Taking Your Small Business to Greater Heights

Dave Thomas

September 28, 2016

	Not rated
	Rate:

In the small business world, there are those companies that make it and those companies that do not.

As simple as that may sound, the truth ends up being that smart small business owners make sure they have each and every base covered.

For instance, how would you rate your customer service on a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (outstanding)? If this sounds a little too simplistic, it is not.

Customer service is but one (yet a very important one at that) of the facets of running a business that can never be overlooked.

From stellar customer service to utilizing technology to always staying a step ahead of the competition, these are but a few of the practices you must deploy day in and day out in order to survive.

So, can you say with 100 percent confidence that you are taking you small business to greater heights?

Review and Renew Your Brand as Needed

So that you can always say you give it your all as a small business leader, remember these pointers:

Organization – First and foremost, be sure to have your small business as organized as possible. For example, staying on top of your billing (both with customers buying from you and you buying supplies etc. from vendors) is crucial. Nothing threatens to close down a business more than if its finances are out of whack. If you’re not able to come in under budget month after month when it comes to spending, you could find yourself in trouble before you know it. If things have seemed a little unorganized up to now, look into how things like a free printable purchase order template could help you become better organized with orders and ultimately your billing responsibilities;
Hiring – If you are one of those small business owners using employees, those you end up hiring can make or break your company. Getting the best workers out there isn’t always all that easy, but you can improve your chances with just a few simple practices. One, make sure you hire those who show the most desire to work for you. In some cases, the most experienced and/or educated employees will not be the right fit for your business. What they possess in experience and education, they lack in a desire to give 110 percent day after day. Also look to hire those workers willing to be team players. In smaller companies, being a team player takes on an even more important role, especially since you oftentimes have employees doing more than one job at a time. If you’ve been lax on hiring the best as of late, change that moving ahead. Whether you are a startup or have been around for a while now, your hiring decisions are reflective of your ability to make it or break it as a business owner;
Technology – In the event you have been lax to put technology to use for your business, why is that? Given that smaller businesses typically do not have the resources that their larger counterparts do, it is even more important for them to find any and every advantage they can. One of those is utilizing all technology has to offer. From using the latest in computers and other communication devices to putting social media, videos, podcasts and more to use, don’t sleep on technology. For example, if you are not already a strong advocate for social media usage, you need to change that train of thought moving forward. Social networking can open up a number of doors for your brand, doors that otherwise might be closed. Along with giving you the opportunity to promote your brand, social media is a great resource in allowing you to see what consumers are saying about not only your industry, but your brand specifically. As such, you simply have to have your ears to the ground and your eyes focused when it comes to social media.

As you look to take your small business to greater heights, be sure that you are not only organized, hiring the best workers, and using any and all technology that will benefit your brand, but also staying a step ahead of the competition along the way.