Since we have been talking about the new revolution of self-reliance and self-employment and our need to adapt to a fast-changing online and social marketplace, I asked a friend of mine, Simon Mainwaring (a regular FAST COMPANY contributor) to write an exclusive article for us on what he calls The New Measure of Success and how you and I can grow our Social Capital with some specific examples. Enjoy! -Darren Hardy  Social Capital – The New Measure of Success by guest blogger Simon Mainwaring  Social media is disrupting how businesses need to measure success in the marketplace. Of course, profits still matter, but as consumers connect up in communities and networks through social technologies, they are gaining leverage to pressure companies to think about more than just great products and services. What they want from business is a better world, not just better widgets.   How does this impact small companies, entrepreneurs, and contractors? The answer is, it affects you the same way it impacts global corporations that seek to powerfully develop and imprint their brands in the consumer’s mind. When it comes to appealing to today’s socially-minded consumers, your company is no different than Nike, Pepsi, or Starbucks in the need to build social capital, not just financial capital. Social capital refers to the appeal your brand has in your customer’s eyes. It is composed of a mix of respect, shared values, and loyalty. High social capital derives from engaging with your customers in a way that creates a deeper meaning for them, not just selling them products or services. Here are three key insights and tips for how you can accomplish raise your social capital: 1. Make your brand the chief celebrant of your customers’ community, not its celebrity. In your marketing and advertising, stop thinking of your brand as the center of the universe. Instead, reach out to serve the issues your...

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Social Media is here to stay. Here’s how to hop on board. Getting your business going with Facebook, Twitter and the rest may seem like a big chore, but it need not be. And it is important to do it, even if it does seem daunting. Why? Think of social media is as a conversation. [...]

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Have you visited the SCORE online community? Share with your colleagues and connect. Join today. More than 165,000 entrepreneurs are already part of this vibrant group of entrepreneurs: networking, planning and succeeding. Create a profile to connect with other entrepreneurs and find biz opportunities. Access to free tools and resources. Get expert answers to your business questions, fast. Success is about surrounding [...]

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Great Resources for Veterans We want to thank all of the military veterans out there, for the safety of our Country. Now we want to give back to you. Did you know that there are several resources available to you, if you are looking to begin a new adventure, as either an entreprenuer or small business owner? [...]

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Manage Your Web Profiles There are professional business sites for networking such as LinkedIn and Naymz. A good busines profile site ZoomInfo. These help your name appear in Google search results. And, everything you type is public. Rules to Live By Be positive. Be professional. Be courteous. Be careful how much detail you share. Beware, web search results [...]

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Taking Online Marketing To Another Level Recently I asked in one of my previous blogs “What sets you apart from your competitors?” What have you done for them to easily locate you, your company, your product or services?’ I even provided some easy online marketing rules to live by using your website.  Now I want to [...]

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