Trade Rags, A Way To Educate Yourself

We are constantly asked how we keep up with all the different industries that we provide advice to on a daily basis. Early in my career I would explain in not so simple terms how my personal experience in leading an International Consulting company has expanded my depth of knowledge and allowed us to expand our area of influence over small and medium businesses. Then, one day it hit me, the foundation of our knowledge was our policy to subscribe to every Trade Magazine, Publication and Website for every industry we represent; we are addicted to Trade Rags.

It's not that we rely on third party information to supply us with the answers to questions and issues facing our clients. No, as objective consultants in a wide variety of industries located throughout Urban and Rural America, Asia, Australia and Europe, we needed a solid foundation of understanding of each market, and magazines give us a multi-dimensional view of those markets. Trade Rags also give us the 100,000 foot view with snippets of the drill down details needed to understand specific issues the market faces from local, regional and national economies to individual regulatory and business indicators such as labor, manufacturing, sales, marketing and operational management.

We find that many times our clients subscribe to magazines and then skim over the magazine looking for the Headlines. However, as any good consultant should do, we drill down into the stories, ads and editorials looking for those pieces of information that can help our clients in their specific area of interest and recommend our clients do the same.

Owners, Managers and Employees wanting to progress within their industry and consultants to those people should subscribe to as many Trade Rags as they can within all areas of influence they participate in. Understanding what is going on is not a one dimensional exercise. Trade Rags can be a conduit to Objectivity in that reading them expands the readers knowledge and provides additional learning and viewpoints that can be used in future planning and decisions.

Trade Rags are and will continue to be a source of foundational and operational information for most business people. The time and resources needed to procure, read and digest the information contained in the Trade Rags is an investment in every business person's company and individual future and can be one of the most cost effective training tool available to business owners and managers.

Brian Smith leads http://www.yourbizdr.com the world's first online full service membership based consultantcy.

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