Two of the key focuses of my blog are Business and Entrepreneurship, and Technology. In today’s digital world, it’s important to know that right mix of: technology usage, marketing, and knowing when to outsource to make your business competitive, whether it’s small or large. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Reach For The Stars; Don’t Limit Yourself.
* * *
It’s easy to think that small and large businesses are like chalk and cheese, and your small or home-based business is nothing like the larger firms of the world. However it’s simply not the case- you both have the same aims and objectives; you all want to turn a profit and provide a product or service to consumers that they’re currently missing. Sure, a bigger company will have lots more departments and processes in place, but there’s plenty of things that they do that you can also take advantage of in your small business. Don’t be limited or put obstacles in your way, don’t feel as though you’re not able to utilise certain methods just because you’re not a bigger business. Here are some examples.
Utilise the right tools and software
If you’re running a small or home based business, the temptation is there to save on software and do tasks manually. While this may be possible since you’re on a smaller scale, you’ll actually be losing out on money rather than saving it. Business software is something that can be utilised by firms of all sizes- you’ll boost productivity, reduce human error and save time too. This is time you could be spending doing something else, whether it’s in your business or in your personal life. You can find software for any department of your business these days, from accounting to legal software, customer relationship management, email management and much more. If you have room in your budget, you could even have bespoke software designed specifically for your business. On top of this, there are all kinds of tools that you could (and should) be using, regardless of the size of your firm. You can discover SEO rankings when using the right tools, PPC keywords and much more which will enable you to adjust your strategy for the best effect.
Market your business
Marketing is essential for businesses of all sizes. Even if you’re a small, local business who doesn’t sell online, you should have a marketing strategy in place to promote yourself. You will still need to be visible in search engine listings for when people search for local companies like yourself, and so a good website is essential. If you don’t sell online, your marketing will likely have a strong focus on things like flyers, posters and billboards so that people in the local community get to hear about you. Social media marketing is excellent also. If you do sell online, you’ll need to focus your efforts on further out- blogger outreach, Google ads and video marketing all might be options. Your marketing is important, don’t overlook this just because you’re not a huge company.
Outsource
If any of the tasks above sound like they’re out of your depth, there’s no need to worry. You can outsource anything these days, from entire departments of your business to single tasks. For example, you could outsource your marketing to a professional third party company who specialises in this. You could utilise freelancers to create content for your blog, or design your app or website. There are so many talented companies and individuals online who you can hire to run or tackle any area of your business. This ensures that everything is done to the best standard, and if you want to remain a sole trader it means you can get work done without having to hire staff. Many smaller companies believe that outsourcing is something that only big companies take advantage of, but you can outsource work regardless of the size of your business. And best of all, it could save you money too. While there will be a fee to pay the company or person, as they specialise in that area they have the knowledge and tools to be able to do things far more quickly than you. This boosts productivity and therefore profits. It frees up your time for you to tackle the elements of your business that you’re comfortable with and enjoy.
Don’t limit yourself, or believe that you’re any different to other businesses out there. No matter what the size, you all have the same objectives and there are tools that suit, or can be suited to any type of firm. Do your research, and don’t let the size of your company limit you! It’s completely possible to make a fortune right from your own home if that’s what you choose to do, as long as you go about things in the right way.
