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If you want to stay ahead of your competition, you should keep your small business toolbox stocked with the latest and greatest news and innovations. And when it comes to technology, industry trends and how they positively or negatively affect your business there are only few people who are trusted authorities. These experts share their knowledge to teach you how to be better in business. Here is a list of the top 30 small business champions to follow on Twitter.   @AlfredEdmondJr is SVP/Editor-at-large at @BlackEnterprise magazine. His OffMyChestposts are witty, smart, and always packed with terrific tips. @AmandaMogul Amanda Miller Littlejohn Before I met her, I loved her blog. Her practical PR and social media marketing tips are always loaded with fresh ideas.www.amandamillerlittlejohn.com @AskJamieTurner If you want to know about mobile web marketing, Jamie Turner is the best source I know. www.60secondmarketer.com @awesomeroar Kevin Daum is a columnist for Inc. whose work is always clever and thoughtful. www.kevindaum.com @BarbaraWeltman Barbara provides tax advice and legal tips that will get your small business on the right track. www.barbaraWeltman.com @BarryMoltz Barry is one of the smartest small business experts I know. I love his books, and his blog posts on www.OpenForum.com are always insightful. www.barrymoltz.com @Bizauthor Stephanie Chandler is a prolific writer and publisher who writes often about how to own your niche, self-publishing and positioning yourself as a thought leader.http://businessinfoguide.com @brianmoran Brian Moran is a vital resource for small business owners on Twitter. He’s spent more than 20 years publishing advice for entrepreneurs. He is a warrior for small business owners. www.smallbusinessedge.com  @DeborahShane is a marketing expert who has great insight on how to stay authentic in your marketing efforts. www.deborahshane.com @DeniseOberry has a great video blog resource for information on how to grow a small business. www.deniseoberry.com @dharmesh Dharmesh Shah is the co-founder of HubSpot, and a top resource for small businesses. Not only is Shah's Twitter stream a useful resource for entrepreneurs, but his LinkedIn group, On Startups: The Community for Entrepreneurs is one of the most dynamic and helpful groups for small business owners on LinkedIn.  @DIYMarketers Ivana Taylor is one of the smartest writers I know on small business marketing. She writes in a way that helps you really understand new marketing tactics and ideas. www.DIYMarketers.com @Dnewman  David Newman is the author of DO IT! Marketing: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Boost Sales, Maximize Profits and Crush Your Competition David works with entrepreneurs who want to use speaking to position themselves as thought-leaders and generate more leads for your business. @Ducttape John Jantsch is a small business marketing expert. His twitter feed and blog are always packed with marketing and technology advice. www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog @ericknopf Eric Knopf's experience as a tech entrepreneur is valuable to those looking to take that path. He is insightful and honest about what it really takes to be successful in business.  @GeneMarks Gene is a successful writer whose work shows up weekly in the NY Times, Forbes, Inc. and many others. http://www.genemarks.com @Holly_Hanna If you want to know how to be a successful woman business owner, you must read Holly’s work.  Check out her blog www.theworkathomewoman.com @JayBaer If you want to understand more about web analytics and social media marketing metrics, Jay is a terrific resource. www.jaybaer.com @JeffBullas When it comes to the latest trends in social media marketing, no one does it better than my Australian friend Jeff Bullas. www.jeffBullas.com @JillKonrath If you want to learn about how to sell, but more importantly how to close, Jill is a THE best resource. www.jillkonrath.com @KimBeasley is social media marketing expert and a pioneer in how to leverage Google+ to grow small business. www.growvisibilitywithme.com/blog @LisaBarone is VP of Strategy at @Overit. She is one of the smartest business writers around. I always learn great stuff from her writing. http://overit.com/blog @RamonRay is my go-to guy for information on small business tech tools. He’s the editor ofwww.Smallbiztechnology.com @Restaurant_Lady Misty Young is the #1 lady giving advice to independent restaurants owners. www.fromragstorestaurants.com @Smallbiztrends Anita Campbell is the Editor and mastermind behind the websitewww.Smallbiztrends.com, a top site for small business information. @StartupStella Stella Fayman is a thoughtful writer for Forbes that is always worth a read.http://matchist.com/blog @SteveStrauss is USA Today’s Senior Small Business Columnist. He has a heart for solopreneurs. I always glean great ideas from Steve’s work. www.theselfemployed.com @Stevetv  Steve Greenberg is an invention groupie. If you have an invention and want to know what to do next, Steve is the go-to resource.  He shares information on how to protect, license and promote products www.gadgetnation.net  @TaiGoodwin gives helpful advice for making the transition from employee to entrepreneur.www.launchwhileworking.com @TJMcCue TJ is a business technology expert who writes for several publications including Forbes, smallbiztrends and his own blog www.techbiztalk.com  This was originally published under the title Top 25 Small Business Experts To Follow on Twitter at www.succeedasyourownboss.com What small business champions do you follow on Twitter?

