Category: Business Blog

You wouldn’t think it, but there are many businesses that are stuck in the past. If this is you, then it’s time to undertake a drastic overhaul. One of the hallmarks of a well-run business is having a proper structure, but also having your finger on the pulse in terms of how you run a business in the human sense. Bringing your business up to date can be quite a challenge, but what is it you really need to do now?

Be Environmentally Friendly

If you’re not environmentally friendly, or ethically sound, this could end up losing you suppliers, as well as customers! There are so many ways to be environmentally friendly now, not just the typical hallmarks of using computers instead of paper, but you can do certain things that are beneficial to your business in-house, and make it self-sustaining. Something like solar panels is a great place to begin, but you could also make the most of sustainable drainage devices. There’s a collection of these devices on https://www.freeflush.co.uk/collections/below-ground-suds that you can have a look at to see if it is your type of thing. But by having a good idea on how to be environmentally friendly, but also having an ethical approach to business, is going to have a profound impact on how every aspect of your business is run.

Have An IT Protection Plan

This is one  of the most important things we need to have in place, to make sure that we are up-to-date in how we protect our business is having a security policy that is continually updated. If your systems were to go down right now, your business would be thrown into complete disarray. This means you need to consider the best way to protect your systems, but also, what are you doing to make sure that it’s as efficient as can be? Updating your software patches, as well knowledge of the latest trends as far as phishing scams is concerned, will benefit you in so many different ways, not just the technical sense.

Have A Holistic Mindset

This can mean so many things, but in essence, it’s looking at the human approach. You can look at https://thesystemsthinker.com/holistic-change-creating-organizational-and-individual-alignment-at-genuity/ to give you a good idea on how you can change your business to be a more holistically minded one. But, there are things you can do yourself to implement this. By having an open door policy, by relaxing your attitude to work, and changing your leadership style, they are going to have profound impacts on the overall business culture. Remember, it’s the age-old adage of leading by example. What everybody thinks about the business comes from the top down, not the bottom up.

You need to be ahead in how you run the business, and by being ultra-modern, but also by having a good idea on how you can keep ahead of the curve, will help you bring your business bang up to the present day.

Even if you are completely satisfied with your products and pricing, it counts for very little without the right promotion. Engaging your clients in a manner that converts interest into sales is one of the most important aspects of the whole business operation. While every business tires, only a small percentage actually succeed.

Creating a winning plan of action is vital, and focusing on three main situations will serve you extremely well. Here’s all you need to know.

In-Store

Attracting passing trade relies heavily on location. But you also need to ensure that the storefront appeals to the desired demographic. However, you cannot fall into the trap of thinking that getting them in the store is all that matters. In truth, there’s so much more to consider.

Promotional ideas like running competitions or tasks related to your products can work wonders. Equipping staff with Square Up mobile POS terminals can allow them to offer a far more personalised shopping experience. This, combined with friendly staff, ensures that they remain engaged with the business in a positive manner.

Quality products and value will always be the priorities. Still, when those interactions are of a positive nature, it can only leave a positive impression.   

Online

There’s no escaping the shift towards online transactions. In fact, many businesses now rely massively on their digital revenue streams, even when they still maintain offline stores. A well-designed website that is optimised for mobile is vital. This can also include an App.

However, it’s imperative that you go the extra mile by gaining engagement through other platforms. Participation and regular interactions are vital for all demographics. Using Instagram stories to spark a big response is ideal. Meanwhile, blog posts and product links promoted through social media can work wonders too.  

If it promotes the personality of the brand along with the products you sell, success is assured. Moreover, many of those users will spread the word on your behalf.

Trade Events

As with online methods, your domains are only one area where success can be achieved. With regards to offline marketing, trade shows and networking events are key. They open the door to audiences and opportunities that would otherwise be kept close. Make sure you take them.

Yours won’t be the only business trying to win over those potential clients, though. Experts at Open Exhibitions can design winning stools and presentation facilities. Meanwhile, using videos and visual aids can work wonders as you bid to keep passersby at your stool rather than moving on. Again, some of the in-store ideas can be used to great effect.

This is a particularly popular option for gaining B2B clients, although it can also win over consumers.  

The Final Word

Keeping customers engaged is one of the key steps en route to gaining the sales figures needed for success. While mastering this aspect alone won’t be enough to achieve sustained profits, it will certainly go a long way to helping. Underestimate its importance at your peril.

For a business to function efficiently, it’s employees must also be efficient, and it’s your job, as the owner and manager, to ensure that they are. When most business owners are confronted with this task, they bring on new employees or offer overtime to current ones, but longer working hours don’t necessarily mean increased efficiency. With this idea out of the window, improving the efficiency of your business seems nearly impossible, but it isn’t. Here are five things that you can try.

Set Clear Goals

Your employees are never going to be as efficient as you hope they will be if they have no idea what they’re working towards. They need clear goals to keep them focused and heading in the right direction. These goals should, of course, be achievable, and they should also be as specific as you can make them. To do this, you should outline exactly what you expect from your employees, how this will help the company,  and how long they’ve got to meet their targets.

Give Sensible Tasks

If you give employees tasks that they’re not capable of completing, then their efficiency is clearly going to drop. Before you delegate any tasks to any of your employees, it’s vital that you take into account the individual’s training, skill set, and how long they have to complete the job. If any of these things make the task unachievable to this specific individual, then give it to someone more qualified instead. This way, you won’t waste anyone’s time, which will save you money.

Provide Effective Training

Rather than expect employees to learn everything they need to learn about your business on the job, you should provide effective training, both when they are first employed, and refresher sessions every six months to a year. You could use corporate video production in your training, to help them better retain what they’re learning. You should also offer additional training opportunities, like seminars and courses, to help individuals develop new skills.

Offer Individual Incentives

Every business owner knows that offering rewards for hard work is a great way to keep your employees motivated and efficient, but what most don’t realise is that it’s a lot more effective if your incentives are personalised to each individual. Rather than offer the same reward to every employee, consider the needs of each individual. This shows that you care and have taken the time to consider everyone separately, rather than offering a mass “thank you” email.

Allow Telecommuting

Most business owners completely dismiss the idea of telecommuting, as they assume that employees will be less productive when they’re not being watched by you and other employees. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Telecommuting saves your employees time, as they won’t have to travel into the office each day, and also allows them to keep working if they can’t get to the office, because of a sickness, storm, or other reason.

Your employees are one of the most vital parts of your business, so it’s essential that they’re working as efficiently as they can be. By utilising some of these tips, you can ensure that your staff are as productive as possible and that they don’t fall behind on their work.