As a business owner, there are so many things to think about. So much so that it’s very likely that your to-do list is endless, and even when you’ve completed a large batch of tasks there will be more things added. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run, industry processes and secrets will always be changing. And, it’s your role to make sure you keep up with these industry trends so that you don’t fall behind and lose out on valuable customers.
If you’re new to the business world, or at least the industry you’re in, there’s a good chance that you’ve not quite grasped how to keep everything in order so that things run as smoothly as possible. Well, it’s time to bring your business to the present with these tips.
Employ a secretary
Sometimes there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to make sure you get everything done. If this is familiar to you, then it might be time to think about employing a secretary to take some of the load off your shoulders. While there are still tasks that only you should handle for the sake of your business, there will be lots of administrative jobs that could be passed onto someone else to free up more of your valuable time.
There are many ways you could go about this. Firstly, you could look at some employment agencies and list the jobs that need doing. For someone that’s going to help out with administrative roles, you’ll need someone that is computer literate if the job is mainly computer based, and that person may even benefit from having skills like grammatical accuracy, experience with numbers, and even a good telephone manner. Then, the employment agency can do the hard work for you and find the right person for the job.
On the other hand, you could outsource these types of jobs too. If you only need someone to work a few hours a day answering emails and straightening things up for you, you might be better off looking on sites like Upwork and People Per Hour to find an administrator to come on board. That way, you don’t have to dedicate to employing someone; you’re simply paying them for the hours they’ve worked.
While it might seem like a financially bad decision right now, having someone else take some of the slack will free up much more of your time, allowing you to concentrate on other more important parts of your business.
Use the internet to your advantage
We live in a world that’s so technologically advanced that it’s almost a bad business decision not to use it to your advantage for your business. While some businesses still thrive on the “old fashioned” ways of doing things, they probably could benefit from using some sort of technology, and so will yours.
Even if you own a brick and mortar store, you can use the internet to help bring more customers in. If you haven’t already, sign up for a Google Business profile and take ownership of your business. From there, you can update opening times, upload pictures, and enter any other relevant information that may help drive people towards your business. You’ll need some knowledge in SEO to do this successfully, but it’s definitely worth it because when people search keywords that are relevant to your business, your business will be listed, especially if it’s local.
You can and should also use SEO in other places too. Your website needs to be SEO optimised, especially if you sell your products or services online too as it will help drive more traffic to your website. You may also want to think about doing link placements for some of your products on websites with a high domain authority. SEO can take some time, so make sure you’re patient with it. If you’re not familiar with SEO practises or how to implement them, this could be another area to outsource for your business.
Another thing to consider is advertising your business using social media. Over the last decade or so, social media has become the centre of most people’s lives, and many people check their feeds multiple times a day. Again, even if you operate mainly from your physical store, you can use it to drive foot traffic into your store too! Take some time to learn how social media advertising can help bring more customers in so that you can use it to your advantage!
Send staff on training courses
There’s a good chance you selected each staff member according to their skills, but you should also consider upskilling them to your advantage. They may need more knowledge on certain products or procedures so that they can offer your customers the best service knowledge and skills. New skills and knowledge will lead to more customers and more opportunities for your business to expand even further.
For example, if you run a smart home technology company, you’ll need your sales advisors to have in-depth knowledge of the products you stock and sell. By upskilling them in product information as well as sales techniques, your business could quickly go from mediocre to one of the big players within your industry.
You should also keep track of any courses your staff have taken that may expire in the near future. Anything in food hygiene or health and safety related is a must, and it’s your responsibility to make sure they get that training. Not only could you be putting people in danger, but you could risk facing a lawsuit and a really bad reputation! So, send your team on that food hygiene course or for updated BLS training so they’ve got the skills and knowledge to help take your business to the next level.
Train employees in house
There will also be skills that you could teach your team to upskill them and also make your life easier. For example, if you’re the only one that has valuable skills like bookkeeping, then there’s a good chance you need to be on site a lot more than you’d actually like to be. Consider training your staff in things like:
Cashing up
Cashing up is a perfect example of something that needs to be done daily. And, if you’re the only one that can do it, you’ve got to dedicate your time every day to do it when that time could be spent doing other important parts of your role. Take the time to train up your staff members so they can do it without your supervision. That way, you can be off site working on other things if needed.
Closing down your store
Cashing up usually comes hand in hand with closing down your store, but it’s not always the case. Again, if you need to be working on something else or need to be elsewhere, closing down your store every day can become a hindrance in the progression of your business. Find trusted members of staff that you can train to clean down and close your business properly. You may need to make them keyholders so that they can lock up if you’re not there to do it. If you’re not keen on the idea of the keys to your business being in anyone’s hands, consider security systems with codes and keyless entry for your peace of mind.
Customer service
Your customers are so important to your business. That’s why it’s important to make sure they’re getting the best customer service possible. If this has recently become a problem through customer complaints or through word of mouth, then it’s your responsibility to make sure that your employees are well trained when it comes to giving customers a great experience when visiting you. Customer service is more than just a smile; it’s about going above and beyond to help them get what they want, while also chatting with them to make them feel comfortable when shopping with you. So, take the time to train your employees!
Collaborate with charities
Finally, one of the best things you can do for your company is collaborate with a charity. Not only does it show that you have compassion as a business, it will make you seem less corporate and more about the people. This will bode well when you’re trying to attract new customers through your doors (physically or online).
Collaborating with charities will also give you the chance to raise money for a good cause through fundraising events. And, you can get your business involved in the process too with merch stands, informational seminars and other fun activities that will help create excitement directed towards your business. Plus, who doesn’t want to help a good cause?
Conclusion
If your business feels like it’s been lacking “oomph” lately, or you want to make a real difference in your industry, then try these tips out! Remember that it’s okay to outsource or hire more help, and there will always be benefits that come hand in hand with upskilling your team!
Stanley
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