It doesn't matter what your small business does - even if it supplies goods to a local market, it needs to be online. Any entrepreneur who doesn't understand this is losing out on a huge chance of success. Even if Uncle Fred builds wooden birdhouses to make some extra money after he's retired, get him online, if he can't do it himself.
The stats are mind-boggling and the whole world of marketing is becoming a gentler kinder place, and that revolution has come about because the consumer has said so.
Search engines, blogging and other internet trends have fundamentally changed the way people and businesses purchase products, but most businesses still use outdated and inefficient marketing methods like print advertising, telemarketing and trade shows that people find increasingly intrusive and screen out. Indeed, there was a 46% decline in spending on trade shows in 2009 and the numbers are still in decline.
The use of social media has also helped to turn the marketing world on its head. It's no longer tell then sell, especially via annoying telemarketing. Of those who still own a home telephone 200 million Americans signed up on the national No Call registry, and as one of them, I seriously enjoy threatening to report the odd telemarketer that does get through.
There are 90 million Tweets a day, a massive percentage of which are business related. Seventy-eight percent of mobile phone users send email via their phone and one in five will make a purchase this month via their device.
Nearly 80% of adults use the internet for 3 hours daily or more and most of them are doing product research. Why on earth would any business want to miss out on this bonanza?
This is why entrepreneurs need to have their businesses online, that's where the money is. If you are looking to produce something to sell, there is no other place to research your market - your keywords will be your neon signs.
Many jobs have completely disappeared and will never come back, entrepreneurs are taking their own futures into their own hands and not relying on someone else. Nearly 30 million Americans are working either full or part time online, and any company that wants to stay in business must adapt and be online too.
Did you know that every time the price of gas goes up, online sales go up too? People are no longer voting with their feet, they are voting for better lives with their fingers.
The new business card is Google, and marketing online is a lot easier than you may think - so long as you follow the new ground rules that have been laid down by the consumer. Be helpful, be approachable and offer good service and a good product and he will Tweet about you, blog about your product and 79% of your customers may recommend you to others.
If we add that 70% of traffic brought to websites is organic, i.e. not paid, we have a list of things that cost the entrepreneur absolutely nothing financially, except time.
Over ten billion searches are conducted on Google each month, so this is why all entrepreneurs need to have a presence online.
Jim and J.W. combined their vision for Creating Yourself at the Top, a resource website for emerging entrepreneurs and a portal to communicate with those who wish to work from home.
For more information on becoming a [
http://www.creatingyourselfatthetop.com]young entrepreneur or kick start your [
http://www.creatingyourselfatthetop.com/blog/bid/47051/Home-Business-Trends-Y...]social media presence, visit our website. We'll see you soon!
Article Source: [
http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Entrepreneurs-Need-to-Have-Their-Businesses-Onl...] Why Entrepreneurs Need to Have Their Businesses Online
