That came to me on a train ride into DC a few days ago after listening to another of the great Inbound Marketing classes from Inbound Marketing University.  And that might not be a revelation to you, but it kind of put things in a different perspective for me.  A business is everything that encompasses “the business”.  From your product range or service, to your bank account, your name, the website, the location, etc, etc, etc.

And then on to your marketing plan which today really needs to include social media in some way, shape, or form.  And all of it is what I’m going to start calling “Business Design”.  I’ve been designing and building websites for entrepreneurs and small businesses for quite a few years and what I’m learning and starting to teach others about social media is putting an entirely new spin on my business.

I’ve partnered with two other men to really build this up to a level where we can help people with a range of services.  We’re developing a blue print that will help us guide new clients from bare-bones, I’ve got nothing prepared, to an up and running site with a WordPress blog, a Twitter account, a Facebook page, and a well thought-out game plan for implementing it all.  And that’s not it entirely, but that’s the core, and we’re getting interest in quite a few arenas so it’s gratifying to see that what we’re building is resonating with others.

So, back to our equation again – Social Media = Business Design.  Social Media is a tiger with a long tail.  The implications and importance of learning how to tame that beast and make it work for you can’t be over-stated.  If you’re just beginning to build a business, roll your sleeves up and dig in with both hands.  Craft your business around a well conceived Social Media plan and stick with it – don’t give up.  Design your business with Social Media.

If you’ve been in business for a while and are ready to take it to the next level, roll your sleeves up and dig in with both hands.  Weave it into your existing marketing plans to supplement and strengthen what you’ve already got in place.  Design your business with Social Media.  And for you especially, keep metrics.  Test against your numbers from the traditional media efforts and see how things stack up.  It’s my guess that once you settle into a good Social Media flow, you’ll start to see things happening quicker.

Most of all – for either group, newbies and wizened business pros – engage, start dialogues, and build trust.  This is the new key to long lasting success.

See you soon,

Jeff