Leverage Your Assets - Everyones got 'em

Google does an amazing thing. They provide search for everyone, for FREE!

Recently Google posted an article about where they are heading with Search. Some of the fantastic things on the horizon is the hopefully broad adoption of Google Health.

This illustrates an interesting aspect of Google, and other smart businesses. Leveraging your assets.

This process begins with a searching inventory of what your assets are. What skills do you, and your employees poses? What experience do you have? Once you have identified your assets, see if there are any good fits. Places where your assets go together well. If not, then identify possible products or markets that you can tailor some of your assets to. Little things you can do to turn these assets into additional revenue. Work at it, stay focused on your end goal helping others by producing jobs and revenue.

Be the first to grab hold of new technologies - but keep them at arms length.

Google has recently announced that they have released Google search for IPv6. This is an interesting move. While perhaps not as critical as putting a king in checkmate in the game of chess. It is rather part of the constant moves you would expect from a company with the resources of Google.

For a small business, it is difficult to stay on top of tech and make sure you are always using the latest and greatest. That's ok. You don't need to use the latest and greatest. The Y2K scare illustrated how many big businesses were using antiquated systems for their day to day operations. The important thing, is that you stay aware of the big technologies that will impact your product and market. By spending a little time (a few hours a month) reading trade journals, blog articles, news feeds, etc... You will be able to see where your industry is going, and make sure you move with the industry, instead of following it close behind.

While Google could no doubt survive on IPv4 for a long long time. By ensuring their original marketing tool Search, is available on IPv6 well before the world is wanting it they are ensuring that they will continue to always be available wherever you are.

Official Google Blog: Looking towards IPv6

Successful Ethics - Don't pressure the goose that lays golden eggs.

I love Google. One reason, is that they offer a lot to the world at large. They understand the principles of hard work, and are willing to pay the price to get the return.

Recently they posted a great article about how exactly ad prices are set via auction. One thing I noticed is that they don't always give the highest bidder the best spot. Instead, they take into account both what ad is most relevant, and look at the bid amount of the ad.

If they were greedy, they could just ALWAYS put the most revenue generating ad in the best place, but instead, they try to give their customers (us, the Searcher's) the best information.

This is a classic example of win-win. By considering the fulfillment of their customers wants, and satisfying them. They are maximizing their revenue.

Are their areas of your business that you could do likewise? Customer concerns / wants / needs that you can satisfy, and make some additional revenue while you are at it?
Official Google Blog: How auctions set ad prices