When you’re launching a small business, there are a lot of balls to keep in the air. As a result, there are likely aspects of your business that you’ve had to neglect in order to get other tasks accomplished. While the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a formidable threat to many small businesses around the world, it also offers a time to pause and reflect on what you’ve been letting fall between the cracks. Here’s a handy checklist of six things every business should have to help you get back on track.
1. A Strong Business Plan
Any successful business owner will tell you that you need a strong business plan. This is the perfect time to take stock of what’s been working for your business and what you could do better, ultimately setting you up for success in the future. As you’re thinking about the next five years, consider what you can do to improve your business’ stability moving forward in regards to quarantine measures and getting an eCommerce platform that you can rely on through thick and thin up and running. Set clear, attainable goals for the next few years and details about how you plan to achieve them.
2. A Marketing Strategy
After all, if nobody knows about your business and its products and services, you’ll be hard-pressed to turn a profit. There are a wide range of options when it comes to marketing, and for a small business owner it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why it can be helpful to find a company that handles a broad array of marketing tasks, from search engine optimization (SEO) and web design to digital marketing. According to Florida-based digital marketer Central Florida Media Solutions, “Many times the easiest way to grow brand awareness is by engaging with your clients on a regular basis.” The best and easiest way to do this is by finding a digital marketing expert to continuously engage your customers and boost our business.
3. Expert Customer Focus and Engagement
Another way to engage with your customers is through your customer support line and interactions with customers online via social media. Take time to invest in how these interactions go and what’s communicated about your services, products, and values online and in support requests. This can go a long way in illustrating what makes your business better than the competition. After all, everyone like to feel that the salesperson or customer service agent they’re speaking with is invested in their satisfaction.
4. Successful Cash Management
If there’s anything the pandemic has shown people around the world, it’s that managing your money matters when a crisis comes knocking. Now’s a great time to look into your business’ budget to see where you might be able to cut or reduce costs. Beyond that, building a contingency fund for emergencies isn’t a bad idea either, since having money for future obstacles can help better prepare you to face them.
5. A Love for Technology
Flashy technologies will always be competing for your attention and dollars. That being said, sometimes a more humble technology will do the job. This is why it’s important that you not only understand how tech plays a role in your business, but you also find ways to embrace that technology in ways that make sense for the task at hand. If you’re only trying to transfer data between coworkers who share an office space, for example, it might make sense to just purchase some bulk jump drives instead of paying for a monthly subscription to a cloud-based storage option. After all, sometimes the simpler option is just as effective for your business. Wholesale flash drives can be an affordable option, and you can even look into custom flash drives if you want a sleek look. That might be the simplest option for transferring media files and video files amongst employees.
6. Clear Branding
In all of your marketing materials, whether they’re shared on social media or via email, it’s important to have clear branding. From fonts and colors to specific turns of phrase, all of these details combine to form your company’s overall brand presence. A great brand helps highlight what makes you different from competitors while appealing to your target audience, too.
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