Today I came across an informative yet short and sweet article titled, “How Running a Small Business Has Changed,” on AMEX’s Open Forum site. It featured an interview with Jay Goltz, a 33-year veteran small-business owner and New York Times columnist. When asked, “Why is small business different now than ever before?” he answered, referencing today’s challenging economic climate:
“The interesting part about this one is you’ve got a recession and at the very same time you’ve got technological advancements that have changed the business environment. It used to be if the economy went bad, you suffered through it, cut some expenses, and, a year later, things went back to business as usual. Now… the fact is, you need to continue to spend money to stay up with the new technologies in the changing marketplace.”
For SMB’s to stay competitive, or even simply remain in business today, they need to utilize available technologies to streamline processes, uncover new efficiencies, and better connect with consumers whenever and wherever they can.
Some of these technological advances are already being incorporated into traditional media channels such as direct mail and print. Digital variable-data printing and the integration of offline-to-online technologies like QR codes, SMS texting, and PURLS (personalized URLS) allow small business owners to get their message out faster, interact with prospects on a very personal level, and measure the efficacy of campaigns with greater detail than ever before.
The challenge for business owners is not only to understand the various emerging technologies, but also to determine which ones will deliver value and help them achieve their business goals. Taking a look at the wide range of apps, platforms, digital technologies, and integration strategies available today can be overwhelming. It can also open the doors to new opportunities that were previously considered not possible.
It’s an exciting time to be in business.
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To learn how you can integrate new digital technologies with direct mail and print, take a look at these articles:
