An Article by Karen Whitman, SPIA Partner: There is definitely a risk to business owners with a “wait and see” attitude. Just to name a few:

Loss of market share
Lost customers
Loss of profitability
Loss of cash flow
Loss of liquidity
Inability to keep up with technology
Loss of productivity
Loss of key employees
Panicked employees
(Worst scenario)—Loss of your business

The greatest risk is the fear induced by the thought of the above happening in your business. This kind of fear can actually paralyze a person’s thinking, and it is the thoughts that control actions. Disabled thinking equals immobility in your business. Even though your business may not be at risk, this thinking makes you feel threatened. It goes back to the old adage, “If you think you can, you will, and if you think you can’t, you don’t!”

In Y2011, we find ourselves striving to take advantage of Social Media Marketing (SMM). Today its all about looking for the “best” marketing strategy to connect with a company’s target audience. So, recognizing this flow of progress, we might ask ourselves, really how much has marketing really changed in the last twenty-five years? From the beginning, the basic objective of every successful marketing strategy has been the same – establish or develop stronger connections or relationships with people.

Whether you have a wonderful business idea – or – you are investigating business opportunities for yourself or a client, it is critical that you put each idea through a “reality check” – an analysis to determine if they are truly valid and worthy of further effort. All of your ideas must have a demonstrated need, ready market, and ability to provide a solid return on investment.

Is the idea feasible in the marketplace? Is there demand? Can it be done? Are you able to pull together the persons and resources to pull it off before the window of opportunity closes? These questions must be considered and answered.

Be honest! Some things never change. A website’s success is all about answering that famous question: What’s in it for me?

In order to capture someone’s attention (and keep it) you have to offer them something they want today!!! And they must feel enough urgency to act on it today.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – what you get out of a Convention or Conference depends on what you actually do with all of that training and the info in that ‘wonderful plastic bag’