As small business owners, we all have one thing on our minds – growing our business. That is easier said than done, but it’s also absolutely vital to the revenue and relevance of the business you worked so hard to create. Running a small business can be very time consuming, stressful and hard. However, growing your business doesn’t have to be as big of a task as it seems! We have compiled a list of several simple but effective things you can be doing with your business each day, to increase its growth overall:
Establish a Brand
Establishing a name and a brand for your business is a huge factor in growing your business. Once you have been able to establish a brand for yourself, customers will start to recognize you and your work. You want to have a logo that is streamlined across all social media outlets, and is eye-catching and memorable. It’s important that your products, procedures and work are always the same and that all customers receive the same benefits and service. If you have an office or store where customers come to you, make sure all of your work spaces are visually appealing and similar in theme. For example, if you have two office spaces and one is very modern and the other decorated very vintage, it will be hard for customers to understand your brand and find things that strike out to them about your business. Establishing your brand is something you can take small steps with everyday to make sure that over time, it is all streamlined.
Build an Email Marketing List
Engaging with your customers (past and present), is easy with FreshLime’s Engage product. The reason FreshLime focus so much on engagement with customers is because this is a vital and valuable way to grow your business quickly. Keeping in contact with your customers and sending them valuable content, coupons and information is something that goes a long way in helping you stand out from the competition. Communicating with your customers through email, text or social media engagement is absolutely crucial in today’s world of technology. Don’t let the reason your business sees little or no growth be because of lack of engagement!
Stand Out
Be different from your competition to ensure that your business stands out in the minds of your customers and potential customers. Show your personality (professionally) through your social media and blog posts. Let your customers know why your products and services are different from the competition, and show that through your work. What makes you different from the competition in your industry? Focus on that and use it to your advantage!
Be Reliable
When you make an appointment to complete a service for a customer, make sure you are on time. The work you do should always be the best and something that your customer will rave about to their family and friends. Not only should you be reliable, but so should you work. If you promise to return a phone call, do so as soon as possible. Don’t ever leave your customer wondering if and when they’ll hear back from you – this is a sure fire way to lose business. Instead, keep your customer feeling like they are your top priority by being reliable and sticking to your word!
Offer Free Tips to the Public
Feel free to post tips and tricks related to your industry on your social media pages. Don’t be afraid to send out mailers (once in awhile) to local homeowners in your area. Giving potential customers tips to help them, shows that you are the expert and that you can be trusted. Make them feel valued by giving them ideas and ways to preserve their appliances, window cleaning, carpet cleaning, or anything else you might be in the business of servicing. Giving out tips will instill a sense of trust to the customer, while also showing them that you care!
Become Involved in the Community
Get to know the local schools, libraries and businesses around you. Show the community that you are interested in their well-being and you care about each person who lives near you. Getting your name out there by doing service or being involved in community events is a great way to present yourself. Read our full post on ideas about how to become more involved in your community by clicking here.
Business growth and development are things all business owners want, but few know how to achieve. Follow our tips to help your business grow. Basically, don’t be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone and build your business into exactly what you want it to be. . After all, this is your business.
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!