Are You Ready To Face The Hard Truth?

Affiliate marketing is a great way to start an online business. Many successful online business owners have used affiliate marketing to launch their online businesses. After achieving a certain level of success, they specialize in their interests and start other businesses.

I know of affiliate marketers who have achieved high incomes; however, even though it may be a great way to get started this should not be assumed it is easy.

Affiliate marketing is not easy, although you can find mentors who will help and guide you so you can prevent making the mistakes, which in itself will accelerate your learning curve. However, there is still going to be a learning curve and a lot of work.

One of the biggest misconceptions I believe out there in starting a business online is, ‘people set up and affiliate program or website and then sit back and expect the money to roll in.’

Although to most this seems ludicrous. Yes, you will be correct in thinking that this type of thinking is ludicrous, people are still doing it, and subconsciously this is precisely how they think.

They set up their affiliate program, website or blog, then start doing excellent work. As the results aren’t quick enough, they become distracted by the next big thing or stop believing that this business they have just started will work.

There are good reasons for people to have this behaviour and belief system. The internet business opportunities have taught people for years about money-making opportunities and get rich quick schemes that have littered the internet since time began, (online that is).

The making money online it’s easy, sit back and watch the money roll in, earn millions while sleeping or working ten minutes – all these tag lines.

These taglines are correct, but only after a lot of work has done to set this business up to be at a stage where you will be making money in your sleep, etc.

The reality is, if you want to start a business online, start making money online – you are going to have to put in a lot of work. Yes, you read correctly. You are going to have to put in a lot of work. Let’s face it. You are starting a business. Especially in beginning a business you are going to have to do a lot of work to get it up and running.

There is going to have to be an investment. This investment would either be time, money or a combination of both. Just remember you are starting a business. Starting by not investing a lot of money – you would need to spend a lot of time. The reverse is true. The best option in my experience and from the mentors I follow is a little of both – time and money.

Good mentors will help and guidance along the process, saving a lot of hassle, time and financial waste. However, you will need to be able to find these mentors, that could be difficult enough with every other website promising the world on a push button get rich quick scheme.

I am thankful for being introduced to my mentor and have not looked back. When I met him, he told me I was going to have to do a lot of work. He didn’t shy away from this fact. I will have to put in the time. He also told me very clearly that I will have to invest some money.

After all, I am starting a business, and these are two aspects many don’t mention or want to hear. The result is they get caught out and lose interest or end up losing money, wasting a whole lot of time only to have nothing to show for it. Therefore in the process, their confidence in any future online business in tatters.

So if you can be honest with your self, you admit that you are going to have to put in some real work and invest some money. If you understand this simple point, you already have an advantage over most people who start online.

Surprisingly today, people are still looking for that golden egg or easy money.

No, it is not all doom and gloom. Although I don’t think that what I have just shared is doom and gloom, instead it should be a breath of fresh air and should fill you with excitement as I have just told you that if you are willing to put in the work and invest some money and stick with it, you will be successful.

Now mentors like mine who have genuinely been successful in the area that they teach and have a passion for teaching others are invaluable to people who want to start a business online. You will be able to learn how to do things the right way rather than have to figure it out yourself. They will have developed processes and tools that they pass on to speed up the process and help build, once again, you don’t have to improve. However, more importantly, they will be able to guide and mentor you and invite you into the community they have created where people are helping each other to achieve their online business goals.

Let’s admit it the first time you mentioned that you were starting an online business to your closest and dearest, be honest they were probably not that supportive and filled with excitement. Now that alone is one step closer to defeat for your online business dreams. However, with a ready-made community that are all interested in you succeeding in your online business goals and more often than not can help and guide you along the path to success, continuously encouraging and supporting you.

If you would like to get introduced to my mentor who will tell you like it is, he will show you how to genuinely start and achieve success then click on the link below. I will send you a three-part video training from him that will show you the quality of the mentorship you will get, and it will show you the quality of the training you will get. It will show you the honesty and easy to follow precise instructions.

I highly recommend this great community, combined with the mentoring program. I have personally been trying to achieve success on the internet for many years. I have fallen for probably close to every scam, which eventually crushed my goals of ever having a business online. A guy introduced me to my mentor through this same video training I am offering you right now for free. Have a look and make your mind up. All the best with your online business endeavour, I sincerely hope you can put in the necessary work and achieve the success you desire for yourself and your family.

