If you run a business, it shouldn’t need to be said that you want it to be as effective as possible. You want it to generate the most cash, with the most happy customers, and of course, the most exposure. Many people want this, yet they don’t take the right steps to do it. If this is what you really want for your business, then you can’t ignore the 13 following points:
Outsource and Automate Where Possible
The most successful businesses make sure that they automate every single process that they can. Initially you’ll probably need to fork out for software to help you, so you’ll need to do a few calculations to make sure it’s worth your while. How long will it take you to make a return on your investment? Would it be better to hire somebody new, or use software? If you want your business to move forward then automation is the key.
Build a Strong Online Presence
Having a strong online presence is something every business needs these days, even if they work offline. You should have a professional website, so that when people search for your business or services they come across something that gives a great impression. However, you’ll need to invest in SEO and PPC if you want your site to get the maximum amount of visitors and exposure.
Rent an Office in a Busy Location
By having an office in a busy location, you’ll enjoy a number of benefits. Take a look at just a few of them:
- Your clients will find it easier to get to you.
- You’ll have somewhere suitable to host meetings.
- Your employees should find it easier to get to you.
- Public transport links and amenities should be close by.
- You should have a strong internet connection.
When searching for somewhere appropriate, consider pros and cons of each location and think about what it means for your business. For instance, how would a London office space impact your business?
Make it Easier to Work Together
To make your business extra effective, you should make it simple for your employees to work together. Set up an intelligent network so that everybody can see calendars, set up video conferences, and similar things. You may also want to make it possible for your employees to work outside the office and still access the business network. Expect a better quality of work when you do this.
Use Social Media
Using social media sites will not only influence the web presence we talked about earlier, it’ll allow you to better connect with your clients. You can easily solve customer queries this way, get feedback, and so much more. Make sure employees aren’t wasting time on Facebook by stalking their ex though! Social media should be used for business purposes only.
Keep Employees Trained Up
Constantly improve your employees skills and knowledge by providing training where needed. If you
keep your employees in the know, this will impact your business in a positive way. No business can function with outdated information and processes!
Take Part in Team Building Activities
By treating your employees to team building activities, you’ll all learn how to work with one another better in a different environment. This should be a lot of fun for everybody. It’ll help them to get to know one another, and should make working with each other in the week much nicer.
Reward Employees for Hard Work
Keeping your employee’s morale high is key if you want your business to succeed. Having a high turnover of staff will not only give you a bad reputation, it’ll waste money. You want your staff to remain loyal and stick with you through thick and thin. Give them incentives to stay with you by rewarding them for their hard work. Make sure their efforts are recognised and they’ll continue to work hard for you!
Ask for Customer Feedback
Getting feedback from your customers will be invaluable to you. You’ll be able to improve your business and customer service this way, so make sure you use any criticism constructively. You can either ask them to leave you a review on a social platform like Facebook, or put a comment in an anonymous box. On sites like Facebook it’s best to get good reviews, so perhaps ask about areas of improvement via a comment box. If it’s anonymous, people shouldn’t feel bad about saying what they really think.
Market to Current Customers Rather than Brand New Ones
You should still market to new customers, but don’t focus on them solely. You should focus on your current customers, as they are people who have already done business with you. It’s so much easier to get current customers back on board than new ones.
Have a Strong Brand Personality
Build a strong brand personality by keeping your language and voice the same throughout all marketing strategies. You should also have a great logo, colour scheme, and anything else that could help you to build a recognisable brand. (Advair Diskus) The stronger your brand, the more effective you’ll be!
Offer Unrivalled Customer Service
Customer service should be a top priority to a business owner like you. Without your customers, you wouldn’t have a business. Keep them on board by going the extra mile for them. Solve problems in a timely manner. Don’t rest until your customers are happy! The last thing you want is a bad reputation. The customer might not always be right, but you should make them feel like they are.
Focus on Your USPs
Your USPs, or ‘unique selling propositions’, are used to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Make sure you focus on these to let your customers know why they should continue to work with you.
There you have them; 13 ways to make your business more effective. Try out as many as you like to see just what they can do for you. Use them, and I guarantee you’ll notice big improvements!
Have anything to add? Leave a comment. See you next time!
Picture from ICMA photos
