Over the last few years the way we view and search out products, services, access information and communicate over the internet has changed our lives.

just as business owners and consumers begin to grasp new technology tools and understand the importance of social media,  businesses are forgetting the the business basics, adding new web technologies that seem even more sizzle than managing current opportunities.

As a business owner, web developer and technology consultant, over the last 20 years I have seen the business learning curves vs. business implementation, and consumers trends change.  Its a very challenging time for Business owners; experiencing the feeling of being left behind or losing the business they have built for years to companies that are leveraging web technologies, decrease lead generation expenses and improving customer loyalty using the web.

The younger generations and consumers appear to adopt new technologies much quicker than older business and owners.  From my experience, all business owners are required to focus on building, maintaining and running their business, generating revenues, managing employee expectations, prospecting for new business, while trying to nurture and support current clients and dealing with venders.  It does not matter if you are a one man business or have hundreds of employees the challenges are very much the same on line or offline.  Those that are using the web technologies properly are winning.

Online technology tools are built for the purpose to improve business processes, communicate and grow a business, Right?  When does a business owner have the time, they don’t or they just feel like the old way of doing business still works.  

Unfortunately, it will catch up with a business at some point.  Buyers and sellers are using the internet and mobile devices to do business like never before in our life time.  If the business is not applying new web technologies, strategies and solutions, more business owners of all types will see more confusion, frustration and eventually change careers or go out of business.

The web is a business investment, you must have consistent web tools and technologies in place to compete, such as the business website, mobile app and social media.  It’s an investment strategy that should be taken serious, it should be changing, communicating and capturing information.  Your website is not an online business card any longer, It’s the front door of your business, local or global.  Do you have last years newspaper and magazines on the front desk when visitors walk in? Of course not!  It’s time you stepped up and deliver a user experience that your customers expect.  It’s not what you did yesterday, it’s what you are doing differently today and planning for tomorrow that your customers and future clients expects.  Throwing more marketing dollars at online marketing and getting the same results.  This seems to be a common practice for a lot of small business owners.  Where is the strategy, the plan and expectations for dollars spent.

Today, there are millions of business websites that do not work on mobile devices.  Most companies are still using out dated websites built for desk top computers.  With more than 65% of the world on mobile devices how does a business owner expect to capitalize on buyers and seller who use mobile as there primary means of communicating, purchasing, researching products and service.  The world is mobile, are you?

My advise to small – mid size business owners: Find a strategic digital business expert, digital partnership, or technology consultant that has the background, experience, knowledge to get your business from off line to online.  They get you social, they get you productive internally and externally, they integrate web tools, mobile apps, marketing solutions, they get you organized, they help you plan, they get your business mobile.

You do what you do best, run your business, don’t try to be a technology expert, don’t hire a friend, a brother, or a kid that knows how to build a website.  Hire a digital technology consultant an expert or digital consulting company to define, manage and execute your web business.  Have them manage the all the technical web tasks and report to you.  Start somewhere, find a budget that works for you and build on success together.  This is a long term strategy, time goes quickly.  Don’t get left behind.

Again, hire experience, subcontract or delegate one company or one person to map out a digital or mobile strategy and let them mange those ten things for web …  it will save your business from failure and save your business time and money and a whole lot of sleepless nights.

Remember to ask the right questions when hiring, just because they sound great and talk tech, ask your self do they have they experienced running a business, or used the tools they are offering. 

If you don’t know the questions use google to search for answers.  The amount of information available online today is staggering.  I only wish it were available years ago.

Coleman Smith, 

Author, Business Owner, Technology Consultant