The key to business growth in any industry is being able to locate, connect, and engage with customers. Whether it’s through the services you provide, or the referrals you gain from previous customers, you can find creative ways to promote your business without breaking the bank.
Small business owners know that they need to protect their small business, so consider these 7 tips below:
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Identify Your Customer
The first step any business needs to take is identifying who they are developing their product or service for. This is the crucial step of identifying your customer. One way to begin this process is by writing a business plan, researching the industry, and compiling data that allows you to focus on a specific niche or customer type.
Once you identify and reach initial customers, continue to develop this strategy by gathering customer feedback. This input helps you improve your service offerings, adjust procedures and policies, and keep ahead of trends in the marketplace.
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Always Strive for Superior Customer Service
Contrary to popular belief, customer service is not an occasional business philosophy. To separate yourself from competition, you need to fine-tune your customer-service standards and make sure that they are always evolving in response to customer demands and market pressures. One way to accomplish this is through communicating with existing and previous customers.
Request feedback on all aspects of your business. You can do this by setting up social media pages, sending email surveys, or calling your customers for a chat. The key is to actively listen to your customers, and always follow-up on any customer inquiries or feedback
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Create Loyalty
Building a relationship with customers takes time. The goal of any small business is to offer services and sell products that solve problems, provide value, and enhance their customer’s quality of life. However, while these attributes will help you to establish a niche and gain customers, creating loyalty and repeat business is the key to sustained growth.
To enhance this potential, consider developing a rewards program for constant business. Whether it’s a discount on goods and services or promotional gifts for repeat business, setting up a loyalty program helps inspire customers to choose your business over competitors. It also means that you will be ‘top of mind’ for them, and they will be more likely to recommend you to friends and family.
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Enhance Your Social Media Presence
Every day, billions of people navigate platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WeChat to connect with long-lost friends, business contacts or random folks with similar interests. This platform is also crucial for a small business to connect with future customers.
If you have an active social presence, it will be easy for customers to find you on numerous channels. It will ensure that you remain relevant to your customers. Be sure to connect with individual page visitors and followers. Make sure to reply quickly to customer feedback – whether it is positive or negative. Not only does this develop a strong relationship with customers but building on feedback will help you to fine-tune your business operations and strategy.
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Hire the Best People
As a business owner, you might assume that you’re the public face of the operation. However, this is truer of those who serve your customers daily – your employees. While it’s great to maintain a positive self-image and be a customer-service superstar yourself, it’s more important to hire people that can represent your brand and its values.
Your employees need to be customer service fanatics, because this is what will develop and enhance your brand. Your brand identity is a vital component to business development, and your staff are the face of your business, so they will make or break your business reputation.
It’s very important to establish a good relationship with employees. Make them feel important, listen to their concerns, and always be available to help them. Create an open-door policy and make sure you stick to it. If your employees require your attention, give them ample time, address their issues, and make sure to follow up on the issue.
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Networking Makes a Difference
Connecting with customers and business partners is a great SME development focus. You can network by attending industry events. This will help put your name and business out there and establish you as a player in your field. There are several ways a small business can connect with others, including joining chamber of commerce, business or entrepreneurial groups, and working with non-profit organizations.
You can also attend community events, visit local businesses, and join online communities and forums. The take-away here is that networking is an all-time task, so always have some business cards at the ready!
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Become Socially Responsible
It’s important for all business owners to be passionate about something. Whether it’s donating time or money to local charities, non-profits, or community groups, or being active with local schools, every small business should be socially responsible. This is crucial for your brand image and will also reinforce your brand values. Being a socially responsible brand will also give you an edge over your competitors and will make you the more attractive choice for consumers.
Every small business owner is usually in business to make money. However, it’s important to make sure you have other focuses in life. Find an activity that would benefit from your expertise, a worthy cause that could benefit from your charity, or use your talents to help a less-than-fortunate group improve their standing in the community.
