Strategy + Solutions

The Google Vs. Wikipedia Throwdown!

According to this article from the Times Online we are going to see an epic battle between google's (knol) and wikipedia.  It should be an interesting strategic battle.  Google is the business authority on go to market strategy and has been a tour de force and master at creating enduring technology tools for the masses.  It wouldn't be surprising to see them dominate yet another aspect of search given their brand power and domination of all things net.

"Software is Strategic. Software is Business"

If you haven't had a chance to read the book "Three Billion New Capitalists" by Clyde Prestowitz and you are a small or medium business executive or a strategist you must read it now.  The title quote is from the book and more specifically Chapter 5 "Serviced in India" and helps explain how India's dominance in IT outsourcing came about in 1965 when America decided to stop supplying India with critical electronics equipment during its war with U.S. ally Pakistan.  The whole book is a strategy gem and truly provides a strategic view of the paradigm shift that's been in the making for many years now but some small and medium businesses have not come to terms with yet.  What is your SMB strategy to tap into the "Chindia" market? 

Business Travel

If you travel for your business consider using Jetnumbers, GoToMyPC and Airset. 

Jetnumbers will provide you with a virtual phone number in many countries so that your clients and providers can reach you anywhere in the world.

GoToMyPC's technology can help you with business travel since it enables you to access your office-based computers on the road just in case you are tired of carrying that laptop around the world. 

Airset can help you out with that all important challenge of keeping organized at home or on the road via PC, web or mobile device.

Social Shopping

Online marketing has always been a mecca for the small business owner with a limited marketing budget.  This form of marketing was preferred but marketers with big budgets have priced many small businesses out of the market. 

However, a new game is in town called "social shopping."  According to Inc. Magazine, this new alternative "combines elements of yesterday's killer app, the search engine, with the best parts of today's, social networking. 

Known as "social shopping" sites, these services combine the networking power of MySpace with the data-crunching muscle of Google, and in the process bring a little more humanity to the act of shopping online." 

Take a look at some of these "social shopping" sites and see if this form of marketing technology can bring you more business: Crowdstorm, Kaboodle, Stylehive, and ThisNext. 

If you have used any of these sites please provide your feedback and strategies to successfully use these new tools.