In an age where almost everyone is an entrepreneur, having a small business can be challenging. In this day and age, it’s rare for people to stay with one company for more than five years. Many small businesses are popping up everywhere and surviving on what seems like little demand.
Many small businesses will find themselves in trouble by not taking into account that competition exists. Little can be done to decrease the number of other small businesses, but simple things will help a business stand out from others. Here are six ways small businesses can stay ahead of the competition:
Grow Your Business Organically, Not by Acquiring New Customers
Be patient and pay attention to what works and what doesn’t work for your company. This is the only way you can truly get a feel on how your customers want their service or product to be delivered. Once you know this information, try different ways of marketing to attract new customers and see which ones work.
Give Samples and Discounts
It’s tough to gain momentum as a small business, so you need every advantage you can get. One of those advantages is standing out from the competition by offering free samples, loyalty rewards programs, or better customer service than your competitor. Your customers will very much appreciate any added value to your business.
Embrace Social Media
Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are great ways to network with current clients and potential clients. You can use these sites to post relevant things to your company or share related articles that potentially interest your customers.
This way, you can engage with your clients better and give them a reason to choose your business over another one. Social media sites are free marketing tools that don’t require much time to maintain, so spend a little time each day interacting with your potential customers.
Start a Blog
Start a blog on your website with posts relevant to your business. For example, if you’re in the landscaping industry, you can write about properly caring for different types of flowers or trees. Customers will come back again and again if they find your blog helpful. You can also use your blog posts to promote other articles on your social media sites so that even more people read them.
Track Your Competition
It’s easy to be caught up in running a small business, but you can’t forget about the reason why you started it. Stay on top of your competition and what they’re doing by checking out their websites and social media accounts weekly or even daily. You should also try to find out what makes your competitors special and implement their ideas into your business.
Make Sure You’re Registered for Taxes
This may seem like an obvious thing to do, but it’s easy to ignore this step on the path to success. You should always be aware of what laws or regulations your business is subject to so that you can stay compliant. For example, if your business operates in the USA, be sure to register it at the Internal Revenue Service to have a Tax Identification Number.
Have Easier Payment Methods
If digital currency is used, it enables the business owner to accept credit card payments online or by phone. This type of payment could revolutionize your small business. Many customers are leery about giving out their credit card information online when ordering something—using an intermediary like PayPal can make them more at ease with making a purchase.
Using digital currency will also attract customers who don’t have access to a credit card or PayPal account. Fortunately, some people can help you if you’re planning to include it in your payment method. Contact digital currency experts to see how you can integrate a digital currency into your business.
Create a Phone App
In an age where everyone is glued to their smartphones, it’s crucial to have a mobile app that will help bring in more customers. You can offer exclusive discounts and deals on your app so people can save money while searching for products or services they need.
Be Organized
Staying organized is simple, but it’s also the key to growing a small business. Keep all of your marketing materials in one place, track your social media activity, update any customer information you have on file, etc. It may seem time-consuming work, but the day will never go as planned, and you don’t want to be caught off guard.
Final Thoughts
To stay ahead of your competition, you must grow your small business organically and be innovative with your ideas. If you follow these simple steps, you’ll realize that the success of a small business lies within the owner’s hard work and creativity.