| In the 21st century the Internet is no longer a separate | | | | Twitter may seem a little silly to you at first but it can |
| and alien piece of technology, it is an integral part of | | | | actually be a powerful way to draw visitors to your |
| any business, no matter the niche. The opportunities | | | | website as well as share information about your |
| that the web offers the startup business owner are | | | | company to a vast number of people. The same holds |
| tremendous, as long as you know how to make the | | | | true for blogging, forum commenting and social |
| most of them. Here are just a few of the ways any | | | | bookmarking. |
| start up business owner can leverage the power of | | | | Research the Competition - Thanks to the Internet and |
| the Internet in their favor: | | | | all its associated tools, it is easier than ever before to |
| Build an interactive website - Build up a great mailing list | | | | keep an eye on - and ahead of - your competitors. |
| - and relationships with your customers - by adding a | | | | Most of the information you need can be found free |
| little interaction to your website. Surveys, guest books, | | | | or at a very low cost on the internet, as is much of |
| free reports and newsletters all do very well. If the | | | | what you will need to learn about your target audience |
| majority of your business is conducted offline (you are | | | | and to do that all important research into the market |
| running a restaurant for example) your website is still a | | | | you are entering. |
| great marketing tool. Put an online only coupon on your | | | | Save some Money - Order office supplies online and |
| site and you may be surprised how many more diners | | | | save time and gas on a trip across town to the office |
| come walking through your doors. | | | | superstore. Send email invoices instead of paper ones. |
| Learn SEO 101 - No one is suggesting that you get a | | | | Hire a virtual assistant to take some of your more |
| degree in internet marketing but at least become | | | | mundane but have to be done tasks off your hands |
| familiar with some of the better SEO (search engine | | | | for the fraction of the cost of a "real" employee. |
| optimization) techniques and then actually use them. | | | | |