3 tips for growing your small business. Setting up a business can be hard. But building momentum is perhaps even more challenging. You’ve had a great idea – or so you think. The next challenge is how to find and convert customers. Sometimes, it feels like trying to push water uphill with a rake. It is your dedication, focus and passion which will help you achieve success. It is a constant process though. There are many qualities and actions you need to take. Here are suggestions for 3 things you need. Taken from my experience of setting up new businesses.
1. A quality website
Your website is your shop window so it’s important that it looks good and reflects the image you want to put out. It also needs to be clear – to allow potential customers the opportunity to easily find the things they’re looking for. Usually potential customers will browse your website before deciding what action they want to take next. And unless you sell something very unusual or tailored, they’ll probably look at your competitors too. Make sure the experience they have is a good and positive one. Keep it up to date and looking fresh (it’s amazing how website fashion has changed over the years.) and relevant.
I recommend having a blog or news section on your website too. It allows you to add lots of content littered with all your keywords which helps with SEO massively. It also ensures you don’t clutter your website with text. Plus the most obvious benefit is that it allows you to easily highlight your latest product or service developments, talk about topical industry news items and similar.
2. Organise your contact sales strategy
This is most relevant to B2B (business-to-business) enterprises. Having a contact strategy is still important in B2C but it works differently. Develop a proactive business model where you can. It’s an easy trap to fall into assuming that once your business is up and running that customers will seek you out. The old maxim Build it and they will come. But they won’t. For most of us I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that. Your business has got to be out there, popping up in front of them in numerous places and in various ways. Advertising, local PR, social media, telemarketing, exhibitions and trade fairs, talks, seminars, demonstrations are all a part of the mix. The ones that are right for you are dependent on what products or services you sell and your personality. For instance I wouldn’t recommend doing stand up talks to promote your new cake-making or floristry business if the idea of public speaking scares you to death.
If you’re B2B, decide how you will approach people. Networking, telemarketing, cold calling – dropping cards, flyers off etc are all valid approaches. Then keep a note of those you’ve spoken to, enquiries you’ve had etc. And by note, I don’t mean on paper, I mean in an Excel spreadsheet at least or a full CRM system if your business is of a size or complexity to warrant it.
This principle is more difficult if you have some form of retail business. Nevertheless it’s still important to be in charge of your own destiny as much as possible. You can still try to engage with customers, run events, and collect e-mail addresses etc. Which leads me to the third point ….
3. Be proactive
Don’t wait for them. Assume they won’t come. That they won’t find you. If they do, it’s a nice surprise, a bonus. If you work in a B2B sector, ensure that the majority of your working day is dedicated to activity that may help find customers. It’s obvious to say that the more time you spend looking for customers, the more you’re likely to find. You won’t find them by getting your admin system in order, or your bankings up to date or tidying the filing cabinet – as important as all these jobs are.
For advice on all of these matters, you may be surprised that I’m not going to simply say come and talk to me, cos I’m not. To Market specialises in helping companies develop their telephone teams such as customer service, telesales and telemarketing. I’d recommend putting yourself out there and getting to know people who can help you with all this stuff. There are a lot of clever people out there with specialist knowledge. Mostly people are happy to help if you want some guidance and ideas. Grab a coffee with local experts. That said if you think we can help, call us on 01858 461148. We work with companies across the Midlands including Leicester, Northampton, Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Peterborough, Corby, Wellingborough, Kettering, Cambridge, Bury St. Edmunds as well as wider parts of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.