 Running a small business can be all consuming, especially when you are just starting out without a support team around you to help take the strain.
Often it can feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done, especially if time management isn’t one of your strengths. So, to make life a little easier we have come up with our top ten tips to help you to plan your time wisely.
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 Ever find yourself awake in the middle of the night worrying about all of the fiddly admin jobs you need to complete?
 Have you ever taken the time to test what happens if you search for your products/service in Google?
 First impressions count. It’s something we have all heard time and again, the main reason being because it is true!
So, when it comes to the design of your marketing material, it makes sense to present your small business in the very best way possible, as for many this will form their first impression of who you are and what you do.  Many people dream of starting their own small businesses, attracted by the freedom to mould their future or driven by a passionate belief in a product or service they have devised.
 Attracting and keeping hold of customers is what all small businesses are looking to do. To be successful in this aim your customer experience needs to be top notch.
So, what can you do to make sure that your customers enjoy doing business with you and come back for more?  Making the most of your website can be key to the success of your small business.
And the good news is there are a number of relatively small tweaks you can make to boost the performance of your site, in turn increasing the number of visits you receive and sales you make.  In a year that has been like no other, small businesses in particular have been truly put to the test. While sadly some have not made it through, many have learnt to adjust to ever changing circumstances and not just survive but thrive. So, what lessons can we learn from these successful small businesses?
 Never has the ability to sell your products online been more important.
Even when the country went into full lockdown, online stores were able to continue to trade. And, with the Covid crisis likely to continue for some time, more people are turning to the internet when they need to make a purchase. If you are not already set up to sell online, now really is the time to do it, and there are a number of options available depending on the size of your business and the product you are looking to sell.  In just a matter of weeks the transition period for the UK's exit from the European Union will come to an end, with a host of new rules coming into force from January 2021. Is your small business ready?
 If you are looking to sell your products online, investment in decent photography is something you will not regret.
Unlike going into a physical shop, the customer is unable to pick up your product and take a closer look. But with good imagery you can help them to get a better understanding of what they are purchasing.  It can be tough for small businesses to decide where to channel their energy when it comes to social media.
Often Facebook and Twitter are seen as the default options. But it is certainly worth taking the time to consider whether other social media channels would work better for you. Pinterest is a great example. Many small businesses don’t dismiss it as such - they don’t even consider using it in the first place. SBG is here to tell you why you should think again!  So you think it’s not worth investing in a social media presence for your small business? Think again!
Social media can be a fantastic way to strengthen your relationship with customers, increase sales and boost your brand. Admittedly it’s no magic wand - like all good things it takes a bit of work to start reaping the rewards.  To say 2020 has been a trying time for businesses big and small is somewhat of an understatement.
It is hard to imagine anyone was truly ready for what we have all had to face - everyday life has been turned on its head. And now with lockdown beginning to ease, it is all change again and the need to respond to changing markets and customer requirements is at the front of all our minds. So, are you ready for the next step back to some kind of normal?  It takes guts and vision to strike out on your own and start a small business. No longer do you have the network of support offered by colleagues, managers and all the other people who help make a workplace function.
At the beginning at least, you can find yourself taking on many different roles, from accounts to distribution, social media to planning your vision for the future. In time, depending on your specific business, you may start to employ others to share the load, which brings its own challenges. And that’s not even mentioning all of the questions you face over financing your venture! |
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