Do you ever feel like you have your head buried down into your daily life—running your business, taking care of your family, and tending to other responsibilities—that you have no idea what is going on in the “real” world. Well, that might not be what’s best for your business—it actually pays to know what is going on in your market, the community, and the world at large.
It really does behoove you to know what is going on around you—not just in terms of market trends and technology—but in terms of what businesses are opening up, who is going out of business, what new products and services are coming on the market in your area—as well as which ones seem to have lost the favor or interest of customers. Knowing how money is being spent in your town or community—who is spending it, what projects are being built, if any special attractions are coming to town, and all those things that seem to make up ordinary “community” news—can all pay off in helping you do a better job of running your home-based business. It may seem easier to get our news off the internet, and while this can give us a good global picture of what is going on, we still need to know what is going on under our noses too.
Change happens, and you may have learned by now that a successful business is all about riding the waves of change. But, how can you ride the waves of change if you do not even know what is going on? Read the business section of your local or regional newspaper, keep up with current events, foster and interest in what is going on around you (I am not just talking neighborhood gossip here!) and you will be better prepared to make decisions that could alter the course of your home-based business—for the better!
Also: How Can You Make Your Business More Visible?
Your Target Market Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum