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By NAIRA CHRONICLES
Have you wondered why many business never grow or fizzle out within a very short time? Could those businesses have blossomed if the managers knew and applied a few tips to turn that small business into a big business?
In this article, I share a few tips that can help you give your business the desired leap into a big concern.
How to Grow Your Small Business Into A Big Future Concern
The following keys are very important if for every business start up.
1. Focus on Customer Service:
No matter how small your business is, customer service is very relevant. American Express conducted a survey and the results showed that 78 percent of customers cancelled or did not make a purchase because of poor customer service. A lot of business people do not know that the customer is key and that one satisfied customer can do more for you what advertising cannot do just by word of mouth recommendation to others. Small things like helping your customer take the goods he or she bought into the waiting car or to offer to deliver the items if this is convenient for you can please your customer and bring you referrals.
Do you know that it takes about 20 positive customer experience to erase the effect of one negative one? This is why you must make good impression on your customers. If you run a business, greet your customers and add 'sir' or 'ma.' It does not take anything from you. It only puts you in good light. People want to be respected. They want to be treated right. They want attention and you must give that attention to your customer. I remember several years back while I was a student in the University. A lady started a restaurant business and she was really cooking well so that attracted a lot of patronage. The patronage got into her head, she never cared about customer service. She was short of staff despite making better sales than her neighbours. She did not care that students were washing the plates themselves to get served. Soon, the euphoria was over. No one wanted to wash plates to be served when there was another restaurant nearby even if the food was less tastier. Soon, the 'best cook' lost all her customers and no one was willing to come back. She had the skill but she did not not have good customer service skills. This is one of the reasons good businesses collapse.
It is easier to sell to loyal customers. Earn the loyalty of your customers by the right attitude. Never quarrel with a customer no matter how offended you are. Never curse or swear before a customer or use profane words. Ensure that good customer service is a priority in your business.
When you business begins to grow, ensure that you hire the right staff who must at all times be courteous and helpful to customers. Train and re-train staff on good customer service. It does not have to be an expensive training. Get good books, search for sources online and develop your own training module for your staff. Attach benefits to staff who excel in customer service. You can start a customer service feed back drive. Offer some gift to customers who complete a customer service survey or questionnaire. Use the feedback to improve on your services.
2. Give Something Back to Your Community
Think about something you can do for the your immediate community. You could support community development drives, charity or even help clear the drainage with your staff before work commences. Let the community see you doing something. This works to give your business a good reputation. You do not have to operate a multi national company to have a corporate social responsibility agenda for your business.
3. Use Good Marketing Strategies
You do not have to spend much on advertising or business promotion drives. You could do a promo for example, a 'buy-three-to-get-one' offer or something of sorts. Do some cold calling. Do not be ashamed to advertise your business on your vehicle.
4. Build online Presence
Does your business have online presence? If it does not you must create one now. I remember taking my son for a hair-cut in the salon and the salon was offering a discount if you liked their Instagram account. I quickly liked it online and got the discount. It is a smart way to get people to follow your business. If your customers like you on Facebook or Instagram or on Twitter, that way they would get to see the new products you have on offer. Again, you could advertise cheaply on the social media platforms. Facebook is good at this. For a token, they would make your business appear on the homepage of your target audience. These days online media attracts a lot of attention because because are always busy with their gadgets.
Get a good logo, your contact info, your address, google map link and make sure you add what you do i.e. your products and services on your page. You could ask people to like your page and ask weekly questions and give out 'give aways' e.g. on a particular day of every week. You may be giving out only a top up phone card of N500 a week but gain a lot of customer attention from what you do online. Look up other businesses with online presence to learn a thing or two. You do not have to contact a professional if you do not yet have the means. You can always learn on your own.
Remember to add testimonials from your customers on your online page e.g.
"Johnbull, Rumuola...
I like cutting my hair at XYZ barbing saloon, 2 Circular Road, Opposite GRA Junction. They have good customer service, the place is neat and they are careful about customers health. There is also DSTV.."
You can get testimonials like this from customers who complete your survey forms. Remember there must always be an attraction to your customers.
5. Cut Your Costs
This is very important. Many businesses fail because of poor cost management skills. Never spend from your business capital except it is an investment. You need to learn how to manage your books. Book keeping skills is necessary for every business. A lot of people are talented in many areas but fail in business because of poor book keeping. You can learn this from experience business people. Go to seminars and get help from mentors.
6. Accept Card Payments
In this days of a cashless economy, a lot of people want to transact and pay for their purchases with their cash cards. Contact your bank and see how you can get a device to enable you accept card payments. You could lose customers to those who take card payments if you do not. In some cases, you could add the additional cost that may arise to the purchase. Some customers do not mind.
7. Hire the Right People
As your business begins to grow, the need to hire the right staff cannot be overemphasised. Pay less attention to hiring your 'church members' or 'kindred' or members of a group you belong to. The emphasis should be on those you have the skills to grow the business and in turn better their own lives. If you have good candidates from the church and among kindreds fine. There is no point being good and having your business collapse. The church and your kindred all needs your business to be alive and good.
