com

Finally, here’s a site where you can share your interests, passions, and business expertise by setting up a “lens”, which is kind of a cross between a profile and a blog. You can also start a group for your inductry and invite others to join. Some groups have over 10,000 members. Everyone who sees your lens or group will learn about you and your business and can click through to your website or blog.

http://squidoo.com

Here’s my lens:

http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/workshop/smallbusiness-bigresults

You’re also invited to join my group:

http://www.squidoo.com/groups/smallbusiness-entrepreneurs?

To be honest I haven’t done as much with my lens as I hope to do, but do check it out.

No matter what business you’re in, pay attention to this trend. It’s growing and provides a way to get free publicity for your business and can drive quite a bit of new targeted traffic to your website.

So what can you accomplish by using social marketing:

- More targeted traffic to your blog and webpages, which can result in more subscribers, leads and customers

- More links to your website

- Improve your search engine rankings

Remember that your goal is to get website or blog visitors to take action–sign up for your newsletter and become a client. So always direct visitors to a place where they are driven to take action. So use social marketing with a specific strategy in mind.

As always, I welcome your comments or experiences.

Janis
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