Today businesses are going through a major paradigm shift. Major industries are loosing substantial market shares because of the changes. Technology is advancing so fast that traditional educational systems can’t keep up. Students are graduating with outdated knowledge. Here are some examples:

In the past both large and small businesses have depended on Newspapers, Radio, Direct Mail, Yellow Pages and TV for advertising. All of these methods are seeing huge reductions in revenues. There is currently a move requiring customers to “opt-in” to receive a phone directory. Many major newspapers are going broke throughout the country. Most direct mail pieces are seldom read. Radio stations have been replaced by recorded music stored on an ipod.

So what’s happening? It’s the Internet. People are relying on the web for information rather then traditional sources. Television Network news is loosing viewers because they have already seen the news stories on their web browser.

Websites like Facebook, Digg and Twitter are revolutionizing how we connect and keep in touch with each other. Social networking used to mean a party. Now it is an essential marketing tool for business.

Too often business people are lost in cyberspace. We don’t know how to engage in the new technology. And where will we find the time? Many business owners already work 50-60 hour workweeks. Even the videos take too long to learn the material. So what do we do?

Look for companies who can do the work for you, or will instruct you how to stay abreast of the new tools. Guess where you will find them? That’s right, they are listed on the Internet.

Some of the new cyber guru’s could be living in your own home. Your pimple-faced teenagers have the time to play with all of the new toys, and they will be impressed when you ask them for help.

Another source could be colleges and technical schools. No matter where you find them, you need their help. If you don’t respond, you will watch your market share fade away.

Ken Bear Cole
Fishing with Bear LLC