Small Business Trends

The new tools of business will change how everyone works. They will change your business too. If you haven’t done any thinking about how new tools are already changing the way your company operates, take a minute. Think of ways these new tools could help your business grow even more today.

Operations

Want to encourage comments on your business blog? Getting comments on your business blog is an important way to build community around your Website and your product. What one simple problem could be stopping you from getting the comments you want on your blog. Correct this problem and you may soon find a radically growing group of commenters with limited danger of spam or inappropriate comments. CleverMarketer.com
Want to better manage your business project on the Web? Writer Thursday Bram gives this overview of a new ticket-based task management system called Fellowstream. The product is currently in beta and is free to use at present. Read the full article for a full review. WebWorkerDaily
Compete on value. Not on price. Business models based on low cost and big savings have dominated past marketers but sales and marketing expert Chris Hamilton insists there is a better way to compete, and that is on overall value of the products and services you offer. Sales Tip A Day

Marketing

Better content is the key to modern business success. If the new business model has to do primarily with distinguishing yourself through content, why not look for content that stands alone. Even in a vast sea of data the size of the Internet, this may not be as difficult as it appears. A few simple tips will get you started. Search Engine Guide
Take part in this analysis of the benefits of social media. What started as an analysis of the effectiveness of social media for some clients has become a larger project collecting feedback for the use of businesses in general. There’s still time to add your input to expand on the findings. Channelship
Print is not dead. In fact, one of the new tools for marketers and small business people of every kind in the new era may be a dressed up version of the same one they used in the last one. Yes, digital online media is here to stay. But if you think traditional print on paper has no role to play in the future, you may be mistaken. Junta42

Content

More about the importance of content to today’s small business. Understanding the ongoing importance of content to your small business in almost any field is critical today. Part of this is not simply a social change in the way business is conducted but rather a function of Internet marketing and the way search engine results have changed the way we look at the market itself. Tweak Your Biz
Better marketing ideas for video. Sure, use of online video itself is a sensational marketing tool. But don’t forget that Search Engine Optimization is just as important for video content as it is for Web copy or Websites in general. Search Engine Optimized video will serve you much better than video content with little thought given to how search engines will react to it. Inc.com

Change

The business of hybrids. Want to know where the newest products and services will come from? John L. Mariotti has one word for you: hybrids. We’ve heard of them in all manner of high tech application. But start thinking about how hybrid products and services could be a part of your business model as well. Open Forum Innovation
The home business revolution is a result of new business tools. They have changed the way we work and where we work. This post gives we humans some clues on how to keep up with that change and stay healthy in the process. JennyHow