Keeping up with all the changes in business skills can be trying. In a Constant Contact survey, 59 percent of respondents felt running a business was harder today than it was five years ago, and 49 percent of those people said that keeping pace with technology was an issue.

How we conduct business may be ever-evolving, but there are some business skills that never go out of style. If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, marketer or creative who wants to find success in the modern working world, make sure you have these three skills mastered.

Communication

Running a business requires communicating with all sorts of people — customers, suppliers, other businesses and more. Not only that, but you must be able to communicate across many more channels than you would have just a decade ago. A successful business needs you to be capable of communicating via social media; according to ActiveSocial, more than two billion active social media accounts exist today, and that’s a demographic you can’t ignore. Social media and mobile communications have drastically changed the art of communication, and a smart entrepreneur must be a master of them all. Social Media Examiner features a guide to get you started.

Furthermore, to properly run a business you will need to be capable of speaking to staff and investors in a public setting. Learning to speak in front of groups and comfortably present ideas and initiatives to others is the hallmark of a leader. If you freeze in front of a crowd, check out the public speaking program Toastmasters.

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Organization

While some people may believe being organized is a talent rather than a skill, you can’t afford to think that way. Time management goes a long way it getting projects done and delegating tasks to those with the know-how to perform are critical parts of what makes you successful. Balancing the books and having a working knowledge of accounting procedures isn’t something you should think of as optional; many businesses collapse because of bad bookkeeping skills.

Additionally, keeping documents, shared resources and data organized is one of your most important tasks. Luckily, cloud storage and computing services like Mozy exist to help you manage the mountain of data and documents that are now a part of everyday business. A disorganized workplace is an unproductive one, and keeping things streamlined leads to successful projects and enterprises.

Ability to Analyze

Today’s workplace is one that requires a sharp eye for analysis. We live in a time that is much more technologically complex, and as new technologies and trends emerge, you must be able to think critically about the present state of your business. This requires the ability to analyze data, at least in an abstract form. From creative to executive, the new workplace demands analytic thought and the ability to make compelling arguments about what this data means. Don’t shut yourself away and only worry about the tasks in your job description; take advantage of the stockpiles of data that are out there to look into the future and see the direction you want to go. Failure to do so could leave you in your industry’s dust. You may wish to consult a business analyst if this isn’t your strong suit.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to check out these others:

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Going From a Small Business to a Corporate Career? (Top Job Hunting Tips)
5 Simple Ways To Improve Word-Of-Mouth About Your Business
15 Website Mistakes You Should Avoid (Part 1)
Is There Still Gold in Cold Calling?

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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