Jan 27, 2011

Don’t Ignore the Internet

[caption id="attachment_393" align="alignright" width="205" caption="Stay on top of web trends"]

[/caption] Now, more than in previous decades, the speed of technological advancement makes a faster and more expansive impact on our lives. It used to take cutting-edge innovations years to be accessible to the public and thus change how we live. The 3.5-inch floppy disk drive was used until the early half of this decade, even though flash-memory technology was developed in 1998. But now, a single release from a big tech company of a new toy or gadget enters the market and changes our lives in mere months. Take the iPad, for example. Within a few months of its release, it has captured the world’s imagination and changed mobile computing forever. The market is shifting toward online purchases and soft-copy products. Books and newspapers are steadily going electronic. Services are ordered online. Providers for almost anything have websites, and the internet has fostered countless online businesses that lack brick-and-mortar offices. Ecommerce is the new credit card. EBay is on the forefront of virtual financing. It’s more important now than ever to adapt to these changing times. And it could mean the difference between bankruptcy and success. Opportunities Whether it’s an online ordering system or a marketing drive through social network channels, the internet provides a wide variety of services that can increase your business activity. If, for example, you have a small farm and sell homegrown produce in your front yard, a simple post or profile on Facebook can let your neighbors know what you're selling. Take your pool-cleaning or landscaping venture to the next level by taking out ads on popular websites that introduce your company to users in your area. If you are planning to put up a business, you can cut overhead costs by selling online. Stock your wares in your home and display pictures of them on your company website. The internet has changed our daily lives, and it has affected the way we do business on a more fundamental level. If small-business owners neglect that simple fact, they could face severe repercussions.