P.S.

With this mentorship program, you will not get forced into selling their products and services. What I liked most of all is that the strategies they teach they even encourage you to focus on your interests and passions and start your business in those spaces through their mentoring.

Dot.Com or Internet businesses started going main-stream in the early 1990’s and between 1995 and 2000 internet stocks were selling at multiples of their book values. Most of the Dot.Com companies had nothing tangible to justify their Mount Everest-high prices. It didn’t take long before the market started correcting itself and by October 4, 2002 the NASDAQ index had crashed by 76.81%, to 1,139.90, from a peak of 5,084.62 recorded on March 10, 2000..

Since the burst, the Dot.Com business had separated the men from the boys with valuable lesson learnt. Many of the boys went home to their parents to lick their wounds while the men started searching for the keys to online business success. As a matter of fact, no one key to online business success was found as internet business was a brand new territory. So it became a matter of trial and error to find out what worked.

In 2012 Rich Schefren released his much-acclaimed Internet Business Manifesto in which he advised Dot.Com entrepreneurs to approach every aspect of online business, from list building to product development and sales, strategically rather than tactically. He particularly noted that technology is an enabler and the whole focus should be on developing structures and building relationships rather than looking for tactical advantages like trying to outsmart the algorithms.

Since the Dot.Com crash, many online entrepreneurs have figured out what works and what doesn’t and the internet is producing millionaires in record numbers in assorted niches and sub-niches. One of such millionaires is Russell Brunson, the author of three best-selling books: Dot.Com Secrets, Expert Secrets, and Traffic Secrets. These books are definitive guides on what works online. If only to note in passing, as at the 2020, Russell Brunson’s net-worth was estimated at $41m; a figure he built over 15 years.

Scott Cunningham of Social Lite not long ago pointed out that online entrepreneurs go through three phases: the crawl phase, when you’re making less than $100,000 per annum, the walk phase when you’re making between $100,000 to $1m, and the run phase when you’re making over $1m. It is at the crawl phase you need the most learning.

For those of us in the crawl phase, it’s important to note that, just like anything in life, online business has its own guiding principles. Those who succeed in a big way online follow these principles. The opposite is also true for those who fail. As Russell Brunson and other internet business experts would readily advice, do what works. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Here are seven signs you’re not ready for online business success. Not in any particular order, they include:

1. You’re not curious, indeed more often than not you’re skeptical that people like you are building successful online businesses and making money.

2. You’re not paranoid, indeed you believe online business is a passing fad and will soon go away. Andy Grove, Intel’s co-founder, once said, “Only the Paranoid Survive”. The internet is not likely to go away soon.

3. You believe Social Media is a distraction; if you use SM at all, you use it for the “social” aspect. Social media like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are business tools if you know how to use them.

4. You lack production mindset, you rather consume, and if you produce at all, you’re inconsistent. To succeed online, especially if you’re selling digital products, you must be a prolific producer.

5. You wear the toga of expert, always asking, “What can anybody teach me?” As Steve Jobs said in his Stanford’s 2005 Commencement address, “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

6. You focus on the negatives: fraud, complexity, and the technicalities etc., thus convincing yourself “it’s not for me”. The internet has its dark side. It also has its bright side. Embrace the bright side.

7. You live a “satisfied life” believing you’re already successful so “why bother?” This is the attitude of high corporate earners. Why not invest and learn now you’re earning high; sooner or later, you’ll retire.

If you exhibit three or more of the signs I have enumerated above: you lack curiosity, you’re not paranoid about the internet, you hate social media or only use it for play, you rather consume than produce, you consider yourself an expert who knows it all, you only see the dark side of the internet, and you’re too satisfied to bother, the simple interpretation is that you lack online business success mindset.

The signs simply say you’re not ready for online business success. I define online success as someone who makes a minimum of $10,000 monthly online and scaling and investing massively to move from the crawl to the walk stage. My simple advice to you is this: get off your couch, put on your running shoes and start looking for online business influencers to learn how you too can succeed online.

More and more small businesses today are using online business directories to their benefit. If you run a small business, you likely spend a great deal of your time thinking about your marketing plan. online business directories can be a great addition to your current small business marketing strategy. Those sites can help your small business expand its website traffic, increase the likelihood that your website will be found by interested visitors and increase your bottom line. If you haven’t taken a look at those directories and considered how your small business could use them to increase its market presence, then now is the time to start!