Melinda F. Emerson, SmallBizLady  is America’s #1 small business expert. She is an author, speaker and small business coach whose areas of expertise include small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She writes a weekly column for the New York Times, publishes a resource blog, www.succeedasyourownboss.com which is syndicated through the Huffington Post. She also hosts a weekly talk show on Twitter called #SmallBizChat for small business owners. As a brand, she reaches 1.5 million entrepreneurs a week on the internet. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. Forbes Magazine named Melinda Emerson one of the #1 Woman for Entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. Melinda has been featured on MSNBC, Fox News, NBC Nightly News, and in Fortune, The Washington Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise. She is the bestselling author of “Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works,” and the ebook How to Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online.

Discount retailers, such as Target, Macy’s, and J.C. Penney, have tried various pricing strategies over the years to lure customers to buy more of their products. The primary tool in the competitive arsenal is to offer the best value because they know that customers are motivated to seek out price savings and great deals on frequently purchased products.

Seems simple right? Just offer low prices and people will come. That is not necessarily the case, though.

Feelings Affect Our Shopping Decisions

An economist would say that customers are rational beings who try to get the most value for their money. In a tough economy, people should be especially focused on savings and prefer shopping at a store that always offers the lowest price. Psychologists, however, know that people do not always make rational decisions that offer the greatest economic gain because emotions play a critical role in guiding decision making and behavior. For example, positive emotions tend to evoke creative thinking and persistence when trying to solve problems.

An important study describes how specific emotions like disgust can reduce how much people are willing to pay for something and how sadness can increase how much we are willing to pay

The expression “retail therapy” confirms that many people might attempt to change their sad mood by shopping purely for the entertainment value. Though shopping may serve a basic utilitarian need to acquire goods for nourishment and comfort, people are also motivated to feel competent and socially connected. Satisfaction might be gained when a shopper has a sense of expertise in selecting the best product for the best price, from knowing that some effort on their part resulted in a savings. Shoppers may get an additional self-esteem boost when they share their market expertise with other members of their community.

When J.C. Penney recently ousted CEO Ron Johnson, industry insiders began speculating what went wrong with its pricing strategy. A recent NY Times story describes some of the psychology behind discounting and what factors go into creating the sense in a customer’s mind that she got a great deal.

1. Deals are motivating

The first involves establishing what a fair price should be. Who knows what a box of cereal or a pair of boots should really cost anyway? Morning game shows, such as “The Price Is Right” or Let’s Make a Deal,” have taken advantage of the difficulty people have when guessing the price of everyday retail items. People make their best guess typically from how other similar items are priced. Psychologists who study decision-making call this type of estimation anchoring and adjusting. We fixate on a number that we have paid in the past and adjust our guess from there. We feel like we are getting a great deal when the anchor is a high “list price” and we pay a lower sale price that may even be below what we originally adjusted for in our mind.

2. You can’t change the way the mind works

The Times article points out that J.C. Penny stopped offering discounts due to the complexity and effort involved with constantly changing prices and managing inventories. It simplified by offering everyday low prices much the way Walmart or Costco does. Unfortunately, customers stopped buying because without the anchor of a higher retail price, they no longer felt like they were getting a deal.

3. Discovering a great deal is a fun game

Another aspect touched on in the article was the game price-conscious shoppers like to play by clipping coupons and feeling the satisfaction of earning a lower price. Everyday low prices at a certain store may result in savings but shopping there might not be as fun or at least provide the satisfaction to a savvy shopper who realizes anyone can get the low price without any effort or special knowledge.

4. Sales should be engaging

Les Wunderman, the direct marketing ad executive, famously increased sales for Columbia House records by mentioning a “Gold Box” treasure hunt in late-night TV ads for the company that would appear later in TV Guide and Parade magazine ads. The treasure hunt created a cheesy but amusing game that created customer interest and potential for increasing how customers interact with the company. Today, social media affords another platform to engage customer interest by making digital platforms a source of insider information and a potential “treasure” of future discounts.

