Yes, 2009 was a pretty challenging year, but the tough environment was a great learning ground. Many businesses, including my own were in dire need of necessary “corrections” as they say in the stock market. Hopefully you ended the year on an up note, as a result of taking stock, evaluating, tweaking and making smart time, talent and monetary investments. To insure that 20-10 is your turnaround year, here’s a 20-10 Progress Primer, with a few good business growth ideas.

Innovate

Whether you need to get control of your records, institute better account management or client service systems, update your hardware or spring for new software, chances are you can improve productivity and trim your overall costs using a range of affordable or free solutions. For database management, client projects, calendars, sales notes/tracking and a whole bunch of other great functions, check out Zoho.com, which offers lots of freebies as well as paid options. For more professional branded email marketing, including jazzier networking or sales follow-up notes as well as monthly newsletters using art, document links, art and multiple layout options, look into MyEmma.com. Break down and get a net-connected phone, so you can retrieve and send emails on the go, as well as surf the net. Verizon has three dynamic 3G options – the Blackberry Storm II, the HTC Eros and the Droid – for easier mobile surfing and more robust apps, in case you’re not ready to switch networks for an iPhone.

Improve your Online Action

Any growth-focused business must get some serious skin in the game – in THE biggest brand and sales building portal there is – the internet. First – you will need to invest some time and a bit of money to update your 24/7 sales machine, your website. Working with professionals, make it an intuitive experience (well organized content and easy-to-understand menu tabs) so that browsers can easily find what they are looking for. Fix the content the consumer sees as well as the coding (metadata) they don’t, with strong, targeted keywords, descriptions and titles, as these are some of the primary elements the Search Engines use to rank your site. Next, get a strong business profile up in the most active social networks, including facebook and LinkedIn, as both are easy ways to help drive new, organic inbound traffic to your website. If you have not started a blog, do it this year! Tap into a freebie using Blogspot.com, or have your webmaster add a blog function to your existing site. Institute an overall Digital Asset Management plan, which should include regular (strategic) weekly updates, whether on your website, your blog, your online social networking portals, as well as bi-yearly tweaks by an SEO (Search Engine Marketing) expert. Post a few videos on YouTube, as well as on your website. Videos can work for you on various levels, whether they introduce a brand or product, focus on the benefits of your product(s) or services or feature happy feedback from clients. Submit editorial to several sites like EZineArticles.com, with valuable information that can help your current or prospective clients, while positioning you as an expert. Take a hyperlinked tile or leaderboard ad on the websites of several trade associations and/or your local Chamber of Commerce, whichever is a better fit for your geographic footprint. Trade links with other strategic partners, as inbound links also help to boost your “Google Juice” (giving your site a better ranking with the Search Engines). Get advice and do a 2 month PPC campaign, to drive more “hot” leads to your site or a special landing page. Measure the results of all your campaigns as well as your daily website traffic stats via Google Analytics, a free tool that details lots of critical data.

Reach out and Leverage Human Connections

While there’s no denying we are swiftly becoming a “net-centric” society, people still do business with organizations and people they feel comfortable with. So tap into your existing network, ask for referrals and advice. Act as a connector and facilitator in your own backyard, by helping another business owner, by supporting a community group or attending local charitable fundraisers. All of these are thrifty ways to get meaningful face space with business leaders and decision makers, which can lead to multiple open doors and new opportunities.

Honestly – I’d love for you to get everything in motion as soon as you can, because all these initiatives can help you achieve momentum and growth. Realistically, it won’t be possible, so don’t make yourself nuts by trying to do everything at once. Take on one major to-do a month so you’ll avoid burn out and have a manageable investment distribution plan! Use this 11 Month Business Growth Checklist as your guideline. Though I’ve ordered them in what I think is the most sensible agenda, do what you can, when you can, as each one of these will help keep you focused and moving forward in 20-10….

February – Address and fix website issues, using a webmaster, web copywriter, graphic designer, and SEO expert as needed. Get Google Analytics up and running, so you can begin to track the traffic on every page and link on your site.

March – Adopt better systems re account management, client and prospect databases, update hardware and software as needed. Seek out a good VA (Virtual Assistant) to manage tasks that are wasting your time or diverting your attention from more profitable tasks

April – Institute a Digital Asset Management Plan, after doing research about your industry, your competitors, your objectives and your strategy.

May – Investigate and create a business profile in one or more Social Networking sites, participating 2-3 times a week (total 1.5 – 2 hours per week). Additional social networking platforms include Twitter, Squidoo, and FastPitch.

June – Start sending out a monthly e-newsletter, or make improvements to an existing one using guest writers, new data, advertising specials, etc. Attend 1-2 new networking meetings and/or community fundraiser. Follow up with all new leads within 2-4 business days, with a targeted, special offer or incentive.

July -  Start a blog (posting interesting valuable information that your clients and prospects can benefit from) and post some responses on other blogs or on Twitter and LinkedIn. Aim to post 150-200 words at least once a week.

August – Produce and post at least one video on YouTube and on your website. Announce it via a Press Release in an online mass distribution site, as well as to all your trade and membership groups.

September – Assess where you are – do more SEO work on your site and start a 2-3 month PPC campaign.

October – Place several online ads in targeted industry or networking portal for 2-3 month campaign. Reach out to a variety of strategic partners, or tap existing networking or industry/trade memberships for online linking and business profile posting opps.

November – Submit expertizing and informative editorial to various online portals… check out revenue generating sites like Suite101.com and ArticlesBase.com

December-  Buy more online ads in new venues (if you’re marketing to well-educated women try a venue like DailyWorth.com) and continue to expand your inbound link building activities by Tweeting, trading links with strategic partners, and taking advantage of as many free listing/linking portals as you can.

So if you want to join the ranks of well-performing, growth-track firms – get up to snuff with the latest technology and use a range of online and face-space marketing tools. Take strategic baby steps, pursuing multiple initiatives and you will see happier results in 20-10!

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Pattie Simone is a Viral Adventurer and Business Success Activist. As a Speaker, Writer and Consultant, she helps entrepreneurs and growth-track firms chart winning success paths via keynotes, workshops, PR, blogging, Digital Asset Planning & Management and other nimble marcom solutions. She has appeared on FOX 5’s Good Day New York and ABC TV’s nationally syndicated America This Morning program, has a sales & marketing column on WomenEntrepreneur.com and is an Ask Entrepreneur Expert. Simone is the thought-leader behind Write-Communications.com and Marketing-Advantage, print and viral marketing resources. She is also the founder of WomenCentric.net, a virtual directory of savvy & diverse women experts – keynote and motivational speakers, and career & life advancement professionals.