There’s no question that fledgling small business owners – and even seasoned small business owners – face an uphill climb. Building a reputation for your business and attracting a steady customer base may sound simple in theory, but as many entrepreneurs quickly come to discover, this is often easier said than done. However, while there’s no way to ensure the overnight success of a new business, there are a number of steps proprietors can take to increase their odds of profitability. Small business owners looking to help their fledgling enterprises thrive would do well to consider the following pointers.
Maintain Positive Relationships with the Community
Maintaining positive relationships with the community in which your business is based can be crucial to cultivating a favorable reputation. This is particularly true in the case of businesses that are based out of small cities and townships. If you wish to become a fixture in the community, it’s important to be present at local events, like job fairs and small business gatherings. Donating to local causes can also be a great way to illustrate your business’s commitment to the community. Furthermore, if your local government uses a request tracking software system, you can rest assured that various permit requests will be processed in a timely and efficient manner.
Implement Customer Appreciation Programs
If there’s one thing modern consumers appreciate, it’s feeling valued by the businesses they support. Since customer appreciation is vital to generating repeat business, you’d do well to make it one of your top priorities. Luckily, there’s no shortage of ways to show patrons due appreciation.
For starters, make a point of being as courteous and personable as possible in all of your customer interactions. Whenever you find yourself communicating with customers in-person, over the phone or via text or email, be extremely mindful of your tone and make an effort to exude politeness. No matter how unique the products and/or services offered by your business are, the web has made finding competition for any business easier than ever. So, even if you happen to be the only game in town, customers can find competitors across the country with just a few clicks.
If you’re looking for tangible ways to express your appreciation, consider implementing customer rewards programs. For example, sending special offers to patrons who provide their phone and email can be a great way to foster customer loyalty. You may also experience success by providing frequent customers with exclusive discounts. For instance, many restaurants provide patrons with punch cards that can earn them a free meal once a certain number of punches have been accumulated.
Be Active on Social Media
Maintaining an active presence on social media can be a great way to keep your existing customer base informed and put your business on the radar of scores of prospective patrons. So, if you haven’t already done so, create accounts for your business on every social media mainstay. Once your accounts have been set up, make a point of updating each of them on a daily basis. (Of course, the ideal number of daily updates varies from platform to platform.) Additionally, since the same posts can be used across multiple platforms, you shouldn’t stress over creating unique posts for each individual site.
Social media platforms can also function as fantastic vehicles for connecting with your customers, both current and prospective. Whenever one of your followers leaves a question or thoughtful comment under one of your posts, take care to respond in a timely and courteous manner. This approach to customer relations will make customers feel more personally invested in the success of your business, which can be highly conducive to generating repeat patronage. Furthermore, if no one within your business has much experience with social media marketing, you may find a dedicated social media manager to be a worthwhile addition to your team.
Fledgling small business owners face challenges on a number of fronts. From finding the best vehicles for promotion to recruiting talented team members to managing a small workforce, you’d be hard-pressed to find a new business owner who doesn’t have a full plate. Additionally, while keeping a small business afloat during its first year can prove difficult, there are numerous steps you can take towards making this period less stressful.
