Most business owners I work with want to grow their businesses. I guess this probably applies to most businesses in general. But growth for the sake of growth alone is not always healthy for a business or its people.


I've always believed a business should strive to be healthy rather than focus just on growth. Of course Will Harris Youth Jersey , this begs the question, ?What make a business healthy?? This question comes up often for me so, I have crafted what I call my Healthy Business Manifesto.


(Before I dive in, I should clarify one point. When I use the word "business" I mean any organization that has people, money and a purpose, not just a for-profit business in the traditional sense. A business can be a non-profit organization Jahlani Tavai Youth Jersey , a school, a church, a government agency or a membership association. It does not have to be a for-profit entity.)


To be healthy, a business needs to have several things going for it. Here are the factors I would look for in a healthy business.


First, it needs to have a clearly defined mission that its owners, managers and employees understand and support.


Second T.J. Hockenson Youth Jersey , the business should have resources that are appropriate to meeting the mission. Lacking them, it should have a realistic plan to acquire those resources.


Third, each person in the organization should understand what their role is and how it fits into the overall mission of the business. They should be able to see a clear link that connects their success to the success of the organization.


Fourth, the people who own and manage the business need to understand and accept their role as resource providers. Their responsibility is to make sure their employees have the necessary resources at their disposal to be successful at their jobs.


Fifth, the business needs to generate enough profits to fairly compensate everyone involved. This includes owners, employees Kenny Golladay Youth Jersey , managers, vendors, contractors, customers, host community and perhaps others. Anyone who participates in the success of the organization needs to be compensated fairly. This compensation needs to come from the operating profits of the organization. (Rather than from capital contributions, loans Jarrad Davis Youth Jersey , etc.)


Sixth, the business must have a system in place to monitor the extent to which it is accomplishing its mission. It should be able to stay directed toward and course-correct whenever necessary.


Seventh, the business must be a fun place to be. Whether you're an owner, manager, customer, employee Kerryon Johnson Youth Jersey , vendor, volunteer or whomever, you should enjoy being a part of the organization.


Does your organization meet these seven standards? If not, what can you do to help your business become healthier?


So why is local search important for the brick-and-mortar businesses? Let's explore the facts and figures:


? Current estimates say 40 percent of search engine queries are for local businesses and services


? Research shows that 92 percent of local searches convert, but at a later date and offline


? 54 percent of people use the Internet instead of the phone book or newspaper to find local information


? Trends indicate that the Internet will likely surpass the newspaper in the near future for local advertising


These impressive numbers have confirmed the emerging pattern of consumer behavior and the major search engines are paying attention. We've got Google Local, Yahoo Local Marvin Jones Jr Youth Jersey , AOL Local, and MSN Local all vying for the local searches and continuously releasing improvements such as aerial photos, directions and even satellite mapping.


Small businesses are taking notice and shifting some of their marketing budgets over to Internet marketing. There are three easy ways to market your local business online and participate in the continuing growth of local search. Here are some ways in which your dollars will be well spent.


First, get listed on the major search engines local search. It's easy!


? Sign up for Yahoo Local here Option to enhance your listing for $9.95month.


? Sign up for Google Local here - Get listed in Ask Jeeves Local by submitting to (see below).


? Get listed in MSN Local. MSN's business listings come from publicly available local telephone records for published telephone listings. To add your business, go to Add a New Business Listing form. MSN's local web results come from the indexed sites within their search engine. Make sure to include your full address on your website and that it is not solely defined within an image. Image based addresses cannot be indexed by search engine crawlers.


Second, purchase inexpensive advertising on geographic specific search engines or portals. Minor search engines and portals revolving around local search offer very reasonable advertising fees. Check out the following local engines:


? True Local ? . Only indexes websites that have a physical location. Advertising starts at $40year! When you sign up Barry Sanders Youth Jersey , type in the coupon code: mannix


? City Search - Offers pay per performance and sponsored ads. Also feeds Ask Jeeves local listings.


? American Town Network ? . Caters to NY, CT, Northern NJ, Boston and Detroit. Email (info@ ), call (203- 256-3390 ) or write for advertising details.


? Escape Maker ? . Caters to New England, Maryland Austin Bryant Womens Jersey , Virginia, Delaware. Basic listing is FREE. Enhanced options available.


? ? Online Yellow Pages. It only takes a moment to make sure your listing is correct. If you search for yourself and do not find a listing, contact for a FREE basic listing.


? offers a myriad of advertising options to get you noticed! Click here


? ? Check the and see if they offer advertising. Usually city portals have impressive statistics and will send you targeted traffic. Mannix Marketing has developed many portals that are highly beneficial if you do business in upstate New York.


Third, don't forget old fashioned optimization to get your local business found wit. Cheap New Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys China Free Shipping Cheap Soccer Jerseys From China Cheap NHL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap MLB Jerseys From China Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys China medizinische handschuhe kaufen