If you wish to receive more tips on growing your business online, send us a mail: Naijatopics@gmail.com
We will be glad to help
(c) NAIRA CHRONICLES
In this article, I share a few tips that can help you give your business the desired leap into a big concern.
How to Grow Your Small Business Into A Big Future Concern
The following keys are very important if for every business start up.
1. Focus on Customer Service:
No matter how small your business is, customer service is very relevant. American Express conducted a survey and the results showed that 78 percent of customers cancelled or did not make a purchase because of poor customer service. A lot of business people do not know that the customer is key and that one satisfied customer can do more for you what advertising cannot do just by word of mouth recommendation to others. Small things like helping your customer take the goods he or she bought into the waiting car or to offer to deliver the items if this is convenient for you can please your customer and bring you referrals.
Do you know that it takes about 20 positive customer experience to erase the effect of one negative one? This is why you must make good impression on your customers. If you run a business, greet your customers and add 'sir' or 'ma.' It does not take anything from you. It only puts you in good light. People want to be respected. They want to be treated right. They want attention and you must give that attention to your customer. I remember several years back while I was a student in the University. A lady started a restaurant business and she was really cooking well so that attracted a lot of patronage. The patronage got into her head, she never cared about customer service. She was short of staff despite making better sales than her neighbours. She did not care that students were washing the plates themselves to get served. Soon, the euphoria was over. No one wanted to wash plates to be served when there was another restaurant nearby even if the food was less tastier. Soon, the 'best cook' lost all her customers and no one was willing to come back. She had the skill but she did not not have good customer service skills. This is one of the reasons good businesses collapse.
It is easier to sell to loyal customers. Earn the loyalty of your customers by the right attitude. Never quarrel with a customer no matter how offended you are. Never curse or swear before a customer or use profane words. Ensure that good customer service is a priority in your business.
When you business begins to grow, ensure that you hire the right staff who must at all times be courteous and helpful to customers. Train and re-train staff on good customer service. It does not have to be an expensive training. Get good books, search for sources online and develop your own training module for your staff. Attach benefits to staff who excel in customer service. You can start a customer service feed back drive. Offer some gift to customers who complete a customer service survey or questionnaire. Use the feedback to improve on your services.
2. Give Something Back to Your Community
Think about something you can do for the your immediate community. You could support community development drives, charity or even help clear the drainage with your staff before work commences. Let the community see you doing something. This works to give your business a good reputation. You do not have to operate a multi national company to have a corporate social responsibility agenda for your business.
3. Use Good Marketing Strategies
You do not have to spend much on advertising or business promotion drives. You could do a promo for example, a 'buy-three-to-get-one' offer or something of sorts. Do some cold calling. Do not be ashamed to advertise your business on your vehicle.
4. Build online Presence
Does your business have online presence? If it does not you must create one now. I remember taking my son for a hair-cut in the salon and the salon was offering a discount if you liked their Instagram account. I quickly liked it online and got the discount. It is a smart way to get people to follow your business. If your customers like you on Facebook or Instagram or on Twitter, that way they would get to see the new products you have on offer. Again, you could advertise cheaply on the social media platforms. Facebook is good at this. For a token, they would make your business appear on the homepage of your target audience. These days online media attracts a lot of attention because because are always busy with their gadgets.
Get a good logo, your contact info, your address, google map link and make sure you add what you do i.e. your products and services on your page. You could ask people to like your page and ask weekly questions and give out 'give aways' e.g. on a particular day of every week. You may be giving out only a top up phone card of N500 a week but gain a lot of customer attention from what you do online. Look up other businesses with online presence to learn a thing or two. You do not have to contact a professional if you do not yet have the means. You can always learn on your own.
Remember to add testimonials from your customers on your online page e.g.
"Johnbull, Rumuola...
I like cutting my hair at XYZ barbing saloon, 2 Circular Road, Opposite GRA Junction. They have good customer service, the place is neat and they are careful about customers health. There is also DSTV.."
You can get testimonials like this from customers who complete your survey forms. Remember there must always be an attraction to your customers.
5. Cut Your Costs
This is very important. Many businesses fail because of poor cost management skills. Never spend from your business capital except it is an investment. You need to learn how to manage your books. Book keeping skills is necessary for every business. A lot of people are talented in many areas but fail in business because of poor book keeping. You can learn this from experience business people. Go to seminars and get help from mentors.
6. Accept Card Payments
In this days of a cashless economy, a lot of people want to transact and pay for their purchases with their cash cards. Contact your bank and see how you can get a device to enable you accept card payments. You could lose customers to those who take card payments if you do not. In some cases, you could add the additional cost that may arise to the purchase. Some customers do not mind.
7. Hire the Right People
As your business begins to grow, the need to hire the right staff cannot be overemphasised. Pay less attention to hiring your 'church members' or 'kindred' or members of a group you belong to. The emphasis should be on those you have the skills to grow the business and in turn better their own lives. If you have good candidates from the church and among kindreds fine. There is no point being good and having your business collapse. The church and your kindred all needs your business to be alive and good.
If you wish to receive more tips on growing your business online, send us a mail: Naijatopics@gmail.com
We will be glad to help
(c) NAIRA CHRONICLES
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