Innovate, Reinvent, Go with the times. If your business has been employing vintage (translation:"outdated") business styles, then the start of the year is the best time to finally kick the age-old practices to the curb and go high technology! If you have been using flyers, handouts and traditional forms of advertising, then save on the big bucks and venture into online marketing.
Try starting a blog, open a swell web page, and promote your business through the social media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube. You do not only save your company money, you widen your (potential) target market/ audience, and open your business to the option of selling to customers in the comfort of their homes. Start now!
Start Anew with a 1 Page Marketing / Business Plan. If you have been blindly promoting your business by word of mouth to people who may have no interest for your products or services, then re-align your tactics by writing them down in a well thought-of plan. Include budget constraints, time frame, medium to be used, and rewrite content. This way, any strategies that prove to be ineffective can immediately be targeted and removed from your business efforts. Conserve capital and energy by preparing a plan. A Business plan is your road map to success for the year ahead.
Formulate new goals for the year. It would not make much sense to create goals in the middle of the year (unless your previous ones were not too effective and realistic). The best time to set new goals is at the onset of the new year. Always have something to work for. Take baby steps - because each small step, when put together, bring you closer to your ultimate goal. In setting goals, remember to follow the "S.M.A.R.T." Rule - S- Specific, M- Measurable, A- Attainable, R- Reasonable, T- Trackable. It's a great idea to have measurable/trackable goals because it allows the business owner to see if it's time for change or time to simplify objectives.
Envision yourself in the place of your customer. The best way to make sure you are making your customers happy is to try to imagine yourself in the client's shoes. Would you be willing to shell out money for your products? Is you product practical, useful, innovative and relevant enough to be included in the family budget? If you were to buy this item, how would you want the sellers to treat you? What are the features you will be searching for? Where would you most likely hear about this "groundbreaking" product? Put yourself in the place of the buyer to instinctively know if your business is important to your market's needs.
Invest in deepening relationships. By relationships, we mean not just your business-customer relationship, but also your colleague-to-colleague dealings or your relationship with your online fans. Your relationships with your clients rank top of the list, because no clients = no sales. Reward existing customers for their loyalty.
Make an effort to talk to them personally or by phone. There's a huge tendency for your reputation to be enhanced by simple face-to-face encounters, or by seeing the sincerity of your smile, and willingness to help. Your relationships with colleagues are important also, because these people have the power to refer you to their own set of loyal clients - which also translates to more business.
Expand your Network by networking, networking and networking. We cannot stress this more - putting yourself out there by attending various gatherings, organizing events, or joining associations does wonders for your popularity. If you think you can get more clients just by sitting in your office desk 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, then you are wrong. Expose your beautiful faces, sincere smiles and soothing voice to anybody who has the power to help your network expand. Networking is a person-to-person advertising of you, as the business owner.
Resolve to learn more. If you think you know everything there is to learn about your business then you really wouldn't be reading this article. The mere fact that you want to get more tips to help your business be more successful only means one thing - you are still willing to gain more knowledge and expertise in order to increase patronage of your business.
Read up, attend seminars or webinars, brace yourself for a world of information. Not everything you read will be new to you, and there are some things which you may opt to discard. Just enhance knowledge, and keep yourself abreast of developments to the industry or niche that may have an effect on your business.
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Michael Griffiths is the CEO and Founder of My Small Business Marketing Guru. Helping small business owners generate more leads, clients and increase profits with relationship based marketing strategies. We invite you to get your free black mask marketing resources to help you business grow today, when you visit http://www.mysmallbusinessmarketingguru.com.au
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