Running a business isn’t easy. But simple improvements across many areas can go a long way in making your business successful.
So here are 10 things you can start doing today to take your company to the next level:
1. Listen to customers
Whether you sell software or cupcakes, your business depends on how well you please customers. Ask them what they like and dislike about your product or service. Then use that information to improve your business.
The better you understand what your customers want, the easier it is to perfect your offer. So make a habit of requesting and implementing customer feedback regularly.
2. Get testimonials
Turn any positive feedback from customers into testimonials. You can ask the customer to write a review or leave a rating for your business on social media, Google My Business, or review sites like Yelp.
Or you can ask permission to post customer reviews on your website. They could be simple text quotes with a profile photo or short videos.
Offer small incentives like discounts on future orders to help you get more testimonials. Or provide a template of what the customer might say to make it easier on them. Minimize how much time it takes to make a testimonial and you’re more likely to get them.
3. Outsource IT management
Any business has a ton of data at its disposal: sales data, inventory data, web traffic data, customer contact information, communication data, and more. Keeping track of it all is nearly impossible without good information technology (IT) in place.
But IT may not be your forte. So consider outsourcing to a professional IT service management (ITSM) company. They can collect, manage, and analyze your data for you so that you can spend more time on what your business does best.
If you’re based in NYC, hire managed IT services in New York City. If you’re in LA, shop for top-rated ITSM companies there.
4. Automate routine tasks
Over time, businesses develop more and more routine processes. Think accounting, sending marketing emails, responding to customers, employee time off management, and so on. All of these can be helped through automation.
Find software solutions to put routine tasks on autopilot. As long as you can achieve the same result for less overall, it’s worth the investment.
5. Implement the best business communications system
You need to determine which business communications system is more convenient based on your budget, your location, and your target market. For example, if your company requires employees to work in a traditional office environment, it’s probably better to invest in a physical landline so they can make and receive phone calls. However, if your business is conducted in a remote work mode and your employees are located all over the world, it’s in your best interest to look for virtual business phone alternatives. For example, if you own an overseas business and your clients are mainly located in the US, you should get a USA virtual phone number that will give you local presence. This way, you can make sure that your company’s calls always come from the US, regardless of where your employees are actually located. The best part is that customers can call your employees, leave messages, or send them an SMS text from their local number. You need to choose the business communications system that best fits your needs and adapts to your budget.
6. Get on social media
The internet has made every company a media company. Now, it’s easier than ever to engage with customers directly on a massive scale. And social media is the best place to do it.
Over 3.6 billion people use social media worldwide, and the average user spends more than 2 hours per day on it. So having a social media presence can be incredibly powerful for your brand and business.
7. Analyze the competition
No matter how successful your business is, there are things you can learn from your competitors. Take a look at their marketing and see what’s going well for them.
You can do your research online or at live networking events. See what strategies you can take and implement in your own business.
8. Lower decision fatigue
Entrepreneurs make many decisions. To avoid burning out on decision fatigue, eliminate as many unnecessary decisions from your day as possible.
For example, the late Steve Jobs was known to wear the same outfit everyday. That way, he had one less thing to think about in the morning.
You can do the same with your business overall. Implement automated systems that lower the need for executive decisions.
9. Focus on your core strengths
Your business has a lot of moving parts: accounting, inventory management, sales, marketing, partnerships, and more. Focus your resources on the areas you do best and outsource the rest. Anything that someone else can do 80% as well or better than you should be delegated.
10. Follow trends
Industries change. Follow trends to stay at the top of your game in your field. This means staying informed and learning continually. Then be ready to adapt and improve your business as consumer tastes evolve.
11. Treat employees well
Lastly, treat your employees well. Listen to their feedback, reward good work, offer flexible schedules and remote positions, and show that you value them.
If you do all that, your employees will be more motivated to stay with your company and work hard.
Endnote
That’s not an exhaustive list on how to improve your business, but it’s a good place to start. Begin with one tip and work your way down. Eventually, you’ll see measurable improvements.
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