Business legend has it that more millionaires emerge in times of economic downturn than in times of prosperity. While the unstable economy of recent years creates greater risks for the adventurous entrepreneur, knowing how to develop an intelligent business plan can inspire both yourself and your colleagues to bring an idea to fruition. In most cases, the first steps to success do not involve a single dollar, but rather a shift in mindset and behavior.

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo shares three tips every entrepreneur can use to increase their chance at succeeding in a down economy.

In former Internet lives, building your company’s online presence through search engine optimization (SEO) required extensive layout, phrase and tag development and link directories. Today, local profiling and content have triggered geo-targeting and changed the nature of SEO. Building an online presence for your company has never been easier. With enhanced SEO technology, along with numerous review sites and internal outlets to provide fresh contents, companies have several avenues for customer interaction at the tips of their fingers.

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo reveals strategies to help businesses develop their online presence through grassroots activities, and how starting small can help promote your efforts to the world.

According to a recent survey, nearly 62 percent of employees do not consider themselves “fully engaged” with their work. This “I’d rather be anywhere else” mentality can prove dangerous to the entire team’s productivity, as unmotivated employees can take longer to complete projects and do so at an inferior quality. So how can business leaders spark renewed morale in times of apathy? Surprisingly, the answer may be giving them greater responsibility.

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo shares tips executives can use to improve employee engagement, and explains why holding employees to higher standards can generate greater interest.

With the ease of making purchases at the click of a button, online shopping is more popular than ever among today’s consumers. A recent study found that 78 percent of Americans research purchases online, and 66 percent use the internet as their most common source for buying and selling. The growth of e-commerce creates great opportunity for businesses to reach their target audiences and drive activity beyond what is possible in a physical store. To meet this demand, those same businesses must ensure their website is properly equipped to process and deliver online orders.

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo reveals the three essential items every business needs to conduct successful e-commerce, and shares additional tools and tips to help simplify online shopping for your customers.

Cloud computing has emerged as one of the “next big things” behind business growth. According to a recent Gartner survey, worldwide cloud adoption is expanding at a pace of roughly 17 percent per year. But is the cloud the best fit for your business to store data and run applications? And what benefits and risks exist from implementing cloud services?

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo explains the basics every business should know regarding the cloud, and shares the potential pros and cons to consider when evaluating if and how cloud computing fits into future plans.

Innovation is one of the most common buzzwords in marketing today. How many times have you heard that a company now offers “the most innovative product on the market,” or a competitor is a “leader in innovation”? As the term becomes more prominent, what does it truly mean to innovate your business? And how can you build upon your current offerings to capture the attention of new audiences?

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo reveals four basic innovation strategies businesses can use to expand their offerings and develop a memorable and attractive brand for widespread prospects.

Although strategic marketing is considered a critical element for business growth and continued success, some business owners turn to the same excuses to either ignore marketing altogether, or only implement a strategy when absolutely needed. By stating that they don’t have the time or budget for marketing, or don’t feel that marketing works, these owners are ignoring potential customers and creating opportunities for competitors to take leadership within a given space. Successful businesses understand that effective marketing does not require great expense or a specific time, but rather creativity and proactivity.

Author and small business expert Kim T. Gordon shares the best ways business owners can shift their minds away from these common marketing myths, and offers tips to ensure you get the greatest results possible from your campaign.

Has your business capitalized on the growth of mobile consumers? A recent Nielsen survey noted that nearly 40 percent of U.S. consumers over the age of 18 now have smartphones. In some cases, such devices have replaced the mall and the newspaper as a one-stop source to find and leverage the latest deals. The easy access, wide reach and relatively-low cost of mobile marketing programs creates great opportunity for savvy marketers to instantly generate interest among target prospects.

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo reveals the key elements of a successful mobile marketing campaign, and how businesses can better understand the needs and behaviors of the redefined modern consumer.

For some business owners, extraordinary creative writing skills may not come naturally. Even for savvy experienced marketers, developing the best copy to fit the audience, medium and subject matter within a particular campaign is a constant challenge. In a crowded marketplace, making even the smallest tweaks to the words your prospects will hopefully has the potential to make a great difference in garnering a desired reaction.

Author and small business expert Kim T. Gordon shares five basic wordsmithing tips both inexperienced and veteran copywriters can rely on to ensure the language in their materials makes the desired impact among prospects.

In today’s competitive business environment, it can be easy for companies to grow fearful of becoming too specialized. As a result, they tend to take any business opportunities that come their way rather than focusing on the best fits. In reality, they can enjoy greater relevance and profitability by targeting smaller audiences that have a greater need for their services.

Author, radio host and small business expert Mark Deo reveals tips to help businesses identify potential gaps in the market where they might best fit, highlight their differentiators and find the prospects most likely to take action through effective marketing.