Web 2.0 explained for small businesses

We've covered the world of social networking as a small business marketing tool before on the Trade-It Business Blog. When web-based tools are used in a way that's appropriate to your business, it can end up as an engaging and rewarding method of reaching out while cutting marketing costs.

Saying that though, it's not hard to see why a lesser-confident web user would get their Twitter mixed up with their YouTube, and their Flickr muddled with their Delicious. Happily, the Guardian have saved the day with a very informative article on using web tools as part of your marketing arsenal.

Helen Keegan, the MD and founder of UK mobile marketing agency, BeepMarketing, has found such tools invaluable. "I use web 2.0 technologies because, as a consultant, they build up my personal brand to be top of mind in people's minds," she says. "You need to strike a balance between your personal communication style and the audience you want to reach."

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Workplace jargon: harmless or damaging?

First things first, a belated Happy New Year to the readers of this blog. Hopefully the festive break was a relaxing one - already it feels like a distant memory!

The Trade-It Small Business blog will continue as a resource for south west businesses in 2009, with more exclusive articles from local business personalities, together with the latest news from the economic world.

Today's post is based on a feature in the January issue of Business Edge magazine concerning workplace jargon. Their top ten cringeworthy office phrases are as follows:

• Going forward
• Blue sky thinking
• Web 2.0
• Ideas shower
• Pushing the envelope
• Low hanging fruit (?!)
• Knowledge base
• Restructuring
• Fully integrated
• Upskill

Research shows that 98% of staff from larger companies use buzzwords every day, compared to just 25% of workers from small businesses; whilst women (36%) are more guilty of spouting jargon compared to men (26%).

So why does office jargon exist? What's wrong with good old fashioned coherent speech? Is it a matter of laziness, or does it genuinely save time?

Answers to our comments form please! Feel free to add any classic office speak that we may have missed...