How You Can Make a Good Small Business Great
by Sumona Business 15 January 2022
A good small business runs smoothly, brings in decent revenue, and generates a comfortable profit. However, in today’s unpredictable world, you never know what’s around the corner. Even a good business could fail instantly if hit by unexpected challenges.
A great business, on the other hand, will be strong enough to resist adversity. And, after all, why settle for a good business when you could have a great one?
Here are the key aspects to focus on if you want to take your good small business to the next level and make it truly great!
1. Provide Exceptional Customer Service
Building your business is not all about working hard – working smart can be more effective, and not to mention easier too. One way to work smarter is through offering excellent customer service. Make sure your customers feel loved and respected. Make things as easy as possible for them and ensure your products and services add value to their lives. This will encourage return customers, and that’s the mark of a flourishing business.
2. Don’t Overlook Compliance
Your good small business can only be great when you follow all applicable regulations and comply with relevant statutory requirements. Unless you pay your taxes and other fees, maintain a trade license, and perform necessary inspections and checks according to government rules, your business won’t be able to operate legitimately.
Failing to check all these boxes leaves you open to fines and penalties, could damage your reputation and may even see your business shut down. Moreover, the time and effort you will need to manage such an incomplete system will draw your focus away from more important areas of your business.
3. Pay Attention to the Competition
Be aware of what your competitors are up to. Compare your business to theirs and check where you’re lagging behind. An honest assessment will not only let you bring your business up to speed, but also help you put yourself in front of your competitors. Paying attention to your competitors’ weaknesses will also allow you to do better and stand out in the marketplace.
4. Take Risks
Success often comes from taking risks. After all, if you keep doing the same things everyone else does, you cannot grow more and will never stand out from the competition. Experimenting a little and trying new things can do wonders with your business. For example, you could adopt the latest technology or develop an innovative product. The right innovation can transform a good business into a great one.
5. Focus on Marketing
No business can survive without marketing. Whatever the size of your business, you need a marketing budget that is proportional to the financial profile of your company. Your brand, product, or service will gradually drift into oblivion without dedicated marketing.
Promotions, advertising, customer loyalty programs – all of these can give your business a considerable boost. Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated – it could be social media posts, branded vehicle advertising, or even word of mouth publicity.
6. Maintain an Online Presence
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are shopping online than ever before. Therefore, having an online presence is essential for any modern business. It will speed up your business operations, increase your customer reach and sales volume, and improve your customer service.
At an advanced level, you can introduce chatbots or state-of-the-art technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) into your customer service processes.
7. Put an Emphasis on Quality
A business cannot survive without offering high-quality products or services. Quality is not a standalone concept – it is relevant to all aspects of running a business. Merely having a quality product or service is not enough in today’s competitive business world.
That’s why you’ll hear terms like TQM (Total Quality Management) in current business parlance. This means that every aspect of business operations must be backed by quality as it has a direct or indirect impact on your customer, and in turn, the overall success of your business.
8. Strive for Continuous Improvement
Even if your business is comfortable, neglecting standards will soon become detrimental. Without continuous improvement, your business will become stagnant, outdated, and fall behind your competitors. Strive for continuous improvement and keep up to date with the latest developments and market trends. This will ensure that your customers stay loyal and you keep building your customer base rather than see it waste away over time.
9. Prioritize Financial Management
Whatever you do to improve and grow your business, finance underpins everything. Without finance, you cannot put your ideas into practice. Take advice from small business accounting experts or consultants as needed and make financial management a priority. You should find reliable sources of funding, manage your finances well, and implement proper budgeting practices. Take advice from experts or consultants as needed and make financial management a priority.
Now is the time for small businesses to thrive, with so many opportunities related to human needs developing every day. However, in the context of hyper competition and high risks of economic fluctuation, businesses need to be more vigilant than ever before.
Those who are ready to learn from the mistakes of the past and take action in tune with current demands will find success. Customer-oriented thinking, an emphasis on quality, statutory compliance, and continuous improvement are sure to make your good small business great in no time.
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