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At some point in our lives, we are all excited to start or grow a small business, try out something new or perhaps learn a new skill. During this phase there is a lot of learning, decisions being made and various challenges that we must face. I would like to share these 7 steps you can utilize to grow your small business.
1. Answer the customer
Many people and businesses create numerous products, services and options. One critical aspect is missing. If you’re wondering, its simple communication. We must not forget the customer and that means providing a response that is timely, meaningful and concise.
It does not matter if you have the best product or service. What matters is being available when there is a question raised, providing a meaningful response on time in a clear manner.
When you provide an answer or fully resolved the customers’ queries, you have started the process to build trust and loyalty.
2. Create continuous presence
With the evolving technology, various tools and platforms available at our disposal, there is no excuse for lack of presence or availability from your business.
We have so many options to use per our comfort and for the convenience of the public. We must be able to cater to a wide audience to resonate with different segments of the population.
An example: IT’S ONLY HONEY uses social media to spread the work and share our content in the most effective manner. We are not perfect and our building along the way. I have listed some of the links for your perusal which we use: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X.
3. Identify opportunities
Finding out what is trending by researching key topics, analyzing keywords, reviewing spike in traffic activity helps us understand what is happening in the market and most importantly what the public wants answers on.
I like to use Semrush to analyze simple or complex information to help small businesses use their tools to improve their visibility and get valuable insight from the market. By accessing organic research that Semrush provides will enable you to learn what works best for your competitors and make better decisions.
I would also like to mention how valuable Yoast: which is a SEO tool that helps improve many different aspects of your content by providing analysis and recommendations to improve. Yoast provides a paid and free tool to optimize your content. Visit Yoast to read more.
4. Adapt and innovate
We are in a digital era and technology is evolving at lightning speed. As an example to save me time, I have used Adobe free logo maker to re-design and get some amazing insight into my site logo for AJM Canadian and Dollar Entry.
Semrush is another invaluable tool for me to analyze information among their many tools:
- Keyword magic tool
- Keywork research tool
- Keyword generator
5. Time management
How are your growing your small business if you do not use your time wisely? Are you spending hours and hours creating content, designing, analyzing or any other activity that may involve a considerable amount of time?
Use smart resources and tools readily available either for free or at a cost to enable you and your business to function efficiently.
I used a lot of Adobe resources free and paid to provide me my time to run my business and do other activities. An example was when I subscribed to the Adobe Acrobat and primarily used Adobe for obtaining electronic contracts. Adobe Acrobat sign helps you e-sign documents and accept electronic signatures on your website, mobile allowing you to send, sign, track and manage the entire process.
Time is the most vital component to grow your small business. Review your requirements at least every quarter and find out what works best for you and your business.
6. Smart marketing
There are many tools available for marketing your business virtually, using various features and reports to improve your online presence and understand your competitors. I personally like Ahref and Semrush and both offer some free SEO tools to analyze your site.
Ahref is renowned for its backlink analysis and offers comprehensive and detailed backlink analysis along with keyword research by using their keyword explorer. It offers a simple interface.
Semrush is your comprehensive marketing toolkit. This platform offers an array of options to take you to the next level. Tools for SEO, PPC, content marketing and more. I am using Semrush to grow my small business and detail how I audit and use keyword research to help me save time, identify opportunities and most importantly use smart marketing with the array of tools that Semrush offers.
Comprehensive marketing toolkit: Semrush provides a range of tools for SEO, PPC, and social media management.
PPC integration: Semrush integrates with various PPC platforms allowing you to monitor and optimize your Google advertisement campaigns.
Keywords
We all need keywords and, in this maze, finding the right keyword, and obtaining that insight, research is invaluable to your result and requirement. Utilizing Semrush’s keyword magic tool provides an in-depth insight to help you with your research so you can make decisions you need.
Their platform is very responsive, friendly and easy to navigate. I really like their website audits which provides a clear visual of what you need. By reviewing your site and completing a site audit which semrush completes for you, you are provided with a chart detailing your site health, errors, number of crawled pages and warnings for you to identify and take required action.
Semrush Plans
- Semrush offers three plans with monthly and annual pricing options:
- Pro: for newbies and small teams
- Guru: for agencies and mid-size businesses
- Business: For large agencies and enterprises
7. Online platforms
In today’s competitive environment you must be adaptable and use various tools to enhance your business or product line.
One of the best forms of real estate is a domain. When you invest, buy, or create a domain you are building something everlasting with significant value which can be bought, sold and leased just like real estate.
I use InMotion Hosting to secure my domains and provide me the assistance I need to grow my small business.
Some uptime facts: During the last 10 years I have used InMotion hosting and had no interruptions with the exception of some silly mistakes I made on my wordpress dashboard.
Exceptional customer service: I have used their live chat at 6pm in the evening to even 2am in the morning and have always received a response. Having exceptional customer service with knowledgeable support personnel is a life saver and their team is available 24/7 via chat. I continue to enjoy a wonderful experience with InMotion Hosting and keen to share with you various hosting options available for your perusal.
I hope you enjoyed reading the 7 Steps to Grow Your Small Business. Remember this is an evolving process and you must constantly optimize using tools and resources to effectively manage your time.
Kindly provide your feedback on what you like and what you want to read. I look forward to the next post. Thank you for your support.
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Author
Adrian Menezes is the Founder, President & CEO of IT’S ONLY HONEY INC., which provides management consultancy and helps people and businesses to be more efficient. Adrian writes about financial education on Dollar Entry and discusses Canadian things on AJM Canadian.
