Have you ever tried crowdsourcing? Well, you should. But before you do you should probably know what it is first. Crowdsourcing is defined as the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to an undefined, large group of people or community (a "crowd"), through an open call. What that means for a small business owner is that you can engage a global talent pool of human capital and information in order to produce innovative products and solutions. This type of open innovation turns ideas into marketable products and can solve tough problems at relatively low costs. Can crowdsourcing be a force that fuels the way we make decisions in a hyper connected world? Quite possibly. In fact, there are several online platforms and innovative tools that are enabling businesses to listen to customer feedback, identity talent, and fund business ideas. Here are seven key ones being used in the 2.0 world. —Hajj Flemings
Author: Hajj Flemings is a weekly technology columnist for BlackEnterprise.com, founder of Brand Camp University, and the author of the book Brand YU Life. As a speaker and brand strategist, he works with some of the largest brands, covering the topics of branding and digital technology. Check back each Wednesday for his next column. Until then, continue the conversation on Hajj’s BE Insider page at beinsider.ning.com/HajjEFlemings.
