Business New Year’s Resolutions for 2011

The beginning of a New Year is the perfect opportunity to review various aspects of your business or enterprise. Here are just a few that we suggest may be of benefit specifically to 2011.


1. Tidy up your website

Currently only 30% of small businesses have a website – this is a surprisingly small number, as the internet is one of the fastest ways to grow your business outside of its local area. And with one of the most touted predictions for 2011 being that small businesses will concentrate on upgrading and improving their websites, make sure that you get an on-line presence and make sure that you don’t get left behind! Valuable upgrades to your on-line presence will ensure you keep a competitive edge.

2. Focus your social media efforts

Many sites today are littered with an overwhelming number of social media site icons that are often underutilised and are often not of any benefit to the business they are trying to promote. You must be aware that not every type of social media will be of benefit to every type of business. Choose carefully and do not spread yourself too thin. Having just one or two icons on your website to carefully chosen and popular social media sites that you regularly maintain will present a much better image than if you connect yourself with several unmaintained and perhaps even inappropriate sites.

3. Get involved in the smart-phone revolution

Today nearly half of all small businesses that have an online presence use smart-phones and with more money predicted to be invested in smart-phone development and mobile advertising many entrepreneurs are already choosing to tweet on the move, so why not get in on the action?

4. Adopt cloud computing

Without the need to be tied to your desk or computer system, cloud computing has already enabled many businesses and entrepreneurs to work while they are out and about and enable them greater freedom by living and working mostly from web-based or mobile applications. Cloud simplifies business processes such as hosting and collaboration of spreadsheets, forms, presentations and makes online file sharing and collaboration far easier.

5. Keep a close eye on your on-line reputation

Sadly it has come to light that there are some less than reputable online review sites that hold small businesses to ransom over the removal of less than favourable reviews and there have even been occasions when good reviews have been deleted unless merchants pay up. Despite this there are a number of excellent and very reputable review sites, and it is important to check your review regularly, after all even one bad review from a disgruntled customer who has received an experience uncommon to the usual good practice of your company could deter future clients.

6. Use video-marketing

The use of videos on website for marketing has been a growing trend in 2010 and this is set to grow further in the coming year. So don’t get left behind! And the trend in the increased use of smart-phones will only help to bolster the appeal of on-line video advertising.