Each day, I try to count my blessing because it is so easy to focus on what is Not Working.

This morning, my thoughts floated towards business. I reflected on some 20 years when I first dove into entrepreneurship, comparing the opportunities available today.

That made me so grateful. I felt, it is such a great time to be alive.

Granted, that there are numerous challenges, the opportunities to make a difference as an individual, are tremendous as well.

To reach a customer then, the options for a small business were limited. You have the phone, fax, flyers and that’s about it.

Today, all kinds of apps, social media, and platforms exists to connect with people, in the palm of your hands.

Getting online

About 9 years ago, I started a side business. Since I really wanted to try marketing online, I put up a website, and wrote a few articles, and later I added a video.

Slightly over a year later, 50% of the revenue came from the website, and customers were contacting me.

I was thrilled! It truly opened my eyes to what was possible. A lot of my friends and colleagues didn’t believe it could work.

It was so much easier compared to offline activities like phone calls, and roadshows.

A surprise

On one occasion, a new customer recognized me at the first appointment although we have not met before. It was because of the 1 minute, rather badly made, video.

Screen grab of badly made video - under lit, shadows, reflection. But it worked.

I was surprised as I have forgotten about it. The server at the time couldn’t really handle too many people watching the video, so the video was buried deeper in the website.

You have to remember, back then, embedding a video is not like what it is today. It too about 30 seconds just for the video to load.

The opportunity

If you still haven’t embraced new ways of doing business, don’t wait too long. You can take a few baby steps.

If you have tried it and it didn’t work so well for you, perhaps you didn’t learn enough about it. Perhaps you want to get in touch with me and I can give you some feedback. Marketing is both an art and science.

For example, everyone can use the telephone. What you say on a call can mean the difference between an appointment or getting turned down.

It is the same online.

Opportunities like this don’t always last. Do something small each day, to build a better business.