09-Nov-2010 17:13

Are you ready for the thaw?

Are you ready for the thaw? (Tips to grow your business)

With the financial crisis showing signs of improving conditions and confidence finally growing, small businesses should be looking to make up for losses suffered over the past few years.

While some find change and success tough, others seem to be able to breeze through simply because they understand what could make the difference…

So, if you’re a small business, here’s what you could do to lift your future success:

• Make customer service a USP (unique selling point): You may be on the same playing field as the big boys in the business and the rules of the game may remain the same. But you alone decide your team strategy and how you want to play the game. To stand out from the crowd of other small businesses and stand your ground in the face of competition from the larger corporations, you need to woo your customers with something that they don’t get too often from other companies - excellent customer service.
Businesses that treat its customers well & with respect & keep its promises will retain clients and achieve good referrals

• Try not to bite off more than you can chew: Many try too hard & overachieve. Your aspirations must correspond to your capabilities - if you take on more work than you can handle, you not only lose out on time, effort and money, your reputation also takes a severe beating. So work within your limitations, push your efforts to the extreme, and you’re sure to taste success.

• Practice what you preach: A small business is more like a family unit working together rather than a large company with hierarchical rules and policies. So unless you set an example for your employees, they’re not going to be motivated to work harder to push your company higher on the scale of success. Remember too, that if you expect them to do all the work while you slack off and take things easy, you’re not only setting a bad example but also setting yourself up for failure. Treat your employees well & they will remain loyal to your company and work hard for its success.

Best of luck…