In the aftermath of World War II, government agencies all took turns debating on how the war could have been won. Most every discussion proposed centered around one central theme, communication. Better communications yields better results. What does this have to do with your business? Everything.

Your business can be thought of as a campaign to gain ground and overtake an adversary. The ground you gain is market share, the adversary is your competition. Allowing one day to pass (if not one hour) without evaluating and re-planning your strategy can mean the difference between survival and defeat. When working through your approach to gaining market share are you utilizing all of the resources at your disposal? Does your website entice visitors to sign up for a newsletter or other free information in exchange for their email address? Do you regularly send out updates about your product line or services to your email list?

It is critical to establish constant communications with your potential customers and within your organization. Your customers need to hear from you on a regular basis and this is not just a matter of updating your website with compelling content. If you have an email list you must use it. If your business is product oriented, update your ad copy. If you business is service oriented, revisit the services your provide and compare them to comparable other businesses to see if you need to rethink your offerings. People respond to value but they also respond to privileged information.

You must represent yourself as not only a provider but also an expert provider. Articles and blog posts serve to remind people that you have information to offer that no one else can provide. Your email campaigns must be expertly delivered and presented so the recipients will want to read through your ads instead of just deleting them on sight.

In the not so distant past, you could get away with just sending a text email with a catchy title and it sufficed to generate sufficient interest. Now, people are much more discerning with their email and you must present an image of integrity, value and responsibility. Your most effective weapon in this new economy is your expertise. Something no one else can provide.

Most home businesses start out with only one or two people involved but as the business grows so must the organization. You will need to make sure sales, accounting, shipping and executives (that would be you in this scenario) are all informed as to the state of the company and future directions. Your shipping clerk can help determine if there is a more economical way to ship just as your accounting department can let you know of any excessive spending that may cause a thriving company to falter.

In the end, communication is key both internal and external to your business. Examples abound of companies who were once king of the hill who are now clamoring for survival or who have left the fold completely.