Congratulations!
If you’re reading this article, it’s probable that you have successfully gotten your small business off the ground. That’s cause for celebration.
Starting a small business is a massive career step and one that not many people are brave enough to take.
Not only have you taken that big step and started your company, but your business is also running smoothly. So, now you’re thinking about trying to help it grow.
While growing a business can be exciting, it can also be a bit challenging, especially if you aren’t sure what your next step should be.
If you’re looking for a way to grow your business, but aren’t sure where to start, we can help.
Here are nine excellent ways to help grow your small business.
1. Simplify
Sometimes the best way to help something grow is by giving it a little trim.
Cutting back may seem like the opposite of what you want to do right now, getting rid of those unnecessary parts of your company. Doing this will end up saving you time and money which in turn will help your company grow.
Think of it like trimming a rose bush. If you get rid of the things that are holding your company back, you have more wiggle room to add and explore in the future.
Start by getting rid of any products or services that aren’t making any or as much money. Limit your catalog to include only your highest paying products and services and specialize in those.
If you’d like to see your business grow, sometimes the best thing you can do is cut it down a little.
2. Know Your Enemies
One of the easiest ways to grow your company is by learning from those who have already made the journey — namely, your competitors.
Your competition can teach you a lot about the dos and don’ts of growing your company.
Look at their standard practices, their customer service, social media practices, marketing, and so on. Then test out a few of their methods within your own company to see what works.
By learning from your competition’s triumphs and mistakes, you can give your company the boost it needs to reach the next level of success.
3. Network
There’s an old saying in the business world, “It’s all about who you know.”
We would all like to think that we could be 100% self-sufficient. But, you can’t possibly do everything yourself, and that’s when it pays to have a few friends.
By building relationships with professionals you can create a support system that will help your business grow.
Networking can also help boost your customer base through face to face contact or even word of mouth.
4. Host an Event
Growing your business takes a lot of hard, sometimes tedious, work.
But, while the tough stuff is inevitable, it’s possible to have a little bit of fun while giving your business the boost it needs to reach the next level.
By hosting an open event, you can get some all-important face to face time with your customers and clients.
These kinds of interactions allow you to field and respond to any comments and complaints in real time, directly from the source.
Events can also help boost your reputation. And, in turn, increase the likelihood of having a current customer recommend you to someone else, thus expanding your customer base.
5. Create an Email List
The main key to growing your business is creating and maintaining contact with your current and potential customers.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by creating an email list.
Email lists are an excellent way to keep a list of regular customers. It can also help keep those same customers informed about deals, sales, and special events within your business.
6. Reward Loyal Customers
Building a strong rapport with your customers is another fantastic and easy way to grow your business, that will continue to pay off in the long run.
Creating a customer loyalty program not only rewards your customers for their support, but it can also boost your reputation. Which, in turn, can help expand your client base.
7. Get Social
In the modern, Internet-reliant world, businesses don’t just need a website to assure their success. They also need a strong social media presence.
Social media offers a way for companies to share information and communicate directly with their customers.
This constant and open communication can help create a stronger sense of loyalty with your customers.
On top of that, posting regularly on social media can help expand your companies reach.
When your customers like and share your content, it can lead to brand new potential customers finding out about your business.
The trick to creating a strong social media presence is posting high-quality, optimized content often. You should only post content your customers may find relevant — and avoid over-saturating your feed.
8. Don’t Skimp on Customer Service
Once you’ve picked up a few customers, there’s only one way to maintain their support: customer service.
Having a good customer service system in place can make all the difference in the world when it comes to maintaining and growing your client base.
One slightly dissatisfied customer can lead to either the noticeable drop in your client base. Alternatively, it can lead to a customer for life depending on the quality of the help they receive.
9. Hire a Text Messaging Service
Finally, as we said before, the key to growing your small business is through clear and open communication with your customers.
Hiring a specialized text messaging service for business can help open up channels of communication. Channels not just between you and your customers, but between you and your staff as well.
While texting may seem slightly impersonal, it’s an excellent medium for sending short but vital pieces of information.
Texting is a great way to notify customers that an order is ready for pick up or to remind them of an upcoming meeting or appointment.
The Best Way to Grow Your Business
Getting your business off the ground is the truly the most difficult part of running a small business. If you already have your company up and running there’s nothing left for you to do but help it grow.
Now that you have a good idea of a way to grow your small business, it’s time to get to work.
If you’re looking for a few more business tips to help your company stay ahead of the curve, we can help.
We have dozens of business articles that are sure to give your small business the boost it needs, visit us today.
