"Small is the new big," according to Seth Godin. Where businesses used to want to appear to be big, they may now want to look small, cutting edge, and nimble. Small businesses, by this reckoning, should revel in their fresh, new identity and their close-to-their-roots feeling. And many do.

Good for them. What if you still want your business to look a little bigger than it really is? You may be in an industry that still places mroe trust in larger businesses. You may plan to be much bigger next year than you are now, and prefer to begin as you mean to go on. You may just prefer the idea of a bigger business.

You can do it online. And we can help.

We're not talking about deception, here. We're just talking about a highly professional self-presentation.  Here are some steps you can take to give yourself an image worth growing into:

• Have a professionally designed website. Nothing says "just getting our feet wet" like an amateur website, and yes, everyone can tell.
• Put thought, effort, and a bit of money into your logo design. This is an investment, but you can get a lot of mileage from that one investment, and it fixes your company's identity the way few other things can. This is not the place to choose something generic or auto-generated.
• Use a corporate style. Avoid down-home, handmade effects. Sure, they can be attractive, but a polished, professional air makes you look like a larger company even if you're really working out of your garage. A traditional font, rounded corners, and neutral colors may be elements you'll want to use -- discuss it with your designer. Don't be shy about that, either. Your designer can help you create just the image you want to present.
  
• Use a consistent style. Large companies get everyone to use the same style in their correspondence and writing; you should do the same. 
• Say "we." Even if you're the only employee right now, you can still say, "We carry..." or "We'll have that for you..." or "We've been in business since..." Just be sure to keep it consistent: don't say "we" sometimes and "I" sometimes, or you'll seem confused.
• Use online services to pick up the slack. SmartPay e-billing, SugarCRM, professional email, and other online tools give you a "big company" look from the beginning.

Rep. Pomeroy recently spoke here on the importance of small businesses in job growth. Small businesses have created over 22 million new jobs in the past 15 years, so it's no surprise that experts on both sides of the aisle agree that small business is the growth engine for jobs.

There's also widespread agreement that the web is the growth engine for small business.

How can the internet help you grow your small business?

First, you can open your doors  online for much less than what it costs in the physical world. Even if you plan to grow someday to the point where you need a big building downtown, a business can get started with a good website. As you grow, your website allows you to communicate with customers, get the most for your marketing dollar, and maintain a 24/7 presence where your customers are.

 Second, you can save time and money with web applications. Onsharp offers electronic billing with SmartPay, customer relationship management with SugarCRM, and a myriad of services with the Onsharp Core,including email, calendar management, geocoding, content management, e-commerce integration, and much more. Beyond these basics, Onsharp's crack development team can create solutions just for your company. 

This robust functionality lets a small company look and feel like a bigger company to clients and prospective clients. With the savings in time and money that result from having so many of the basic business functions take place on the web, your company can concentrate on growth.

Call Onsharp today to begin the conversation about what our business can do for your business. 

For 2010, don't mess around with resolutions to get organized or laugh more often. 

Jump right into the serious stuff. The second decade of the 21st century is beginning, and it's time for all of us to get our businesses online and flying.

Onsharp has ten resolutions that will make a real difference for your business, and we'd love to help you achieve them. 

Choose one or all, and call us today to get ready for your profitable new year. 

• If you don't have a website, get one. No excuses.
• Make sure your design is a modern one that enhances your company's image.
• Get your website's code updated to current standards, for accessibility and predictability.
• Get your content updated -- no more outdated information, typos, or text copied from your company brochure.
• Make usability the #1 priority at your website -- your customers will love you for it.
  
• Install analytics so you really know how people are using your website.
• Include your website, blog, email, and social media in your marketing plan.
• Use your online presence to support your brick and mortar shop, and vice versa.
  
• Encourage staff to get engaged with customers online.
• Use online applications like SmartPay and SugarCRM to make your business more productive.

CRM Magazine has named SugarCRM the best open source software for the second consecutive year.

SugarCRM is a customer relations management program that lets you plan and track sales campaigns, customer care, and follow-ups of all kinds, easily and productively. With customizable dashboards and great integration with your other software, having SugarCRM is a lot like having another staff member.

What's open source? That means that it's possible to use SugarCRM yourself for free -- if you have the time and the skills. If you'd like to get on with your business -- the things you're best at -- then let Onsharp manage it for you.

At Onsharp, we're ready to be your online partner, and to help you take advantage of the things that the web can do for you, even if you don't have an IT department. Web design, web development, web hosting, web strategy, web optimization, and web marketing are all part of our service. Now, we also offer SmartPay electronic billing and SugarCRM customer relations solutions.

With our help, you can have the same kind of systems big companies have, even if you're not a big company. Yet.