What’s the fastest way to grow your business today?

Well, the jury is still out, but we have clues.

Consider the phenomenal growth in the use of web tools like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter. This is a sign that customers are finding a solution to information overload by actively going after the information we want rather than just being the passive recipients of messages targeted at us by marketers.

This is a revolution–not a fad.

And to grow our businesses in the midst of it is to start thinking in an entirely new way. This means stop thinking of our web presence as just another way to target customers. Think no more of your website as a billboard along the information super highway. Think of it instead as a hub of connections where you provide your prospects and customers with a living, breathing experience.

What are your favorite places to do business?

I consistently use my car repair guy not because of his company, or his location, or his prices. While these factors work for me, I choose him instead of others because of my experience of being remarkably well cared for.

My barber is not the cheapest or most convenient. However, I always come out of the shop feeling remarkably good.

Recently I went to my clothier to get an evaluation of a suit I was wearing. He said: “Don’t change a thing. You look just great.” I walked out of there knowing more than ever that I could trust the guy. Here I had given him a golden opportunity to sell me something I didn’t need. Instead, he gave me his honest opinion. Remarkable!

It’s these kind of experiences we need to offer online in order to be part of the revolution. How do you do create remarkable online experiences?

Add the following five steps to your “to-do” list.

1. Set your goals
2. Listen to your ideal customer
3. Create an offer
4. Convert visitors and leads into customers
5. Deliver
6. Measure for return on investment

In this post I’ll cover the first step. Keep a lookout for the remaining in future posts.

Step 1. Listen to your ideal customer.

There are many ways to listen to your customers—feedback forms, surveys, word of mouth. I have added Twitter to my repertoire. Most people use Twitter to say what they are doing.

A much more powerful use of Twitter is to listen to the opinions of prospects and customers. What are they thinking about? What are their concerns? What are their unmet needs? And how can I genuinely help them?

If you have a Twitter account, go to the home page and find the search box. Think of a keyword that might be used by your ideal customer. Type it in, and see what’s going on. For example, if you’re selling hiking boots, type that in and see what live, flesh and blood people are talking about on that subject. Get involved in the discussion, and learn. If you don’t have an account, find out how to create a Twitter account.