 |
When you run your own business, it’s important to stay on top of industry news and trends. However, it’s also important to keep abreast of what’s going on in the rest of the world. You never know when you can incorporate events and timely news into your small business marketing campaigns, or simply adjust your marketing strategy according to new trends.
These four Web tools will help you stay informed on a variety of areas and subjects including national and world news, general knowledge, marketing and industry trends.
The Daily Beast
I have to admit I am a bit of a news junkie, and I’ve recently discovered the Daily Beast. This Web resource offers the latest news in a great easy-to-navigate layout. The thing I like about it is that the major headline stories rotate right at the top on the left-hand side, and I can get additional information on them as I want.
The other section I like — located smack in the middle of the page — is the Cheat Sheet. This section offers even more headlines of the day, and it covers important information that you might find helpful in general or even in your business. So right on the front page you’ll find a plethora of good stuff you can access easily without a lot of clicking around or having to search for it.
It looks like great news coverage to me; I’m pretty impressed. At the very top of the home page, you’ll find the news divided up into various sections — politics, entertainment, book reviews, fashion, innovation — whatever you want it looks like it’s here.
If you like to follow what’s going on in business across the country and around the world, check out the Business section. Currently, you’ll find a number of stories on the stock market slump, the U.S. debt downgrade — lots of great stuff here. Or if you want to take a break from economic concerns, check out the Entertainment section for the latest news on celebrities — wardrobe malfunctions or Desperate Housewives, anyone?
Wherever your news interests lie, you may want to go over and take a look at the Daily Beast.
Free Video Lectures
Free Video Lectures provides, free of charge, lectures and presentations on topics ranging from Anatomy, Astronomy and Aerospace to Web Design coming from top universities like University of California at Berkley and Stanford.
IM NewsWatch
IM NewsWatch is a Web site that displays a constantly updated stream of Internet Marketing related news. It’s one of the few places where you don’t get a lot of opinion or specific endorsements, just the facts about what’s newly available.
If you get bombarded with IM related offers in your email inbox, you might like to unsubscribe and use IMNewsWatch as your browser homepage.
TrendWatching
Regardless of what business you’re in, it’s vital to keep up-to-date with industry trends. One of the sites I use to do that is called TrendWatching. They release monthly reports about consumer trends and they’re all very well researched. They’re well-presented, and they’re easy to read.
Currently, you’ll find an executive summary briefing of the major trends that merit attention thus far in 2011. So check out this resource from time to time. You’ll find all kinds of useful ideas there for any business.
You
’
ll find lots more
small business marketingtips and resources from Andrew Lock in our Small Business In-Depth series,
Lock in Your Marketing Resources.
Andrew Lock is a self-described maverick marketer and the creator and host of Help! My Business Sucks, a free, weekly Web TV show full of practical small business marketing tips, advice and resources to help small businesses “get more done and have more fun.”
Small Business Computing is on Facebook. Join us on Facebook and interact with the site’s editors, post messages, share your small business challenges and successes, discuss technology and suggest topics you’d like covered on Small Business Computing.
| Do you have a comment or question about this article or other small business topics in general? Speak out in the SmallBusinessComputing.com Forums. Join the discussion today! |