Being the owner of a small business is filled with many challenges. Making your business stand out from the competition can be difficult and you may not know where to begin. Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do to highlight the unique aspects of your company. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Make excellent customer service a priority
One thing that will keep your customer base coming back time and time again is excellent customer service. Consumers like to feel appreciated when they are spending their money on your product or service. If they don’t feel valued, they are more likely to take their business elsewhere. Don’t skimp on training your employees to interact well with customers. If you only do one thing to enhance your customer service, it should be to emphasize to your team the importance of treating customers with respect at all times.
Also consider adopting a blanket policy of allowing your team members to fix common customer services issues at their discretion without having to ask permission, whether this means being able to upgrade customers or provide refunds. This will empower your employees and make customers feel that their concerns are being heard right away.
Embrace creativity
Encourage your team to think outside the box and don’t be afraid to do things differently than they have been done before. Make sure that your employees feel free to come to you with new ideas and make everyone feel heard in business meetings. Consistently research ways you can improve your business and don’t be afraid to approach problems like Quickbooks comparison in a new way.
Surround yourself with creativity by starting the day with an inspirational podcast or your favorite playlist. You can also spark creativity by getting outside the office for a few minutes to take a walk or grab a coffee. Finally, foster strong working relationships between your employees. Sponser networking events and encourage team members to find solutions to problems through collaboration.
Harness the power of social media
Social media is a great way to connect with customers and focus on all the things that make your company great. You don’t need to be on every social media platform, but opening an account on one or two websites is a good start. Know your customer base and choose social media websites that they are most likely to use. Think outside the box when creating social media posts. Share behind-the-scenes videos, interviews with employees, funny memes or tutorials. You don’t need to completely avoid current events, but stay away from anything potentially controversial or offensive.
Create a strong culture and brand
Customers should have very specific associations when they think of your company. Branding is a great way to stand out from the crowd and create a community around your business. Whether you work with a marketing team or do all your branding in-house, you should put a focus on the things that make your product or service special. Also consider investing time in public relations, which can be as effective as traditional advertising. This could include doing things like hosting events, having a press conference about a new release or sponsoring a local charity drive.
Become an expert in your field
Whether you offer products or services, customers should consider you an authority in your field. Spend time and effort building up your expertise, and always keep educating yourself about new innovations. Some easy ways to increase your credibility as an expert are to write educational articles for blogs, sharpen your public speaking skills, offer free resources to your customers and make yourself available for news interviews.
Raising your company’s profile and boosting your credibility doesn’t need to take a lot of time or money. It only takes a few small changes to make your business stand out. Try a few of the above tips and you’ll see a difference in customer engagement and revenue.
