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.

There are a few Internet “gurus” who I really respect. They are generous human beings who truly care about offering really valuable information and content that the average business owner can comprehend.

Unfortunately many others are simply in the business of writing compelling sales copy that is crafted to convince you that only they have the new secret e-book or program that will help you skip all the hard work and will take you to thousands of dollars a month in just a few weeks.

Today I read a sales page that put down all the top Internet marketers for smokescreening everyone. Then the sales page went on to promote a program that would make the buyer thousands in the first month through the same old methods like products with re-sell licenses, private label rights products and re-packaging and selling material that is no longer in the public domain.

These marketing pitches can be hypnotic and distracting to anyone hungering for knowledge about marketing online as they try to build their small business. Don’t fall into the trap.  Yes you need to learn the basics of how to market online and which marketing activities are really going to create results in your niche and industry. Then you need to spend your time implementing those marketing activities relentlessly rather than looking for the next idea.

There needs to be a balance between learning, keeping up with trends and working on your business. My suggestion–set aside a small block of time each week to learn and don’t fall prey to following every link that comes through your inbox the rest of the week.

Create an e-mail folder called “check this out” and put all the stuff you want to check out in that folder until the allotted time.

This will save you a ton of time, a lot of frustration and confusion and will open up more time for you to focus on building your business.

> 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

This “12 Days of Christmas” giveaway always amazes me. This was the very first giveaway and each year it gets better. I keep saying I won’t download too many goodies, then I see stuff that I was interested in during the year; stuff that I know can help me in my business or help my clients, and now it’s free.

Here’s a short video that will explain how it all works so you can sign up. If you check back here periodically during the month, I’ll be reviewing  and recommending some of the offerings

Enjoy,
Janis

Click Here To Learn More

Press the Play button twice to begin the video

Click Here To Learn More

I  wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you
being one of my blog readers or subscribers by inviting
you to receive a huge holiday gift that will help you
jumpstart your business in 2008. It’s the biggest,
invitation only business gift giveaway on the internet,
one that started back in 2003.

It’s called “The 12 Days of Christmas” and it’s organized
by a really good guy and personal mentor named Mark Hendricks (you’ve probably heard of him, he’s one of the most successful
 internet marketers in the world).

Do yourself a favor and sign up now, because on December 1st the doors are open. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll get access to all the thousands of dollars worth of gifts available and you can choose the gifts that will be most valuable to your business. These are products that you’d pay plenty for if purchased any other time of year.

Mark looks at each and every gift submission from top business experts, and picks only those that are original and valuable, unlike some similar programs
which offer junk. He looked very carefully at the gifts he asked me to offer to makesure it met his standards! There have been lots of “giveaway copycats” but this is the real thing. I look forward to it each year.

I’ve heard that he’s got something very special going on this year, kind of a new twist that he’s developed — and I’m not allowed to tell you what it is, but let’s just say I think you’ll be blown away at what he’s done again this year for you.

Here’s where you can signup and get on the early announcement list so you can get early first access and first shot at all the goodies:

http://www.smallbusiness-bigresults.com/go.html

I’m already signed up, and can’t wait to see all he’s got lined up for this year’s 12 Days of Christmas!!

My loyal subscribers often e-mail me wanting to know where they can find affordable or fr^ee marketing resources. This is the **only time during the year** when you can grab these products, audios, e-books, memberships and more without paying a penny.

And I’ll be reviewing the offerings and advising you as to which ones I think are the best!

http://www.smallbusiness-bigresults.com/go.html

Your holiday gifts start now!

Janis