Take things to the next level with this on-point business tips
No matter how successful things seem, smart business owners have to think about ways to stay on top of their game. In every market, competition is a nail-biting, intense battle to success. As a small and medium-sized business owner, getting creative is important. Creativity is not only an ideal way to transform the way you do business but also, part of a larger plan. Creativity in business involves ways to create more sales.
With more sales come more income and room for your business to grow, and with growth comes its own challenges.
The point is, if you stay stagnant, your business will die. Take a look at these 40 tips that can help you keep your business fresh, exciting and attractive to your customers.
40 ways to help you transform the way you do business
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Pick up potential problems before they occur
All customers have expectations about the business or the product. You need to make sure that you are already a step ahead and know what possible problems could arise. Problems could affect new customers or existing customers.
In 2016, Samsung recalled some of its Galaxy Note 7 mobile devices due to excessive heat. Overheating resulted in some of the devices catching on fire. The recall saw a dip in sales by 33% according to sources reports.
To solve this issue, the company had to create a successor to the Note 7. They also implemented changes to avoid the problem from reoccurring. Reaching out to new customers would have to come through a new strategy. The company “removed the old problem” and solved it with a solution that people can trust.
In essence, scout the market for possible problems that customers could be facing and create possible solutions before they occur.
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Know how to solve problems over the phone
When it comes to speaking to your customers telephonically, you need a properly trained team. It’s frustrating when problems are voiced and not dealt with. Sometimes call centre agents “promise to escalate” the problem, yet several days later the problem is still unsolved.
Customer service is the backbone of your company and should be a priority for all your staff members.
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Treat all your customers as if they are the best
To transform the way you do business, it’s a great idea to treat your customers as if they are the best. Adopt the same courtesy and “going the extra mile” attitude for all your customers.
Whenever speaking to a customer new or old, treat them as if they are brand new. This means giving them all attention and going out of your way to make them happy.
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Every call is important
When running a small or medium-sized business, most people use their mobile phones. This helps to save on having to pay large monthly phone bills. It’s important to answer every call that comes through. This guarantees that you don’t miss any potential calls from your customers.
If you’re not going to be available then it’s very important to create a notice to inform your customers. The notice should say that you’re out of the office and unable to answer the calls coming in.
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Don’t be defensive
It’s easy to miss small things when it comes to selling products or services to your customers. You also have to remember that a sale is a “special kind of art.” You need to work hard to close a deal and make your customers feel happy.
Watch your language because the words you choose to use can convey an undesired impression on the customer.
For example, limit your usage of the word “but” because that sounds as if there is a negative thing following. Instead, rather say the word “and” when offering more or trying to upsell something.
Instead of asking: “What seems to be the problem?” you could say: “How may I help you?”. The second question is far more positive and proactive.
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Short and to the point
Short attention spans can make convincing people about a product difficult. Unless you’re doing a sales webinar or long-form sales letter, keep speeches short and informative. “Long stories” could lose a customer’s attention halfway through and they may not feel convinced to buy. This, of course, depends on what you’re selling and your target market, so be sure to test and see which approach gives the best results.
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Laughing and smiling helps promote a “positive action”
Humans are wired to respond to verbal and body language cues.
Laughing and smiling shows that people are happy or in a good mood. If you get your customers to smile or laugh, then you have a better chance of them saying yes.
Consider the attitudes of your staff when they are interacting with customers, and don’t forget to examine the tone of your email marketing.
Smiles can help you make more sells, so lead with your happiest images, messaging and body language.
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Don’t be “over the top” with exclamation words
In sales, positivity is important, but over-enthusiasm is a “buzz kill”. Some studies show that being too excessive with enthusiasm words can put off a sale. Customers don’t always like too much energy and enthusiasm because you can come across as being overly sales-y.
Being polite and friendly with a smile is more attractive to buyers.
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Adapt to how your customers want to buy your products
In marketing, there is something known as a “sales funnel” and this helps us understand the start point of a sale and where it ends. You should adapt to selling your products to the way your customers are likely to buy the items.
With all that said, it is very important to have a strategy in place. This is one of the best ways to form a structure in your business.
At Big Domino Marketing, we help our clients systematize their marketing efforts for campaigns that bring in true ROI and increased profits.
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Keep your presentations relevant
If you work in an industry where you have to present and pitch to obtain clients, then you obviously take a slightly different approach to someone selling products from a brick-and-mortar store.
Presentations should be succinct and highly polished to create trust in your audience. Lead with your strengths, address possible concerns upfront and show (don’t tell) them that choosing to work with you is the best decision for their overall goals and objectives.
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Believe in what you are selling
One of the best ways to guarantee a strong sales impact is to believe in what you’re selling. Maybe the business owner believes in their brand but that doesn’t mean their sales team does too.
