Internet futures

     Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
     with examples from small businesses.

     So, how does a small business exploit the possibilities offered by the Internet? Well, it depends.

     It depends on what you are doing. It depends on where you plan to take your business in the future. It depends....
     You can do exactly what you are doing, put up a website, and revise it from time to time. That's one way.
     You can use social media to spread the word, drive people to your website, grow and expand. That's another way.
     There is a third way which combines all of this. Jump onto the Internet and change your business into more than you dreamed it could be. 

     Example: Martha loved to bake brownies. She experimented with different recipes, she baked for friends and relatives, she gave them away to church functions, she even landed a couple of customers--corporate meeting planners. One of the meeting planners suggested that Martha develop a website that they could place orders through. Martha jumped onto the Internet with her own website, and she put up a Facebook page with pictures of brownies. Suddenly her business exploded. Today, Martha oversees the baking of her brownies in a commercial kitchen and ships her brownies all over the country.

     Example: Justin worked in the accounting department of a major corporation. When he suddenly inherited his aunt's consignment shop, he decided to make a major move. His aunt had a good eye for design and a good ear for the marketplace--the stock in her shop was in good condition and appealed to a high end collectibles market. Justin quit his corporate job and turned the consignment shop into an "eBay" type store. He sold items from the store as well as on eBay and other sites. Justin used Facebook to drive interest. Turnover was quicker and the store attracted a lot of attention not otherwise possible.

     The Internet holds futures not yet dreamed of by the small businesses of today. Put on your thinking cap and hop in. The water's fine. 

     Other examples of small businesses being transformed by the Internet are scattered throughout these write-ups. Eventually, your small business will be caught up in the transformation--whether you ride the wave or just let it wash over you.