Starting your own business can be quite a challenge. Keep in mind that around 30% of new companies fail during the first two years of being open. Know that just because you managed to start a business doesn’t mean you’ll be successful when it comes to running it. The only way for your company to survive is through growth. While it may seem like a difficult task to grow your business, you can actually do it without making any major changes.
Improve Your Customer Service
Marketing is an excellent way to attract new buyers, but one of the ways you can encourage them to stay loyal to your brand is through good customer service. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the right way to grow your business is by getting new customers. By focusing on the ones who’ve actually purchased something from you before is the best way to increase your sales.
According to Forbes, companies lose more than $75 billion each year due to poor customer service. Your customers will likely stop doing business with you if they don’t feel appreciated or are passed around to multiple people. Be sure you always respond to questions and complaints promptly to improve your customer service. It’s also a good idea to train your customer service agents to ensure they know how to talk with consumers.
Become a Better Leader
Your employees won’t share the same enthusiasm and passion regarding your business, and that’s completely okay. However, a paycheck shouldn’t be the only thing motivating them to work. No matter how good a product or service you create, you won’t be able to have a successful company without first becoming a great leader. Learn to keep your employees engaged and help them understand how they’re essential to the success of your organization.
It’s important for each one of your staff members to feel valued, as that will increase their motivation and productivity. Good leaders let their employees know why each of them is crucial to the company. Help them understand how small changes can lead to big impacts and encourage them to work smarter.
Build Your Online Presence
Creating a strong online presence is one of the cheapest ways to market your company. Apart from having accounts on different social media platforms, it’s recommended that you have a website and blog as well. Note that blogging is an excellent way to build a list of readers. Make sure your content is original and interesting, and publish new posts at least a few times per week. Respond to comments you get on your blog to create personal relationships with your customers.
Social media websites are also an excellent place to build relationships with your clients since you’ll be able to instantly chat with them. To get the type of engagement you want from your customers, you should identify your target audience and create posts that will be appealing to them.
One of the most important things when it comes to building a social media presence for your business is to showcase your personality. People don’t want to follow a faceless corporation who’ll just promote products and services. While professionalism is crucial when you’re assisting a customer, don’t be afraid to be more human when responding to their comments and tweets. Just look at the success that Wendy’s had with their unique social media presence.
Update Your Business Plan
Just like you created a business plan before starting your company, you should update it every year to decide on new goals you want to achieve. Note that it’s a good idea to keep all of your employees informed on the goals you want to accomplish in the following year. To keep your staff motivated, offer bonuses to anyone who plays a vital part in helping you reach these goals.
