Here we reveal our top tips for entrepreneurs
Each business requires a tailored approach that suits their operations. There’s always room for improvement in any business and we’ve curated the best advice out there, for you.
Let’s get straight into our top tips-
Online presence
Having your business listed on multiple platforms online will build your online presence and give customers insight into what kind of business you are.
People like to deal with people and your online presence gives potential customers various platforms in which to contact you and your staff. This is especially true of embracing social media. Getting started on building your profiles will stand your business in great stead going forward.
Don’t worry that your followings are small in the beginning, focus on attracting customers with your awesome content and your following will grow organically.
Check out our packages for improving your online reach here.
The most important thing for your online presence, of course, is a website for your business. A modern, user friendly website can add real value to your brand. Adworth can help, simply contact us with your needs and we’ll respond within 4 hours with a quote and timeline.
Alternatively, check out our portfolio style website here.
Customer service- top rated tip
The biggest way to lose customers is through bad customer service. In fact, it takes several positive customer experiences to make up for a bad one. During times like these, no business can afford to lose customers. In fact, great customer service gets talked about. Your reviews improve and more customers will be attracted to your brand.
Ways to improve your customer service include:
- Addressing customers by their name
- Rewarding loyalty
- Offering varied support channels
- Responding to social media and
- Providing self-help options
This is one of our top tips for entrepreneurs and should be a core focus on your business.
Marketing
Successful marketing doesn’t need to cost the earth and there are various ways to market your product by getting creative.
- Creating and using a promotional kit
- Sending out promotional material with invoices
- Offering a newsletter and
- Using social media
Have a product you want to sell but don’t have a sales force? We can help! Our freelance sales agents work on a commission basis only and are screened prior to joining our team. You can read more information on the team and how we can help here.
Cut Costs
Keeping your business finances lean is a sure-fire way to success. It’s vital to review your company’s finances regularly so that you can curb wasteful expenditure before it kills your business. Growing your business can be likened to growing a tree- cutting back unnecessary branches will yield new, fresh growth. This same principle can be applied in business.
Some ways you could cut costs include:
- Reviewing office rentals and requirements
- Sourcing different (cost effective) suppliers
- Selling redundant assets and
- Re-negotiating data and telephone contracts.
Mobile Friendly
Ensuring your online presence is mobile friendly is arguably one of the best ways to secure more business. Mobile is fast becoming the dominant device worldwide and businesses that ensure online content is user-friendly on mobile are streets ahead of those that don’t. If your website doesn’t read well on mobile, it’s high time to sort that out before it’s too late.
Ways of making your content mobile friendly include:
- Thoughtful website design
- Content that’s succinct and
- Minimizing the use of photos and plugins
If this seems a bit daunting, reach out to us and we’ll guide you along the way.
Customer management
Using a customer management system will streamline your business’ operations and help you track transactions faster. This kind of improvement also allows your business to scale quickly.
A simple way to start a customer management system is through using the free version of MailChimp.
Research competitors
Researching your competitors to see what they’re doing is a great way to emulate successful strategies.
Two great resources for this kind of research are:
- Adbeat and
- SimilarWeb
You can search your competitors on these portals and see how they’re faring online. It also allows you to uncover your competitors’ online strategies and what success rate they’ve had.
Exploring loyalty programs
Creating a loyalty program for your customers is a sure way of ensuring return business. Think FNB ebucks, Pick ‘n Pay Smart Shopper card and Woolworths’ Rewards card. All of these rewards programs motivate their clients to make use of their services because they’re rewarded for their purchases.
Some tips for creating your loyalty program include:
- Choosing a great name
- Rewarding a variety of customer actions
- Making “points” valuable and
- Providing multiple ways for clients to register.
Curating an email database
Building an email list is one of the fastest ways to grow your business. But to get customers to give you their email address and information, you’ll need to motivate them.
You can do this by offering up:
- Free online services
- Newsletters or e-books
Make sure your offering’s value is clear to your audience and you’ll have sign ups in no time.
Our last tip for entrepreneurs comes from our own business experience-
Diversifying
Changing or adding to your product or service offering is a great way to expand your audience and business. Think complementary products or services that enhance the value of your original product offering. Even adding free advice can have a major impact on your audience’s perception of your business.
And there you have it! Our top tips for entrepreneurs in a nutshell.