What Are Online Business Directories?

There are many different types of online business directories available on the Internet. Each of these sites serves a specific purpose and can be used by your small business in specific ways.

An online business directory is a website submission service that allows your small business’ website to be added to a specific category where it can be searched for by interested visitors. Listing your small business on an online business directory increases your website’s visibility on the web and helps to create inbound links to your business’ website. This places make it easy for people to find what they are looking for. These directories can be accessed from just about anywhere that has an internet connection. This means that people could find your business’ website from their home, office or even while traveling.

Every website that is submitted to an online business directory is placed in a specific category. These categories can range in how they are organized. Some are organized by business-related categories, some are organized according to personal preferences and others are organized by subject. Each category consists of several websites relating to a specific topic. Each website listing features the name of the website, a direct link to the website and a short description of the website. Interested Internet visitors will be able to browse through the various categories in the directory and locate websites like yours that they may be interested in visiting. Essentially, those places make it easier for any visitor to find your business’ website.

How Do Online Business Directories Work?

The concept of online business directories is actually a pretty simple one. These webistes are very similar to the Yellow Pages in the real world, only these listings are only online. (Actually Yellow Pages.com is now one of the largest online directories as well.) A directory is just a listing place for a number of websites. Any type of website could be listed in an online business directory. Some directories are huge and cover every topic that someone could create a website for, while others are very small and specific to a specific niche.

Let’s use an example. Say you are a model airplane enthusiast and you want to find some websites that cater to your specific interest. You could look through a huge online business directory such as Google My Business and find several dozen websites that are related to model airplanes. Or you could look for an online business directory that is niche-specific, which means that the entire online business directory would be based on hobbies such as model airplanes. With a niche-specific directory you may find even more websites that are based on your specific interest than what you could find on the larger directories.

Since online business directories are organized by categories, finding websites that relate to a specific interest such as model airplanes is very easy. You could find information and websites about model airplanes in your local region too, if you use a regional-specific online business directory. So if you live in Phoenix you could find websites that relate to both model airplanes and the Phoenix area. These places will direct you to websites that you want to find. All you have to do is perform a search in the online business directory for a specific topic or browse through the various categories until you find the type of websites you are looking for. When you perform a search you will be given a list of all of the websites that relate to your search term. You will be presented with a number of links to these websites and each link will have a short description of what you are likely to find on the website. You can read the descriptions and choose to click on the website that best suits you.

There are many different types of websites that you could find under a specific topic as well. For example, if you search several of those sites for information relating to model airplanes you may find websites that are about building model airplanes, flying model airplanes, creating historically accurate model planes, tips and instructions about how to fly model planes, websites that sell model airplanes and charters and associations that you could join regarding model airplanes. These are just a few of the examples you could find using an online business directory. There are simply too many topics to list them all here.

You can see how anyone can use an online business directory to find websites relating to things that interest them. As a small business owner you can see how potential customers of yours are using those web sites too. Now that you understand how online business directories work it is time to see how they can work for your business.

How Do Online Business Directories Benefit Small Businesses?

There are many benefits associated with listing your small business in an online business directory. The more directories you can use to list your business the more benefits you will reap. Here are some of the benefits of using online business directories:

Exposure
Exposure is important for all business marketing strategies. After all, the more people who are exposed to your business the more people are likely to utilize your business’ services. If online visitors aren’t able to see your website or even know that it exists, then they probably aren’t going to purchase your products or services. Listing your business’ website in those sites helps your website to gain exposure. Thousands of people use these websites every day to find things they are interested in. These are people who are actively searching for websites that are directly related to your products or services. They are already looking- all you have to do is make it easy for them to find you. These sites will expose your business to more online visitors, which could increase traffic to your website.

Increased Traffic
There are several ways that these directories can help you increase the amount of traffic your website receives. For starters, the more exposure your website has the more people are likely to visit it. But these websites offer more than just exposure from potential viewers. They also offer exposure to the various major search engine crawlers like Google and even YouTube. This increases the chances that your website will appear on major search engine results pages, or SERPs, which will allow more people to see the website when they perform a regular search. Both search engine optimization exposure and exposure to more people who are searching for your website could result in increased traffic to your small business’ website.