5. Sales are naturally social

Finally, people love to share inside information with those in their social networks. People gossip and share funny videos on YouTube in order to feel like a valued member of their social group. People also derive more pleasure from giving to others than spending the same on themselves. J.C. Penney’s everyday low price strategy likely fell flat with customers because savvy shoppers had nothing of value to share with their friends when discussing purchases at the store.

6. Sales are satisfying

In the end, effective pricing strategies not only need to give customers a tangible sense of satisfaction that they got a good deal by using anchoring techniques—but offer interactive methods to keep customers coming back to social media and marketing campaigns for future deals. The trick is to make these efforts somewhat challenging and fun to keep customers interested. Once they realize the gains from their efforts, they may be more likely to spread the word and create the desirable buzz that every retailer wants to sustain about their brands.

One way to measure your influence in the online marketplace is to do analysis of how your competitors are performing in social media. A competitive analysis is also a good way to identify opportunities for your brand that might be unique for the audience you want to engage with. Standing out, of course, is the goal of brands. Does your brand stand out in social media? A competitive analysis is a good way to find out.

When You Should and Should Not Analyze Your Competitors

While the information gathered and analyzed about how your competitors are performing in social media may be helpful, it's important to pursue this activity with a solid objective in mind. Otherwise, you may become discouraged, frustrated and even angry about how poorly your brand is performing in comparison. The reverse is just as bad. If you do an analysis to prove to yourself how great your brand is doing, you may become comfortable put innovation at risk.

Some worthwhile reasons for doing this type of analysis are:

To get ideas for how your brand can engage in the social media channel

To identify opportunities your competitors may be missing (and therefore your brand can uniquely offer)

To gage how the overall market for your product or service engages in social media or a specific social network

If your objective is not self-serving for your ego, it probably falls within the boundaries of the plausible reasons to take a hard look at your competitors in the social media channel.

Where To Start

The first step is to identify your competitors. Figuring out who they are involves much more than social media and extends far beyond the scope of this article. However, in order to continue, you must at least have a short list of businesses that are fighting for the attention of your potential customers.

Set Your Objective

A clearly defined objective will keep your analysis on track for the duration of the study. I provided three great reasons to do a competitive analysis above. A practical objective that many brands might use today is to determine if my brand should use Google+. 

Choose What to Analyze (And Over What Period Of Time)

There are many ways to analyze your competitors in social media. For our example of Google+, you might analyze type of content shared, functionality used and engagement for each competitor.

For content shared, you could make a list of post types, including pictures, videos, links, text only, or posts shared from another Google+ user.

Parameters for functionality used, in this case, might simply be hangouts with possible values of yes or no.

You'll also want to make a list of engagement KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators. How would you determine success for your brand? This information is what you should measure your competitors against. Some examples for our Google+ example above might be:

Shares per post

Comments per post

+1s per post

Set a specific amount of time that you will gather data from, such as the last 60 or 90 days.

Beware of the hidden KPIs

Engagement KPIs do not tell the whole story. There are some things that you might not be able to measure, but that may indicate success for your competitors. For instance, the revenue or number of page views their links are generating on their e-commerce sites are private metrics that may tell a much different story than the level of engagement they receive.

Make a Spreadsheet

After you have identified your competitors and what data you will analyze, make a spreadsheet that lists each of your competitors and each item you will measure. Compiling all of this information in one data set (or table) will help you look at the big picture when you are complete.

Gather Data & Analyze

Locate your competitor's social media profiles. Meticulously sift through their information to fill out your spreadsheet. Then analyze the data gathered, keeping your original objective in mind.

For our Google+ example above, you may find that you should use the network by embracing the Hangout functionality because all of your competitors neglect this feature. You might also determine that the ratio of engagement to total number people who follow competitor pages indicates that the market is not active enough in the space for you to participate.

Conclusion

When done properly, a competitive analysis takes a lot of time and resources. However, it can expose opportunities for your brand that your competitors may be missing out on (or are executing so well you need to try them yourself). A social media competitive analysis can also help you develop a strategy for your broader social media efforts or choose the tactics your staff should use to improve your KPIs. 

Apps are becoming more prevalent and powerful than ever. It’s time for entrepreneurs and small business owners to take advantage of these savvy tools to help their businesses grow and run smoother.

