While there has been slow growth in recent quarters in the US economy, the latest predictions in Europe are that the Continent will continue in ‘recession’ next year. In these circumstances caution must be the watch word for business that exists today in a global market.

Even if the USA reaches the level of 3% quarterly growth in 2014 which should return the employment figures to pre financial crisis levels, general demand may still mean that small business must continue to work hard to ensure a successful future. No country can work in isolation these days and it is to be hoped that Europe can perform better than the current forecasts.

There are things that the small business owner can do to maximize the chances of their business having a profitable year and the main priority is to look to software as a solution to all the aspects of communication, document management and database storage. The owner of a small business often needs to have a range of skills; in this coming year it will be far better for an entrepreneur to concentrate on the core business and find software that can logically and efficiently handle database, communication and information details.

So much business is conducted on the internet whether direct sales or general marketing that a small business needs to ensure it loses nothing to its competition. In order to do that an owner should be looking to utilize the opportunities that the internet presents, and be mindful in marketing policy the numbers of people who use the internet and increasingly mobile devices to access it.

It may be internet users want to access to local goods and services; small business needs to be aware of this. Small business orientated software really uses things designed initially for large business but they can be adapted for small business use. A small business needs listing on key search engines so that people can easily find all the local goods and services they require.

So many people use the social media as part of a small business strategy; the owner of a small business must resolve to use this powerful a tool. It can cement the success of small business. Facebook, Twitter, iPhone and tablet, all are part of today’s world and even if the owner of a small business does not really understand this environment, he needs to contract someone that does so that his business competes effectively in the market place.

An informative website is an excellent reference point for small business and it must remain dynamic; regular updates ensure that anyone looking at the content sees that the business is alert to the interest that a website can generate. The social media can direct users to many places; why not a dynamic small business website?

The next year will still be one of challenge where the market is unlikely to see major growth. If that is the case, knowing is halfway to solving the problem. An owner of a small business who ensures he is using all the best marketing tools that software provides will be fine, and may even break into other company’s market share.