Do you have an idea for a new business? There is a lot that it takes to get it off the ground, the paperwork, the permits, the taxes, etc. and it’s all a risk. You won’t know you are doing the right thing until you start making money from it.
Even if you are making money, there is always room for improvement. If you’ve found your business has stagnated or you’re feeling you could be doing something better, but you don’t know how, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at our guide to elements of your business you can improve.
Optimise your website
The first thing any business needs is a website. However, not enough business owners realise just how important the website is to their business.
The business website is the first point of contact to the business. Your customers will stop there first to get a first impression of you and your business. Sometimes they are looking for a point of contact, a phone number or an address for your premises, but sometimes they are looking for something more and sometimes they’re only looking for good vibes.
User habits are changing, and they are now looking into the businesses they buy from to ensure that they agree with their principles. This can vary from what position they have on the political spectrum, but it can also be a matter of offering environmentally friendly options on your products, or supporting a small business, etc. Plus, a shoddy website can make you look bad. Some customers might assume the state of your website reflects the state of your business, and, worse, an empty and messy website indicates a scam. Keep your website clear, professional and informed of who you are and what you stand for to put your best foot forward.
Keep an eye on the layout and function of your website. Everything should be clear so your customers can find them easily, and there should be no glitches impeding their path from product to payment, so that you don’t miss out on a sale.
Offer superior customer service
If you are selling products and services online, it would be in your best interest to make your website as helpful as possible. In the long run, being able to solve problems on the site will save you a few salaries for a customer service team.
Keep your FAQs detailed and informed. If a customer can solve a problem looking at the FAQ’s then they don’t need to call you to do it for you.
You can also add lots of features to help customers get tasks done. A lot are specific to the type of work you’re in, such as a booking forum for appointments. This can be applied to restaurants, salons or services, saving an employee from answering calls all day.
Another option to make things easier is to rethink your payment options. Make sure you cover as many of them as possible to make your customers comfortable. There are credit and debit cards, yes, but also e-wallet options and bank transfers or ACH payments. You can learn how to make an ACH payment here.
If your website works as a portfolio, you can add media galleries to show off your work. It is also helpful in showing off results of your services or products. This means customers will have an opportunity to review the outcome of your products.
Improve your social media content
As mentioned, social media users are changing their habits. They are also not so easily impressed by marketing content and can spot it quicker. This means that the point of advertising has changed. It is no longer the point to showcase your business, but to keep your users entertained enough to pay attention to what you’re selling.
There are a number of new ways to do this, and they mostly revolve around making your business more personable. You can create content around the product, like demonstrations on how it can be used or how it works. Or content around the team behind it like skits and trends like favourite songs. Or even behind the scene peeks like how the product is made or a day in the life.