Cheap Advertising
As a small business owner you already understand the importance of advertising. You know that it helps customers to find your business and recognize your name and brand. You probably have little room in your budget for more advertising right this moment. That is one of the major benefits of listing your business’ website in an online business directory. Online business directories are inexpensive to join and they offer a lot of exposure for the price. Some of these sites will allow you to list your business for free, while others will charge a minimal fee. Either way, you are getting a lot of exposure for far less money than you would spend on a TV or radio advertisement spot.

Professional Appearance
You want everything about your business to look professional in the eyes of your customers. A professional appearance enhances your status and makes customers more likely to patronize your business. Online directories help you to look like a professional business. When an online consumer sees your business listing in an online business directory, they will consider your business to be an authority on the subject and a professional place to do business. Unlike a search that is performed on a major search engine like Google, where there is little difference between the legitimate websites relating to a topic and the less than useful websites, those places are mostly legitimate websites. Online consumers are more likely to trust what they see on such sites.

SEO Benefits
Online business directories offer several search engine optimization benefits as well. Firstly, these directories offer you more inbound links. When an online visitor sees your website link in an online business directory, they will be able to click on it and be instantly re-directed to your website. This is a great way to increase traffic. It is a great way to improve your status in the eyes of search engine crawlers too. The more backlinks that a search engine crawler can find, the more relevant they will rank your website. This is especially true of authoritative sites. Being linked to a major online business directory, such as Google My Business, will give your website more relevancy in the eyes of Google’s search engine crawlers. This will result in a higher page ranking on the SERP. As you know, a higher search engine result page rank you get, the more people are going to click on your website link.

Increased Revenue
When more people are able to find your website it increases the chances that they will visit your website. When people visit your website they are more likely to purchase your goods or services. This means that these sites can help you increase your revenue stream. Online business directories are good for your bottom line.

Increased Brand Recognition and Customer Interaction
When an online viewer locates your website though an online business directory, they are more likely to remember your business’s name and directly interact with it. Online business directories can help your business stand out to customers as well. Overall, listing your small business in an online business directory will help you to create a more comprehensive and effective online presence.

Listing your small business’ website with several online business directories will help more people find your website, whether they are specifically searching for it or if they are just browsing. In addition to gaining exposure, appearing on those sites will provide major SEO benefits, which will help search engines find your site. Increased exposure and higher search engine rankings will result in more traffic to your website, which will result in higher revenue.

There are many different types of online business directories, from large global directories to small, niche and location-specific ones. Some examples of other types of online directories can include reciprocal link directories, free directories, paid directories, Business 2 Business directories, theme-related directories, small business directories and many, many more.

Why You Should Consider Listing Your Small Business in an Online Directory

Apart from the concept that online business directories will increase the amount of exposure your website gets and help with your SEO strategies, they are also a very effective way to directly target potential customers. Places like those make it easy for online users to find something they want. According to a study performed by Burke, 8 out of 10 people will use a print or online business directory to find companies or products they are looking for. The same study also suggested that 8 out of 10 people who use these directories to locate a business do so with the intent to purchase a product or service from them. This is a very effective form of targeted advertising. The customer already needs or wants your product or service and you can directly target them by listing your website in an online business directory.

Another reason why you should consider listing your small business has to do with your return on investment, or ROI. Since the potential benefits of getting increased website traffic are great compared to how much you will have to spend to list your website in an online business directory, you can see a great return on your investment in the form of increased revenue. You also want to keep your brand and your company name in the minds of consumers at all times, which is something else that an online business directory can help with.

What Online Business Directories Should You Use for Your Small Business?

Even though listing your website in many online business directories will improve your website’s exposure and SEO ranking, it is not effective to just SPAM your website into every single online business directory you can find. You will want to take some time to consider which specific site will give you the best ROI. The best option is to find a great combination of directories to join. If you run a small business, the best place to start may be with a local directory. This is because most people will search for businesses in their area they can patronize. Local market and niche-specific online directories can offer extremely targeted advertisements to potential local customers.

After your business is listed in these directories you can take a look at the larger and potentially more expensive general-interest directories. You will probably want to consider listing with the top 10-15 online business directories, as these will be used by a lot of people and will offer higher relevancy and authority in the eyes of search engines. Google My Business and LinkedIn are large general-interest directories that you will want to list your small business in. If your website sells tangible goods you may also want to consider listing it in comparison shopping websites and product listings directories. Studies show that 42% of consumers will look at a comparison shopping website before they decide to purchase a specific product.