Take these 10 mobile and Web apps--they’re sure to increase your organization skills and keep you connected and visible:

1. Evernote

Ideas can spring up any time and place. Evernote is a handy app to “Remember Everything.” It allows users to store, organize, and share text, photos, and voice notes--a great tool for entrepreneurs looking for more ease in tracking their brilliant ideas.

2) Google Drive

Google’s new Drive app is a fully-featured office suite, allowing users to seamlessly import and edit files from PC to tablet to smartphone.This software also acts as a full cloud drive, letting you store any file type via a virtual drive app or the Web interface. Google apps are the top choice for small businesses in regard to webmail, and this new feature will get you a nice 5GB of storage for free.

3) FormMobi

Fielding and distributing data on your mobile device is being made easier with help from FormMobi. This apps acts as a “virtual clipboard” for your phone. If you’re filling out forms on-the-go, this app will allow you to do it with ease. Users can also record audio, take pictures, collect signatures, and create CAD-quality sketches.

4) Bump

Ditch your traditional business cards for this revolutionary networking app. Bump users can trade contact information, photos, and files by simply “bumping” two smartphones together. Since its inception in 2008, the app has garnered over eight million monthly users and 27 million downloads.

5) TripIt

The power of an itinerary can only be truly understood by someone who’s had to make three connecting flights and rent a car on the same day. If this sounds like you, taking advantage of the TripIt app will allow you keep track of trip arrangements in one unified place. The app also gathers weather updates, maps, and directions to make traveling a breeze.

6) LocalVox

Do you run a brick and mortar businesses and are currently looking to build your brand online? LocalVox’s service enables owners to publish news, events, and deal announcements with a click-of-a-button across many online channels, including social media, websites, local directories, and email newsletters. It also boosts your online presence through optimizing organic search and Google Places listings.

7) Expensify

Managing finances is never fun. Fortunately, the Expensify app will allow you to keep track of business expenses and mileage, while letting you scan and upload receipts. With just one click of a button, users can even file receipts by trip and submit expense reports to employers.

8) Asana

This simple and intuitive alternative to complicated work management software has been billed as a “collaborative information manager.” Users can not only manage work projects, but also personal projects and events in one easy-to-navigate interface.

9) InDinero

Created in 2010 by two university students, Jessica Mah and Andy Su, InDinero is an easy way to keep track of business cash flow and manage day-to-day finances. This popular Web app will sync up your bank accounts and credit cards to help you predict future cash flows based on trends.

  10) Square

This powerful app is is transforming the way we transact by empowering anyone with a smartphone or tablet to easily accept credit card payments. The beauty of Square is that there are no sign-up or monthly fees. Instead, the service takes 2.75 percent of each transaction. The wildly popular app was founded by the creator of Twitter in 2010.

Getting ahead with your small business is being made easier with the help from these mobile and Web apps.

1.Content marketing is not only for big businesses: There is a misconception among small business owners that content marketing is just for big corporations and small businesses can’t benefit from it. Content Marketing is for businesses of all kinds. Doesn’t matter what is the size of your business, how many employees you have or how much revenue your business is generating you can improve your marketing by using content.

  2.Content tells your consumers that you exist: Internet is a n ocean of information and most of the people in our times conduct a search online to find the products/services. Content can help in increasing your websites visibility and attract more customers to your business website.

  3.Tell a Story: Through your content tell a story which resonates with your readers. Think about your mission , purpose of your company or how you are helping others and put this in front of your users through content marketing.

  4.Time and Budget: The most common excuse which I hear on a regular basis about content marketing is that business owners don’t have enough time and money to start creating content. You can get money by shifting a portion of your traditional marketing budget to content marketing and better manage your time in order to create content.

  5.Make a content creation schedule: Plan the amount of content you need to publish and decide on which dates what blog posts, research reports etc you are going to publish. Good planning can significantly reduce your burden and put you on road to success.

  6.Stick to your calendar: After making a content creation schedule or editorial calendar it’s important that you have strict deadlines and stick to it. Many people are unable to create enough content within the required time limit. Don’t make the mistake of making a plan and not following it.

  7.Social Media: After creating content make sure that you share it on social media . Content marketing and social media have become interdependent over the last few years. If you need to execute a successful social media campaign then you need good content and in order to succeed with content marketing you need to produce content which is shared by your followers on social media.

    8.Track your content: Don’t forget to track the content. You can easily track your visitors, most popular content and the people who have shared it on social media.

