As a business owner, something that you must be committed to is your own growth and learning. The best advice does not have to come from the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation; sometimes the most inspirational stories are found just down the street and around the corner. Whether your business reaches 50,000 people or 5 million people, success strategies tend to be similar. Looking at some of these success tips will hopefully give us some inspiration on how our own businesses could be improved upon. Who wouldn’t like to make a few more sales this holiday season and beyond? Read on to see what these small business success stories are doing right: Success tip #1: Small businesses learn from and connect to other small businesses. Develop good relationships with your business friends…...and your foes. No rule states you must be at odds with your competition. If you establish a give-and-take rapport with them, they will likely respond in kind. Through mutual respect and support of one another and your endeavors, you are more likely to be successful through shared learning and resources. Ask for assistance when you need it; you never know where these business connections might lead. Success tip #2: Small businesses go mobile! In this digital age, if you are resistant to going mobile, then you are sticking your head in the sand. Through the use of social media, SEO, and a solid online marketing strategy, you are more likely to attract a steady stream of customers. While you might have the most beautiful storefront on the block with a killer array of product offerings, if people don’t know about you, they won’t come. Become visible via the amazing Internet, and your stream of customers will be almost inexhaustible. Success tip #3: Small businesses stress quantity over quality. Plan out your internet marketing strategy. More is not always better; emphasizing the quality of your cont will produce better results than merely posting haphazardly without any forethought as to how it will impact your business. Develop a strategy for your internet and social media use, and then adopt a schedule which regularly tickles your prospects and tantalizes them with what you have to offer. Success tip #4: Small businesses watch a budget…….carefully! When managing a business, you must learn to play a delicate balancing game. Your profits must exceed your expenditures, otherwise, your success will be short lived. Keeping a close eye on the books while you are on the rise will ensure that you are able to go the distance. Use your money wisely in ways that will continue to expand your business, and calculate your risk when considering more significant ventures. If it is in your budget, enlist the help of a financial advisor to help you get started---and stay---on the right track. Success tip #5: Small businesses refuse to give up on their dreams! When times are tough, remember the reason that you took the leap and started your business in the first place. Customers can sense whether passion drives you, or if your primary motivation has less integrity. Always pursue your goals with passion, drive, and desire, and communicate your intention to enrich the lives of your customers with your unique product or service. Through your passion, you communicate value, and this is what speaks to your potential audience. The business owner who refuses to commit to their learning and growth will soon find that their business becomes stagnant as well. Following these simple tips for success, finding other like-minded entrepreneurs who share your passion for business, and sharing and receiving advice from others is key to maintaining that steady, upward climb. Advice from others can be invaluable, and whether you’ve been in business for a few weeks or several years, you never know when you are going get that golden tip from someone that will change the course of your success for the better. Best of luck to you as you continue to follow your dreams!