Tips for Small Business Owners
1. Stay organized.
The proper documentation, time management, and automating repeatable work could mean the difference between success and failure for a small business.
Maintain accurate records of your business’ finances. Record each transaction (customer invoices and vendor payments) into the proper account at least weekly, and monitor your profitability. Make copies of cash receipts, invoices and payment receipts for bookkeeping and tax purposes.
Establish and Maintain Deadlines: Stay ahead of administrative tasks with software for project management that allows you to set deadlines, assign tasks to employees, and upload documents into an online repository.
Plan Ahead: Create your social media posts ahead of time using a software for scheduling them. Utilize automated marketing emails to stay in contact with leads. Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams offer instant communication between staff members; if something can be communicated through email without holding a meeting, there’s no need to hold one.
2. Be flexible.
Agile businesses can quickly adjust to changes in market conditions, while slow-moving ones struggle to remain relevant. Utilize your information and always be ready to adjust your strategy if needed. Be open to customer feedback and don’t get too attached to your own opinion.
Let’s say, after conducting interviews with potential customers, that your product or market is not popular or large enough. Don’t become Business Management Tips too attached to a concept that won’t succeed. Be willing to adjust your pricing strategy if the current plan doesn’t work out for you.
3. Automate as many of your repetitive tasks as possible.
Automating repetitive tasks saves time and ensures even the smallest details don’t get overlooked. Did you meet a potential customer at an event for networking? Utilize your CRM tool to automate follow-up with new leads within 24 hours or send emails to those who visited your website. Similarly, utilize accounting software for automating day-to-day bookkeeping so that you don’t spend valuable time entering data manually.
Save abandoned shopping carts by sending automated emails to encourage shoppers to complete their purchase. If you don’t already use payroll software, learning how to automate payroll management with Excel can help.
4. Maintain a personal touch.
Smaller businesses have the opportunity to provide the personal touch, especially if you only have a few employees or run the company yourself. A handwritten thank-you note can go a long way. You could also offer gifts with purchases or provide giveaways in exchange for reviews.
Utilize your CRM software to store the personal information of each customer, so that you can provide more individualized touches. For instance, if a jeweler recently provided an engagement ring that was custom-designed for the couple, sending them both a basic wedding gift along with an offer to purchase another ring when they tie the knot could be beneficial.
5. Protect Your Intellectual Property
Intellectual property refers to tangible assets like trademarks, copyrights, patents and trademarks which distinguish your online business from others. Protect these assets with appropriate safeguards in place.
For small businesses, it is imperative to safeguard important documents like business plans, designs and trade secrets. If a competitor attempts to replicate your product or services, it could reduce market share and damage your reputation. Before filing trademarks or patent applications, consulting an attorney is recommended in order to understand legal terminology and avoid making minor errors (like forgetting sketches or descriptions) which could lead to rejection of your application.
6. Construct a stunning website.
Your website is the hub of your operation; it’s how potential clients discover your offerings and, unless you have an actual store, it’s the only way for people to purchase from you.
Make it count!
Keep it simple and uncluttered, and limit the use of colors, banner ads or pop-ups. Furthermore, invest time and energy into SEO (search engine optimization). Before creating an online presence, take time to think about branding; branding builds trust and sets you apart from your competition.
Your brand’s value proposition must be clearly communicated upfront so that potential customers understand it. Take for instance DuckDuckGo, an online search tool whose homepage reads: “Search the web without being tracked”, an appealing appeal to today’s concerned about privacy of their data.
Make sure to use high-quality images (stock photos are unreliable) and hire professionals to photograph your entire range. Furthermore, write detailed product descriptions that highlight the benefits of each item, draw attention to specific features, and, when possible, tell a story.
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7. Create Unique Content.
On social media sites, post photos that showcase your company and employees – real people like faces or authentic behind the scenes footage over stock images or videos. 8. Activate creativity when curating content for each platform.