The best way to figure out which specific directories your small business should be listed in is to start with your competitors. Take a look at your local and niche-specific options and figure out if your competition is already listed. If they are you need to be listed too. If they are not listed you may want to list your website as a way to beat them to the punch. In some situations it may not make sense for you to have a listing in a specific online business directory, even if your competitors are listed in it. Your goal should be to be listed in every relevant and niche-specific directory you can find as well as many of the major directories, but no so many directories that you appear SPAMMY.

In addition to listing your business in online business directories, you also need to maintain these listings. It is important for your online business directory listings to be up to date and accurate, or else you could just be wasting your time. If your directory information seems out of date your customers will probably look elsewhere.

It will probably take some time to see the results of listing your small business’ website in so many online sites, but eventually you will see results. The best way to find the perfect combination of online business directory listings for your business is to use some sort of tracking or analytics system. You will want to be able to see how many people clicked on your website links from within the directory and if your website has shown increased traffic since then. You will want to stop wasting your time with online directories that are not producing results and increase the time and effort you spend on sites that are productive.

Best Practices for Listing Your Small Business in Online Business Directories

Now that you understand why your small business should be listed in online business directories and have started locating the directories that you want to be listed in, you are ready to begin creating your business listings for submissions. Here are some tips and best practices for listing your small business in those directories.

Start by choosing local directories and directories that are niche-specific. So if you own a model airplane hobby shop in Phoenix, make sure you find a local Phoenix business directory and a directory that is related to model airplanes. If you can find a model airplane hobby directory for the Phoenix area, you are all set.

Once you’re in local directories, start searching for larger and more generalized directories. Pick directories that get a lot of traffic and that are listed highly on major search engines like Google. A higher search engine ranking means that the directory will be considered as both authoritative and relevant in the eyes of search engines, making any links you get through these directories more valuable to your SEO strategy.

Include all of the relevant information regarding your small business in your website’s directory description. This should include your business’ name, location, telephone number, contact information and possibly reviews, business hours and anything else that is relevant. Add in photos, maps or other interactive features if the directory lets you.

Try to keep your information consistent across all of your online business directory listings. This will help your website to retain its credibility in the eyes of search engines and will assist with your SERP rankings.

Try to make your business stand out by offering an explanation of your business or any specific message the customer should know in your description.

Keep all of your information up to date. This may mean frequently updating all of your listings several times per month.

Allow customers to leave positive reviews and use them in your listing if the directory allows it.

Always be professional and consistent with your business’ listings and message. This includes any information regarding your brand.

If you sell products or services to a local market, make sure your business is listed in a local business directory. Include geo-specific keywords and information. An example would be: “Dave’s Model Plane Shop” + “Phoenix”.

Optimize your website for SEO purposes and include the relevant keywords in your meta titles and listing descriptions. Keyword research is important.
Get Listed in the Top 10-15 Online Business Directories

Now is a great time to get your small business listed in the Top 10-15 sites. There are few other Internet marketing techniques that will offer so many benefits for such a small investment on your part. Listing your business in an online business directory will increase your website’s online presence and help more people find you, which can help you increase your business’s revenue.

Haters will tell you that you can not succeed in this economy. In fact they will encourage you to forget about becoming an entrepreneur.Hold onto your horses readers,, you can succeed in business as long as you know who you are and what you want out of life. Discover the top 10 business tips to help you succeed in business.Top 10 Tips1. Know who you areNo one in the world knows you better than you know yourself. The focus must be on the inside of you, it includes your character, core values, drive, commitment and will. There is no fooling yourself and if you do, shame on you. Knowing yourself means you are willing to do what it takes to succeed.2. Know what you wantKnowing what you want in life, especially as it pertains to business is one of the keys to business success. This means you are investing your time and energy in something you truly believe in.3. PassionPassion is the driving force and a business success multiplier. Passion equals fire, a spark, wind beneath your wings and gusto. No matter the obstacles that stand before you, where there is a will, there is a way to succeed in business and you are willing to pay the price to reach it.4. FocusIf a person can focus on just one thing, the likelihood of them achieving it is greater. There is no confusion when it comes to focus, tap into yours and watch the results add up.5. Invest in yourselfSet aside monies to cover the expense of a workshop, training, coaching, live seminar, teleseminar and or mentoring. Your return on investment exponentially increases as a result of acquiring knowledge, learning new techniques or a more efficient system for success.6. Partner with credible business peopleJoint ventures are the rage, find one consistent with your objectives and you will have found a diamond.7. Think bigSmall thoughts will never amount to much. Think outside the box and you will discover something new about yourself and the business you lead.8. Exude confidenceYour abilities count for the majority of your business success. Confidence represents faith in action, get into motion and the results will follow.9. Have big faithShow me a person with no faith and I will show you a funeral. Have faith in your abilities and success will follow.10. Be the bestGiven the fact we all have different gifts, talents and abilities, you can be the best because no one else in the world have your unique skill sets.The top 10 tips you just read represent a good foundation to start with in business. I encourage you to come up with some on your own based on your unique experience.

