Your brand is your clear differentiator and your competitive advantage.  It’s also the first impression you make with potential customers and the source of attachment that you create with your current customers. Without a doubt, your brand is the most important tool in your business toolbox, and it's crucial that you use it to maximum benefit. Here are ten of the most popular business trends in 2011; see if you can apply them to your brand.

It used to be that if you wanted to make a difference, you had to join a nonprofit organization. But if you wanted to make money, you launched a business instead. These days most nonprofits are being run like start-ups, traditional companies are built around a social mission, and one of the best ways you can help others is actually through Marketing.

Video engages people in a way that photos and text alone can't. For small-business owners, using video in your marketing can bring faces, voices, personality and heart to your operation, while also demonstrating your authenticity. Thanks to affordable video cameras and easy-to-use software, video has become a tool that nearly any small business can use to enhance their marketing.

It’s no secret that referred customers make better customers. They cost less to acquire because they are already pre-sold on your services. They are less price resistant because someone they trust referred them. They tend to be more understanding and easy to please. And since they were referred to you, they are more likely to refer others. If you want to get more small business referrals from customers, here are some key strategies for designing your own referral marketing system.