E-learning - Your Golden Ticket To Business Growth

As business owners who have just survived one of the biggest upsets in recent economic history, we're all looking for ways to regroup, rethink, and reimagine our business success. Online training, or what is referred to as eLearning will prove to be an invaluable resource for any serious business owner.

Several questions beg an answer for a success-minded business owner.

1. Marketing Budget

The marketing landscape has morphed - almost while we weren't looking - traditional methods just aren't working anymore, even if we had the cash to throw in that direction. So, how do determine what to do…how do we prepare ourselves? Simply put - how will we use our energy, resources and money for marketing?

2. The Social Media buzz

Another burning question at the top of the list for every small business owner is whether to jump on board the Social Media train. Is it just hype, the latest buzz words? Is it a waste of time…or just for youth, or mainly for grandparents wanting to see all the pictures of their kids and grandkids? Is it really beneficial for businesses? These are all questions that deserve an honest answer.

3. Getting Accounting Processes Under Control

Let's move on for a moment to some in-house nitty-gritty issues that you know need attention in order to thrive this year. Maybe your accounting is a mess, and by June, you know you're going to need serious help sorting it all out. Are you keeping books from stray receipts and bits of paper? Accounting software needs to be simple, easy-to-setup and use and you need it NOW!

4. Sharpening Your Office Software Skills

Next, you KNOW that you should be making some spreadsheets to track important information. Perhaps you've been making hand-written lists and adding things up with an adding machine. You've always known that Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool that most savvy business owners have at least partially mastered. But how are you going to find time to travel to a community college or work through a massively thick tutorial by yourself, with no one nearby to answer your questions and concerns.

5. Using Email Effectively

OK…you've been using email for awhile, and maybe even have an employee or two who uses it on a regular basis to communicate with customers and vendors. But, do you have that nagging thought that perhaps your company's email communication needs an overhaul…that perhaps you're sending the wrong message with simple errors which could be easily corrected. How do people get those nice electronic "signatures" at the bottom of their emails…how can I improve my image?

Solutions

Now, these are just a few of the problems that a small business owner can encounter when considering how to grow his business and THRIVE in 2011. These problems can be solved in several different ways.

1. On-site classes - either at the local college or seminars held by professional companies specializing in the specific area of expertise you desire and need
2. Private tutors - even hiring a college student who is proficient with some of the software you would like to learn
3. Your CPA - for help with setting up an efficient accounting system.
4. Online training - also called eLearning

For me, option #4 - online trainig - is the big SECRET to business growth this year. And here's why:

1. No travel time or travel expenses
2. Flexible schedule - you work at your pace on your schedule
3. Low, low cost

When searching for online training, look for a company that offers training from a variety of experts, not just one or two people are doing all the training. Look for a company who will respond to you personally when you send an email or make a phone call. Finally, make sure you do business with a company who is on the cutting edge of technology, social media marketing and the needs of small business.