Let’s face it, 2009 was a difficult year for many businesses. While some did experience profit and growth, for most it has been a year of consolidation and survival. As we move into a New Year and new decade it lends hope that we are leaving the devastation of the recession behind, and according to Jan Hatzius, Chief U.S. Economist at Goldman Sachs, we just may be! He made the recent statement “The recession is most likely over as it appears the economy has stopped shrinking, posting modest growth over the last quarter.”
At the start of every period of growth, experts always identify a series of trends that businesses will move toward. After extensive research I have determined the top two trends that will immediately impact your businesses growth are green practices and digital technology.
Going Green:
Thanks to government incentives and changing public sentiment, clean energy’s popularity has risen to new heights.In 2009 the positive impacts of energy efficiency became a hot topic and awareness about the importance of Going Green spread globally. President Obama’s vision of energy efficiency creating jobs and healing our economy created a stimulus plan that poured billions into renewable energy. Energy efficiency was a central component of every one of the climate bills debated in Congress in 2009.
Not only is the Government allocating huge amounts to the movement, but according to Cleantech Group, an industry research firm, venture capital investment in clean technology–including solar, biofuels, batteries and the smart grid–overtook IT and biotech for the biggest piece of the VC pie. The sector swiped 27 percent of all investment dollars in the third quarter–that’s $1.6 billion!
Green issues will continue to dominate political and business agendas now and in the future; your business can largely benefit from this. I am not suggesting you change your existing infrastructure, or start selling Green products, but by being an environmentally-conscientious business, you will set yourself apart from your competition – people feel better when they can take the “green” option without sacrificing quality and service.
This is not a hard task to undertake. Look for green alternatives in every area of your business: For example, implementing Virtualization into your IT infrastructure will save space and energy. Avoid sending paper invoices through the mail and opt for paperless email, pay all of your bills online to avoid the use of paper, any paper you do use recycle. Businesses that make a genuine commitment to going green often find that the cost savings and personal reward of contributing to the health of our planet are as great as the positive PR their business will receive.
Check out these green trends and boost your bottom line.
*As a side note there are a lot of little things we can do as individuals to lighten our carbon footprint, MSNBC has a great article that provides easy tips to make a difference.
Digital Technology:
I write about the significance of technology in today’s world a lot and the amount of research I do on this subject always has a consistent tone: It is MOST CRUCIAL component of your business! It is important you identify the technology you need to strengthen and grow your business.
The internet is and will continue to provide the biggest opportunities for businesses. No other location or Marketing strategy has ever made it possible for a business to reach so many targeted customers.
If you are or were looking into entering into the Industry, apps are the way to go. More and more people are relying on their mobile devices and the as the web continues to move to wireless, this industry is there for the taking. Innovative ideas that bring technologies together will dominate in 2010. To help with this, Microsoft, Apple and Google have all launched third-party mobile app markets – so there really is money to be made here. You don’t need to be a computer developer to create an app. If you have an innovative idea there are plenty of freelance programmers out there who you can contract to do the work for you. Apps are only one thing to capitalize on out of the many upcoming digital trends.
As the nation fights to pull out of this economic crisis businesses must be prepared to take an objective look at their bottom line. By eliminating unnecessary overhead, companies can concentrate on building and expanding their foundation, placing the emphasis on their core product or service.
A study performed this month by The Yankee Group found that nearly half of small businesses have delayed or canceled IT projects because of economic uncertainty, according to a new study. But at the same time, 23 percent of small businesses received a D or F grade when it comes to their own IT effectiveness.
Kiva (