Obama and the Future of Business

When Barack Obama won the US Election on November 5, it signaled a groundswell change in American history. The first black President and one of the least senior candidates ever, Obama’s victory marked just how much change the citizens of America felt was needed.

Yet while there’s no doubting the significance and historical aspect of Obama’s victory, what does it mean for businesses nationwide? After all, there’s probably never been a situation in the history of the Presidency exactly like the one facing the new incoming leader – two wars, economic meltdown, stock market uncertainty and environmental issues.

The good thing is Obama seems to be creating a solid team behind him as he prepares for office. Additionally, he’s already stated what his goals for businesses will be, and it’s clear that while some areas may be better served than others, the new President looks set to deliver on his promise of making America profitable again.

The businesses that seem set to benefit from Obama the most – at least initially – look to be the ones in construction and technology. This is an ideal mix for Obama to aim for – helping both blue and white-collar workers in one fell swoop, while planning on the next step in the economic recovery.

For example, Obama has said he wants to expand the roads and the bridges across America. This means that companies in the construction and engineering industries will be amongst the first to benefit from the new President.

The effects of this plan on America and her businesses in the months and years ahead are clear. Construction has long been one of America’s core industries and has helped the country become the nation it is today. Millions of families rely on the construction industry as their main source of income. With the announcement of bridge and rail expansion, Obama is sending out a clear message that he sees this industry as important as any other in corporate America.

Additionally, business owners in this industry will at least enjoy some smoother sailing after the many knocks they have taken over the last few years. Bridges and the supporting infrastructure that comes with aren’t built overnight – meaning longer-term contracts and improved outlooks for future business planning.

Of course, once these projects are complete, they will open the doors for other businesses to benefit with easier cross-state business partnerships opening up.

Another industry that Obama will be boosting is the technology one. He’s already made his intentions clear on this with the announcement that his cabinet will include some of the biggest names from the technology and online field.

While it’s early days yet, and things may change when Obama actually gets to the White House and is able to survey what exactly lies in front of him, one thing is clear. Although the US is in a mire at the moment – along with the rest of the developed world – businesses with a tie to construction and technology look set to be the first to start the steps to recovery.

With the changes that this month’s historic election are heralding for the country, at home and abroad, now is the time to look at your own infrastructure. Does it meet your customer and business needs, or does it need investment of its own? We are investing.

Using Blogs to Improve Your Business

One of the many benefits of business blogs is their ability to connect with the readers of them. Whether it’s with customers of a company, potential new clients or simply visitors looking to see what’s happening in that particular industry niche, business blogging is an instant way to connect with your target audience.

Yet this works both ways. While there’s no doubt that business blogging can offer an invaluable way for businesses to connect with their customers, bloggers can also connect with businesses and offer insights into where they’re going wrong.

With the power of a large following that many bloggers now have, they can virtually make or break a new product or service with a scathing review. Once that review or comment is online, it’s instantly available to millions of readers worldwide – a powerful number in anybody’s book. Therefore, knowing what’s being written is just as important as what you’re writing.

One of the best ways to interact with the blogosphere is by reading different blogs by leaders in their field. They don’t necessarily have to be in your particular business niche, either – the best bloggers write about topics that can be transferred into any business model.

For example, the emerging trend online at the moment is social media. While the basics of social media have been around for a few years, it’s only now that the medium is being exploited fully to enhance business use. One of the foremost bloggers in this field is Chris Brogan, who not only writes about social media, he encapsulates all that social media is about with consistently useful advice on how to use it more effectively, both on a personal and professional level.

Another blog similar to Brogan’s but from a marketing perspective is that of Seth Godin. His outspoken manner isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea, yet for out of the box thinking and fresh spin on old ideas, you can’t go far wrong by reading Godin’s blog. His books on marketing are bestsellers, so you know the information will be worthwhile.

Perhaps one of the best and most thought-provoking blogs for any business owner is by Howard Lindzon. A self-made entrepreneur who manages a hedge fund and continues to lead the field in new ventures and innovative thinking, his blog posts are not for the faint-hearted. What they are, though, is a collection of some of the best insights into being both passionate and unafraid to take risks when it comes to succeeding in business.

These are just three particularly strong blogs in an impressive worldwide blogosphere. To truly benefit from all that blogging can offer, however, they are excellent starting points that you can begin to build a varied and knowledgeable reading base. The added benefit is that as well as offering excellent business views and opinions, reading more blogs will invariably improve the quality of your own blog. And that can never be bad.