2010 - Half full or half empty?

Happy New Year to you all!

So what has 2010 got to offer us? Well, it's been a beautiful start to the decade, with this fantastic sunset at Exmouth...


...but on a more practical note, what can we expect from a business perspective?

Well, without sounding too much like a self-help manual, I think the futures ours, to make what we want of it. I would say that - I'm an optimist - but we spent quite a bit of time in 2009 absorbing information from a wide range of sources, to help us understand how to take our business to where we want it to be. Now I don't think it will be easy (2009 certainly wasn't), but I do think we control our destiny - rather than the economy, the government, our competitors, our clients or anyone else we want to blame.

I have no doubt that external influences will have an impact on us, but (as an optimist) I take a positive view of this. One statement that has stuck with me from an event we went to in the summer is 'surround yourself with like-minded people'.

And we do that. Whether it's our clients (I wrote about this recently: Working with winners), or the businesses we want to partner with (I plan to write about this soon). We're looking for people with the big ideas. People with ambition. People with vision. People with passion. These are the people that we help us take our business to where we want to be - whether they're clients or partners. If you think you might be one of them I'd really like to hear from you. Just email me.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." This is a great quote from Churchill (The politician, not the dog in the insurance advert), and I think this attitude is essential in business. It's not easy - but it's the difference between success and failure.

So what about you? What are your expectations for 2010? Do you see opportunities or difficulties? Is your glass half full or half empty?

Let me know. I'd be really interested to hear from you!

Is social media the only tool we need to communicate with?

There's been some polite sniping on Twitter amongst the people I follow regarding the role (and power) of social media in communicating with an audience. There have been a number of bold (and sweeping) statements about the state of traditional communication. Rather than continue trying to argue the case for and against in 140 characters, I wanted to invite people to have their say. So, come on, what do you think... Is social media the only tool we need to communicate with?

I'll get things started. The answer is no.

I think it's a great tool, and as a business we use it a lot to engage with our audience. But for us it's only one communication channel. We encourage our clients to use it too. We're developing a couple of brand communication strategies for clients at the moment, and they both involve social media. But not in isolation. It's being used as part of a coordinated strategy to reach the audience.

As a business we spend all of our time either communicating with our clients, or communicating for our clients. As a result it is easy to get wrapped up in communication tools and channels and the opportunities they all present to engage with an audience. But what's routine for us (and we're by no means the most sophisticated users of social media) is still a big, big jump for a lot of people - both businesses and consumers.

So, is social media the only tool we need to communicate with? No. But I'd like to know what you think.

What are the challenges for 2010?

The countdown to Christmas is well underway, and 2010 is just around the corner. So what are the challenges you're anticipating for next year?

Is it cashlow? Increased competition? Cautious customers? Lack of support from banks? Let us know by adding a comment, because if we share the problem, someone else might have the solution.

So come on, join in the discussion!