Ten Steps You Can Take to Grow Your Business
by:
Hannah du Plessis
During a time when many businesses go under, you can take steps to make sure yours isn't one of them.
1. Make sure your employees are where they should be
This may sound silly, but there are many employees that are placed in the wrong position. They don't know it themselves, but there are telltale signs. Things like coming to work late. Rushing out the door as soon as the clock strikes five. Slightly longer breaks than they should be taking. Taking sick leave often; a day here and there.
You really need your workers to love what they are doing. How do you get them to love what they're doing? You make sure they have the right personality type for the job by giving them a psychometric test. Not only will you hire less often because your workers will stay longer, but you will also benefit by your revenues going up as having a dedicated worker will pay off in the long run. You will also have more harmony in the workplace.
Some workers might just be in the wrong department, for example someone who should be out there selling is sitting behind a desk, or vice versa.
2. Survey your customers
Customer surveys often come up with problems that you didn't know existed, or something that is working well that you should do more of. It makes sure you deliver the best they can possibly have. You should also ask customers if there is a product or service that they would like from you. After all, you will sell more of what the customer actually wants. You can also find out the customers view of your business and the quality of service they receive from you.
3. Make sure your processes are running smoothly
Do you have the correct systems in place for your data? Or is some of your data getting lost? How about policies and policy documents? General documentation, sorting and storing. Do you have systems in place for hiring?
4. Get to grips with Social Media
Some people are just downright scared of new technology. It really works to meet people as people are needed for business. There are host of Social Media available for you to choose from: Facwbook, Twitter, Ecademy, Ryze, and the many Ning networks. Set up your profile with links to your site, and use an hour or so per day to work them.
5. Make sure your website and blog is working for you
Having the option of having a website is no longer an issue. You simply need one! You should also consider blogging at least twice a week to get your business noticed. By blogging I mean either write an article or go write a journal like entry about your day or week. You can send a link to that article to your database. This way you can keep up with them and let them know what is new in your business. You also make sure that they don't forget you.
Blogging regularly also helps your website ranking in the search engines as it adds content to your site.
6. Use Google Adwords and make a campaign
It is really surprising how few businesses are actually using Google Adwords. This is a powerful tool that can generate a lot of traffic to your website. You can start small, and use it more as you gain confidence, or you could get someone who knows what they're doing to do it for you. Whichever way you go, do get started.
7. Run an Email Campaign, or write an online Press Release
If you have anything newsworthy, send an email to your database, or write a Press Release. You could also ask your customers about the economy or their opinion of aspects to do with your industry. Then put this together in an article and send it to your database. Definitely send it out as a press release. There are many places online that you can submit a press release. You never know who would pick it up and make it a big story. That is publicity for you!
8. Track your ads, test them and your email headlines
You would be surprised to know how many people don't know about this. You need to test, test, test. See which ads got the most response, and which the least. Which email headline brought in the most response? How else would you know where your new customer came from so that you can advertise there again? How do you know which headlines are working if you don't test them? You will save yourself a lot of time and money by getting this right.
9. Track your customers
Ask a new customer where they have heard about you. Train your staff to do the same. Make sure you include this in your registration form on your website as well.
10. Write a good story about a customer and how you helped them
Stories sell. Especially good stories. So if you write “case studies” of people that bought your product, or used your service, and how well you helped them, you will get someone identifying with that. This will, most certainly, prompt someone to buy from you. Make sure you put these on your blog, or put your articles in article directories online. You get article submitter services that you can purchase that will do this for you.
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