It’s imperative to train staff and make sure that everyone is on board. In this way, they can sell the product with confidence. If you believe in your brand and products, that “positive emotion” will have a positive impact on every aspect of your business.
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Don’t oversell yourself
While all businesses exist to make sales, overselling is likely to backfire at the end of the day. If you overpromise and can’t deliver you will disappoint clients and damage your reputation. Be reasonable about what you can deliver and the timeframes you need to meet your obligations.
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Work pro-actively on problems
It’s good to find solutions to the problems, but more so it’s better to understand what caused them in the first place. Ask your sales managers or customer service team what went wrong and work on ways to prevent it from happening again.
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Allow room for improvement
Steering the ship from an owner’s perspective is never an easy task. There are always hurdles to conquer along the way. As an entrepreneur, ask yourself what can you do to improve the situation? On every aspect of your business, look for ways to improve. Speak to your staff members and work on ways to create a better working environment for them and the customers.
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It’s about giving and taking
Business is all about giving and taking. You can give advice and teach others, but you can learn too. Take the sound advice of people who know. Don’t be afraid to ask your team for ideas or how they see things improving in the future.
Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow – William Pollard.
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Rewards will win sales, loyalty and more
If you want to transform the way you do business then you have to show your appreciation to your staff. When you reward your staff for a great job done, it will motivate them to do even better the next time. Rewards subconsciously play a very positive role.
Rewards don’t necessarily mean giving your staff a pay increase every time they exceed expectations. Get creative with the ways that you can keep staff motivated and primed to perform on a high level.
Some rewards can be custom-made corporate gifts. You could also start an employer of the month wall display or reward with a free lunch or a half-day off work.
You can buy pizza for the office, send the admin ladies for a pedicure or buy your staff a book or mug or new pen. The possibilities are endless.
Sometimes just saying “thank you for all the hard work” will go a long way in building better relationships. Sincere appreciation towards your team will motivate them to make more sales, work harder, and truly believe in the brand.
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Show your customers appreciation
In business, it’s easy to forget that the customers and clients are the ones keeping your doors open. Say thank you to your customers for being loyal and for subscribing to your email list or signing up for a membership, etc.
Showing your customers some appreciation is a positive move. This is a good way to instil long-term positive relations and loyalty with future sales.
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Don’t let feeling down ruin your entire day
Everybody has their off days and in business, this can be very distracting. Don’t let negative feelings ruin your entire day.
Even when you’re feeling unmotivated to get through the day, tell yourself that it is one step towards a better tomorrow. These words inspired by famous authors and motivational speakers because it remains true.
Today will have an effect on tomorrow. Even if you’re not feeling great today, think about the impact that it will have on your tomorrow.
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Always stay ahead with research
Technology is an amazing tool not only for digital marketing but also for business growth. Use technology and research to help you transform the way you do business. Researching your market will help you learn what’s trending and even what your competitors are doing.
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Study your competitors
Get the “upper hand” of your competition. In business, even though your competitors are not your enemies, they are on the opposite side of the ring. Learn from their mistakes and better your craft. The more you know your competition, the more you’ll be able to create an effective strategy for your own business.
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Be ready to make sacrifices
In business, it’s never a straight road, “as simple as that.” Sometimes small business owners deal with plenty of unknowns. Be prepared to sometimes make sacrifices for the greater good.
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Balance it all at the end
Running a business is strenuous on many levels. You’ll always hear the term “work-life balance.” Not only can running a business drain you emotionally, but it can also impact your physical life. It’s important to prioritise your health and wellness. With that, you also need to make time to “breathe” and “live”.
Don’t get wrapped up in work so much that you forget to live and enjoy the little things in life. Burnout is real and can destroy otherwise healthy relationships and lives in general. Understanding burnout is key to help combat and prevent it from happening.
Quick-win ways to transform the way you do business:
- Setting clear goals for yourself
- Being realistic in your endeavours
- Knowing how to deal with angry customers
- Treating people with respect
- Being serious about what you do, but also leaving room for humour
- Using social media to your advantage
- Being flexible because not all customers are the same
- Becoming a good leader
- Personalising your emails and messages
- Always being professional
- Identifying any possible problems in the market
- Doing your market research
- Showing your customers proof
- Using reviews to your advantage
- Don’t overwhelm your customers with too many emails
- Don’t speak ill of your competitors
- Become a good listener
- Practice good time management
The take away on how to transform the way you do business
The approach is everything and your first impression will last. It doesn’t matter if you’ve managed to grow a loyal customer base; you need to keep positive standings all the time. One bad experience can result that a prospective new customer won’t be back to support your business.
If you’re not already using these pointers to transform the way you do business, why not give it a go. The key is not to get overwhelmed but rather pick one or two tips that you and your staff can implement before moving onto the next tips.
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