2011 has started faster off than the connection speed of Cell C with more than 5 G's of thrust. It is unimaginable that we are already on the runway and not on start anymore. Many businesses have not even slowed down and others that have been closed for the holiday season started off with a bang. It seems that we can expect a better year than the last in spite of the higher fuel prices and other negative influences.

The hype of the soccer world cup is over and with excessive expectations, successes and even disappointments; most people have put 2010 behind and are now realizing that 2011 is a new year with new challenges. It also seems that there are business persons out there that are not waiting for in vain promises, but are shaking their feathers and are starting afresh, positive and with vigor.

Business has always been the same, but the rules are ever changing. There are some corporate businesses that do realize that, but we experience that most private owned or smaller businesses stick to their archaic ideas of managing, marketing and exposure. What worked in the past will not necessarily work in the future.

I still get business that do not have email, send out their accounts by snail mail, do their books by hand and have a cash receipt book on the counter.

Business in all about survival and making money to survive without effort when one is not fit or able to run a business anymore. To survive all businesses need customers. Customers are the equity or cash flow of a business, not its management, shareholders, products or services. Existing clientele is one of a business's biggest assets, but to have those clients return to you is more that giving good service. Many clients have walked over to the opposition that does not even provide "Good Service" or "Superior Products" merely for price, or the spacious premises, or the exiting marketing techniques, or the different advertising methods or placements. There are many reasons that a business loose customers, therefore it is important to be aware of change, market trends and market demands.

The problem is that most businesses start of small and grow over a period. Seeing that the owners normally work in the business themselves, the hardly ever realize that they should work with the business and not in the business. Markets change, consumer demands change, but due to the fact that you are very busy, working with the finances after hours, with suppliers, personnel and clients during the day, doing housekeeping at home in the six hours to you disposal and still trying to catch up some sleep, you never get to training and market changes. Your clients however do.

During the marketing of our latest Business Promoter and other services, we have come across business persons that believe it is not necessary to advertise or do any marketing, seeing that they are too busy, or do not want more business, or cannot provide service should they have more business. It just shows that the prelude to this paragraph is more than very true.

It is vitally important to be seen and to be seen and to be seen. People get used to a business if they are exposed to it on a regular basis. National Department Stores advertise washing powder in a TV ad. The price of the washing powder is normally at cost, how do they pay for this ad? It is all about exposure and branding. You might think that they presented you with a special, yes they might have, but they are making you aware of their existence (brand) by having several products on special for this weekend only. Their ad can appear up to ten times in the advertising breaks.

All businesses cannot afford to advertise on TV because TV is all about repetition and that involves a lot of money. Smaller businesses turn to local advertising, Corporate business also do lately as they realize the value of community advertising. It is very cost effective and more target centred. There are many different advertising platforms out there and it does not mean some of them are "good" or "bad". You just need to decide: Am I going to pay 1000's to be on a front page of a business directory with 10000 A4 copies distributed in the same area once a year, or am I going to spend the same amount to be in 10000 booklets that are being distributed in different areas monthly? Comparing 10000 A4 Copies Annually for R30000-00 to 10 000 A5 Copies x 12 months = 120 000 for R3000-00.

The Business Promoter ® is such a publication that is distributed on a monthly basis in the Garden Route to several businesses, selected post boxes and by hand at selected events. People tend to keep a good quality publication, comparing to pamphlets and newspapers. You have a better chance to be seen and seen again in a publication that is kept.

Seeing that business persons are working in their business and not with their business, they never get to finer facts like these!

In one of my earlier newsletters in this section (see below) I have commented on how the printed media is suffering comparing to the electronic media, but still people jump into any publication that appears.

To be listed on a business directory does not mean much if the directory is not used or active. There are some excellent directories out there www.clickonit.co.za is a community based business network directory that caters to all categories from food to motoring etc. With more that 15000 subscribers, 10000 copies of the Business Promoter in the Garden Route and 25000 unique readers of our online issues, we are ever expanding and delivering solutions for the demands in the market. We realize that the market is ever changing, therefore we turned to mobile - The next-generation consumer is here.

They're socially networked and they're demanding more from the companies they do business with. They expect higher levels of service and enhanced communications provided through more channels. And, perhaps most importantly, they have more outlets for voicing opinions about their experiences than ever before. Engaging in proactive conversations with these consumers to manage and deliver on their expectations will become critical to a company's ability to succeed.

By implementing technology solutions that tap the entire industry enables more effective and proactive customer relations, we are well positioned to:

• Empower the consumer to do business with you, including mobile solutions and marketing
• Embrace social media as a means to build and strengthen buying power and customer relationships
• Capture, manage, and monitor information from interactions across channels and throughout social networks and the blogosphere
• Connect the contact centre to the rest of the organization
• Manage advertising and exposure more efficiently and cost effectively