5 Actions for your business.

 

 

Here’s 5 actions you can do to grow your business. 

1. Network

 2. Market yourself 

3. Test new ideas 

4. Research your market/customers 

5. Learn new skills 

These things need to be done consistently over time- you can’t just turn up to one networking event and expect instant results!

Managing all these different tasks can be a drain on your time and energy. Prioritise which tasks are most essential, and consider outsourcing some of the work to people who already have expertise in those areas.

 

Networking.

Networking is a crucial aspect for the growth of any small business. Here are some realistic steps a small business can take to start networking: Start with identifying your target audience and the people you want to connect with. Attend relevant conferences, seminars, and local events where you can meet new people and expand your network. Join business organisations that align with your industry or interests. Use social media networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook to connect with potential customers, suppliers, and partners. Leverage your current network and ask for referrals. Follow up with people you meet and maintain a good relationship with them. 

 

Marketing yourself.

1. Define your target audience and develop a marketing plan that specifically targets them. 

2. Use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote your business and engage with your audience. 

3. Network as per abone. Attend local events and network with other small business owners to create a community and generate word-of-mouth referrals. 

4. Offer discounts or promotions to first-time customers to entice them to try your product or service. 

5. Create content such as blog posts, videos or infographics that showcase your expertise and provide value to your customers.

 6. Optimize your website for search engines to increase your online visibility. 

7. Invest in paid advertising such as Facebook Ads or Google AdWords to reach a larger audience. It’s important to keep track of your marketing efforts and adjust your strategy accordingly based on what works best for your business.

8. If any of the above sounds daunting talk to us! 

 

Test new ideas.

Don’t be scared of new ideas you may come up with, just make sure you do some kind of testing first. Depending on the size of your business conduct market research and analyze the demand for your product or service. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, interviews or  potential or existing customers directly on social media.  The second step is to create a prototype or Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which is a basic version of your product or service that helps you to test the market response. You can then gather feedback from customers and make necessary improvements. Another way to test new ideas is through A/B testing, which involves testing two different versions of a product or website and comparing the results. You can also test  launching a small pilot program or conducting a soft launch to see how customers respond before investing more money and resources. Remember that testing your ideas is an ongoing process, and you need to be open to feedback and willing to make changes to ensure your business’s success. It’s no good having what you think is a fantastic idea- but no one wants it.

Researching the market/your customers.

Identify your ideal client and create a persona based on demographics, behavior, and interests- the more detail you have the better. We have a streamlined process for this which dovetails into content creation types but if you want to do the basic work yourself about your ideal client/customer you can grab our worksheet here. You can also again depending on the size of your business conduct surveys, focus groups, and interviews to gather insights on their needs, preferences, and pain points.

Analyse your competitors, their strengths, and weaknesses, and what makes you different from them. Use social media and online tools to monitor conversations and feedback on your brand and industry. Keep track of trends, changes in demand, and emerging technologies that can affect your business. Regularly review and update your research to stay informed and adaptable to any changes in your market. By understanding your customers and market, you can tailor your marketing strategies and offerings to meet their needs and stand out from your competition.

 

Learn new skills.

Constantly update existing skills or obtain new skills to that will be of benefit to running your business. There are heaps of online learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning  offer business-related courses that are designed to teach new skills to small business owners. There are also people that share and help people on YouTube, online business forums and groups. Attending industry conferences and networking events can also provide opportunities to learn new skills and network with other small business owners. Collaborating with other entrepreneurs and business owners can be beneficial and can help to learn new skills. Another option is to hire a consultant or mentor who can provide expert guidance in a particular area and help small businesses acquire new skills. Follow industry leaders and thought leaders on social media and reading business publications can also help small businesses stay up-to-date with the latest trends and acquire new skills.