On our blog, we usually focus on providing marketing tips to people running businesses of all sizes, in a wide variety of industries. Today I think it’s important to take a few minutes to think about the bigger picture, one which many Americans often overlook during the day to day grind of their hectic lives. We should all take some time this Memorial Day to think about all that the proud men and women of our armed forces have sacrificed for America.

No matter what challenges you may face in your business, always remember that there are men and women all over the world, far way from their family and loved ones and going without most of the conveniences that we take for granted, and that is why you have the freedom to live your life as you choose.

While you’re enjoying this Memorial Day weekend or any other time, for that matter; when you happen to come across a member of our armed forces, be sure you let them know how much you appreciate them. They deserve it.

People are turning to the Internet before making a buying decision more often today, and they are doing a lot more than just a quick Google search for a local widget manufacturer. They are looking for recommendations or complaints about you or your company. If you’re utilizing social media, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, not only can you tap into a vast network of potential clients and employees, but you can also receive reviews from your existing clients. Since these reviews are on a website that’s not owned or maintained by you, they are typically viewed as more credible than those on your own website. Keep in mind - social media is just one more tool to network with; It won’t make you rich overnight and the same things are obnoxious in real life are obnoxious online, so avoid being the person that sends all of your contacts a message every day telling them about your latest and greatest offer or they will quickly start to ignore you. Like any other aspect of marketing, take small, incremental steps and offer value, and over time you will reap the rewards of your work.

Here is a powerpoint presentation of the keynote Matt Cutts recently gave about “What Google Knows About Spam.”

What Google Knows About Spam