  9.Measure : Measure the effects of your content marketing campaign. This is a point where people have quite conflicting opinions. Some people argue that your content must result in sales and others argue that you must give preference to branding and PR effects of a content marketing campaign. I think that a marketer must monitor all statistics . Not every piece of content is going to generate sales for you. Off course sales and revenue are lifeblood of a business but without a trusted following you can’t expect to generate sales. So focus on all the aspects of content marketing and measure returns using a holistic approach.

  10.         Have Patience: Like any other marketing strategy content marketing needs time to generate result. Just after publishing a single blog post you are not going to make a dent in your target market. So wait instead of giving up. Ideally you must wait minimum 3 months for your content marketing efforts to show results.

Small businesses often face a conundrum: they know they need to do more marketing to attract more customers, but since they don't have much in the way of resources, they pretty much have to do it themselves. And they don't have time, don't know how, and can't outsource it.

Infusionsoft solves that problem with its slogan "Automation Means Domination" and an army of experts who help each other learn how to create marketing programs that work. At this year's InfusionCon, I sat in on the Ultimate Marketer Contest finals and listened to the finalists talk about what worked for them. The three finalists in the contest had all tripled the size of their businesses in the past year. And believe me, they weren't in typical gazelle businesses: they were a company that helps churches raise money, an orthodontics practice, and a team sports apparel company. They're the kinds of companies that go from $200,000 in revenue to $2 million in a year using common marketing strategies, good software, and guidance.

Here were ten big takeaways from the Ultimate Marketer Finalists:

1.Don't grow away from your customers. As you grow, you may find you are interacting with customers less. That's bad.

2. Automation trumps determination. You can't stay in touch without help; marketing automation creates a foundation of stability as the business grows and allows you to keep close to customers.

3. Create a webinar that will help your target customers do something important.

4. Use broadcast email to invite them and others to the webinar.

5. Learn what the perfect customer life cycle is for your business. Examine how long it takes to make a sale after you generate a lead.

6. Attract traffic to your web site using social media, but don't try to do it all. Use one tool well--either Facebook, or Twitter, or LinkedIn. Don't try to maintain too many profiles.

7.Build a list of email addresses. Test several different landing pages to see which attracts the most email addresses.

8. Build campaigns based around your email addresses, and offer free information. Convert this to sales by offering a free trial.

9. Send handwritten thank you notes to new customers.

10. Turn your customers into affiliate marketers and/or advocates.

I was amazed at how much these small businesses were able to do with a little guidance and a good software package. Those who are willing to invest some time in automating their marketing will undoubtedly see a return on their investment.

It’s the beginning of a brand new year and we have some exciting 2013 smartphone marketing trends to share with you. Did you know that 55% of smartphone users are more likely to visit a retailer’s store after receiving location-aware alerts according to Latitude? Smartphone marketing and mobile presence is quickly becoming an integral part of small business marketing. Have you considered using check-in deals with Facebook or Yelp? Do you have a mobile friendly website? Here are our top 2013 smartphone marketing trends to watch out for:

  2013 Smartphone Marketing Trend #1

  55% of those who have clicked on a mobile ad have an annual income of more than $75,000 according to Hip Cricket. As a small business owner, your target audience should have the means to purchase your products and/or services right? Smartphone owners have enough money to purchase devices that aren’t cheap. This also means they have a high enough income to potentially purchase what you’re selling.

  2013 Smartphone Marketing Trend #2

  85% of mobile consumers use their phone while shopping in store according to Jiwire’s quarter three report in 2012. This leads us to believe that the trend will continue in 2013. Customers are now checking out reviews and comparing prices while browsing in your store. Pull out your smartphone and see what your website looks like online? Afterwards, check out the competition. How does your site stack up? Have you checked your Yelp reviews or Google reviews lately? This is extremely important for your marketing plan in 2013.

  2013 Smartphone Marketing Trend #3

Sure you might use Pinterest to clip your favorite recipes, ideas and DIY aspirations,  but through this webinar you will learn how to use Pinterest to drive traffic to your site and increase both brand equity and sales.  Pinterest is the fastest growing social medium this past year - don't miss out on this great opportunity to grow your business.

Presented by the experts at mySmartMedia, leaders in digital marketing communications and PR, focused on helping small businesses grow through social media and other digital advertising and PR platforms.

  In addtion to this essential webinar, all attendees will receive:

1 month of email support for their follow-up questions

30 min 1:1 phone Q&A

Copy of the presentor's notes

Our Pinterest Quick Reference Kit