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I Can See Clearly Now!
by Sophie L. Gibson

Start 2004 right! By using Technology to help you Market and Grow Your Business, 2004 can be a year to rejoice! As the New Year approaches and we continue to fight our way out of the recession, minority business leaders MUST trust more in technology and use it to their advantage to grow their businesses.

After conducting surveys among minority business owners recently for a client, I realized that several of these business owners liked the concept of using technology to market their products and services but had no clue of where to start or what to do. I want to devote this column to some basic concepts that you can use TODAY to jump start the new year!

• Subscibe to at least two business realted magazines (like the Atlanta Tribune) with a focus on the technology industry to keep you abreat of trends and what is working and what is not.
  
  
• Subscibe to weekly and or monthly eNewsletters that keep you up to date with the latest in technology and marketing advancements.
   
  
• You MUST have a web site that's functional and up to date with conatct information and content that your customers understand and can relate to.
  
  
• Make sure you get a professional to help you with registering your web site in search engines. If it's free BEWARE!
  
  
• Customers want your service or product NOW not tomorrow - Integrate a CRM system into your business processes Using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system today is not just for large companies but a MUST even for small companies. The investment is relatively cost effective especially with so many to chose from. A CRM system automates all your key business processes—from lead generation to sale orders, from product shipment to customer service—across your entire company and even with partners. By giving all involved with your business access to a real-time view of all key business metrics that affect them, you put yourself in a better position to make faster decisions in this increasingly competitive business world.