In this article, I am going to share with you 8 awesome things you can do to grow your online business and attract new customers, in no particular order.Improve your Online Business Tip #1 – Update your homepageLet’s kick off with the humble homepage of your website, look at it as the front display window in which your customers look through before entering your website properly (clicking through). Put yourself into the shoes of a first time visitor, better still if possible get someone else to visit the homepage of your website and provide you with some feedback.If you can’t get anyone to assist you, do it yourself. From a customer’s stand point ask yourself few questions.

What’s the first thing you notice immediately upon arriving to your homepage?

Can you immediately tell what the website is about?

Is it relatively easy to navigate around the site and find your products within a few clicks?

Where can you make improvements?
If any of the above questions requires you to start acting upon, make sure you make it your first priority to take action and start making improvements. Don’t wait till tomorrow or the next day, go do it now!Improve your Online Business Tip #2 – Showcase your best selling products on your homepageThe homepage of your website will be one of the most viewed pages on your entire site, naturally, so it would make perfect sense, instead of promoting multiple products and confusing the living hell out of your customers, to pick out 2 or 3 of your best selling products and showcasing them on the homepage.Improve your Online Business Tip #3 – Add a blogMore and more online businesses are incorporating / integrating blogs into their website. Blog’s are a great way to add much valuable content for Google to index, and the more valuable content you have on your site, you increase the chances of your prospects finding your products and services through search, but more importantly a blog will help you become more interactive or engaging with your customers, and it’s a great marketing tool to promote your products and services furthermore.Improve your Online Business Tip #4 – Utilize social media to improve customer supportMore and more companies are starting to utilize social media as a platform in which to provide customer support. Creating a business page on Facebook for example could allow you to analyse your customer needs properly and address customer questions, complaints and give a solution.Improve your Online Business Tip #5 – Entice new customers to signupIf you haven’t yet started an email list for your online business then really what are you waiting for? Do you enjoy watching potential sales go down the drain pipe? If you have started then you can start increasing your email opt-ins by experimenting with different placements for your opt-in form, or offering something valuable in return. You can find out more about list building in my eBook -Improve your Online Business Tip #6 – Use video to create product insightVideo marketing is extremely powerful and in online business it can really mean the difference between someone making a purchase and not making a purchase.You could consider creating a product insight video for some of your top selling products or services, and sell on its features and benefits, then embed your video into your product pages on your website. People searching and looking to buy your products can get further reassurance by seeing your products or services ‘working in action’ in your videos and that can go a long way.Also posting your videos on YouTube and applying SEO can also help your customers find your products and services through Google search.Improve your Online Business Tip #7 – Get rid of the fluffIf you’re wondering what I mean by ‘the fluff’ I mean all the distractions that might be losing you sales, so that could mean useless ads and distracting affiliate banners and unnecessary links and other options on your site that take the limelight away from ‘getting your customer to complete a purchase’. Make it clean, precise and laser focused on selling your products to your customers as easy as possible, so get rid of the fluff.Improve your Online Business Tip #8 – Teach yourself something new and valuable about marketingFinally, my last tip for improving your online business and attracting more customers is… Teach yourself something new and valuable about marketing your business to your target audience better. Read books, read blogs, subscribe to magazines, attend small business marketing events, listen to podcasts, enrol in courses. Knowledge is the roadmap to success, so go out and learn something new and valuable.