Posts Tagged business
SMART Goals: The First Step Toward Success for Your Business
Posted by Stephanie in Business Intelligence on June 10, 2010
One of the first steps for any successful business plan is setting goals. For a truly successful business, those goals must be S.M.A.R.T. This means all goals must be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Especially when you are dealing with abstract concepts like brand awareness or social media, SMART goals help you define exactly what you hope to do so you’re not throwing money at something that isn’t working. It may seem like a lot of work to come up with SMART goals but it will pay off in the long-term success of your business.
Specific
Specific goals go into great detail. What exactly are you trying to achieve? How do you define improving sales? Are you looking to increase online sales, in-store sales, or both? Are you hoping for a certain percentage increase or a specific amount over last month, last quarter, or last year? The more specific your goals are, the easier it will be to assess your goals later on. A vague goal will only raise more questions where a specific goal will show clear-cut success or failure because it is…
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Social media and how it works for your business
Posted by Stephanie in Business Intelligence on May 4, 2010
Social media in its simplest form is any medium which promotes debate, discussion, or the exchange of information within its community. One form of social media is social networking but it’s not limited to the number of friends you have on MySpace. Gathering at the water cooler after lunch is a form of social networking as is attending a chamber luncheon. Social networking has and will always be the lifeline of business. Whether you sell products or services, your bottom line is always directly affected by the number of people you can connect with to make the sale. And you connect with those people through social media.
Social media is constantly changing. With the inception of Web 2.0, businesses and customers can finally cut out the middle man and communicate directly with one another. That doesn’t mean that older forms of social media are obsolete. It means that the way we connect with one another is expanding exponentially. This expansion leads to more and better forms of communication every day. And improved communication leads to a higher bottom line for your business.
So give social networking a try. Sign up for Twitter or Facebook so you connect directly with your customers. If social networking doesn’t sound like your thing, don’t forget there are other forms of social media. Set up a blog to share your knowledge and insights and to build your credibility as a business. Post photos to websites like Flickr or Photobucket to allow your customers a better view of what exactly it is you do. Use websites like Digg or iGoogle to keep up to date and in the know on what your customers are saying.
It doesn’t matter which form of social media you use. The important thing is to embrace these new avenues and to connect with your customers. Don’t shy away from them simply because they’re unfamiliar and not a part of your tried-and-true business model. If you’re not sure which medium is best for you, experiment! Nearly all of these tools could be useful to your business in one way or another. If you’re having trouble, find any one of a number of consultants that can help you navigate the world of social media. No matter how you do it, join in and enjoy the rewards of connecting with your customers.
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