1. Great content. It’s no longer adequate to produce content-it must be great content. The Web is becoming flooded with content, and the task is to filter through to find the most relevant content. The way to produce great content is to be clearly focused on your target’s needs, and to communicate as briefly as possible, with links to expanded resources.

2. Video replaces podcasts. If you are only now considering adding podcasts to your content-stop. Video is becoming the medium of choice. Slick productions are not required, and for an investment of less than $2,000 you can have studio quality hardware (video camera, backdrop, and lights). Use software programs that are already part of your PC or Mac; with a little practice, or a savvy intern, you will produce effective videos.

3. Use Social Media Wisely. The tendency to dive into Social Media should be tempered with a well thought out strategy of the business purpose it will serve, and its cost in manhours.

4. The pure sales model will change. The Web is changing the balance of power from seller to buyer, as the buyer has more resources for information. Counter-balancing this will be the increasing pressures on buyers to perform more tasks, which will demand more of their time. The emerging sales model will require sales to use Web-enabled tools to provide buyers with new levels of service that were traditionally delivered during sales calls. Automated inventory alerts and instant messaging of new products are two examples.

One thing will never change- the need for strategic management. The increasingly rapid pace of business seems to scream for action and tactics, but both need to be tempered and managed through the deliberate and disciplined practice of business strategy.

This Reuters article reports that, as a result of the meeting of big bank executives with President Obama yesterday, BofA Chief Executive Ken Lewis has pledged at least $5 billion in additional loans to small business — which the bank defines as clients with businesses posting less than $20 million in annual revenue — next year.

“We understand that small business owners have been especially hard hit by the decline in economic conditions,” said Bank of America spokeswoman Anne Pace. “Its time to do more.”

The economic recovery, though later than we’d like, will come sooner than we expect. It’s important to have your game plan in place now.