Hey guys! Welcome to another week – and Halloween! Fun news. I just spent the morning in jury duty. I know. I know. There are surely more exciting ways to spend your morning. But I have to admit, it was nice to see so many people from all walks of life there answering the call and doing their civic duty. It may not be a part of our democracy we love, but it is  one of the foundations of our unique judicial system. 

Although I’m getting a later start today I still wanted to share with you a bunch of great things I read (and a few I wrote!) over the last week or so. Here goes! Enjoy!

• This study says that these 5 trends will drive next 10-year small business growth: bit.ly/2eNj6pV
• Influencer marketing can really boost your company’s SEO: bit.ly/2dPmnb2
• Is it time to rediscover old-school direct-mail marketing? on.inc.com/2e1nzqD
• Is it time to rethink our content marketing to ensure its effectiveness? bit.ly/2fbofwe
• Ideas for testing innovative ideas w/o hurting your brand: bit.ly/2dOAicw
• Some keys to building a sustainable business that grows and KEEPS loyal customers: bit.ly/2esqYPM
• These are the key parts of a great social media strategy: on.inc.com/2eJ5VXR
• In case you needed a reminder…here are a few ways blogging can help your small business: bit.ly/2dGqf9J
• Will they buy Slack? No. Instead, Microsoft wants to kill Slack with their own chat-app: read.bi/2f4Y5uW
• Some good tips for improving your blog’s SEO and it’s speed: bit.ly/2f1t8HV
• Yes, your small workplace CAN be a great place to work: huff.to/2dDLOHO

What was on my mind last week? The idea that we can get so caught up in the day-to-day activities of our business that we sometimes lose sight of our longer-term goals and our vision. I shared a few tips to help keep these aligned: 

• Short-term goals must have a purpose. Tie each with a broader, longer-term strategic goal.
• Knowing your fundamental mission, vision, and brand purpose will give you confidence in your daily decision-making.
• It’s those shorter-term daily and weekly goals that help you achieve your longer-term goals.
• A longer-term plan is essential to making sure your EVERYDAY actions are moving your toward your LONG-TERM goals.

I also extended these ideas into the blog. On the blog the other day I wrote a post called: Aligning The Short-Term With The Long-Term. I hope you’ll read it and add your comments and thoughts for our other readers. How do you keep your short-term priorities pointed toward your long-term goals?