For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), building credibility and engaging with customers can feel like an uphill battle. One way to bridge the gap between your brand and potential customers is user-generated content (UGC).

UGC refers to any content – text, images, videos, reviews, or social media posts – created by customers or fans about your brand, product, or service. Think Instagram photos of a customer enjoying your product, TikTok videos showcasing its use, or Google reviews praising your service. 

Yes, reviews are UGC! They’re one of the simplest and most accessible forms of this valuable content. 

Unlike traditional advertising, UGC has an authentic touch. It’s real people sharing real experiences, which makes it more relatable and trustworthy to prospective customers. 

A recent study showed that 79 per cent of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. For SMEs with limited marketing budgets, UGC can be a game-changer. 

Why UGC works so well for small businesses

1. It builds trust: Consumers trust other consumers more than they trust brands. UGC showcases authentic testimonials, making your business more relatable and trustworthy. 

2. It’s cost effective: UGC costs you nothing to produce. Your customers create it for you, saving you time and money while providing fresh, engaging content. This is effectively your step into the world of PR. Offering incentives for customers to create and share content will be your best friend. 

3. It boosts engagement: Sharing UGC on your social channels can increase likes, comments, and shares. People love seeing themselves featured and are more likely to tag others, expanding your reach. 

4. It improves SEO and discoverability: Reviews, testimonials, and social posts about your business can improve your online visibility, driving more traffic to your website or social media. Keep in mind that Google Reviews can only be edited by a customer, their review is authentic and their own, so prepare yourself for the feedback. 

How do I get my audience to create UGC?

There are a few ways you can get your audience to create UGC for you.

1. Encourage reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or your website. Make the process easy with direct links and reminders. 

2. Host competitions: Create social media contests where customers share photos or videos using your product. Offer incentives like discounts, free products, or shoutouts for participation. 

3. Create a branded hashtag: Encourage customers to use your hashtag when posting about your business. A memorable hashtag helps track and reshare UGC while building a sense of community. 

4. Share and celebrate UGC: Regularly feature customer photos, videos, or reviews on your social media, website, or newsletters. It shows appreciation and encourages others to join in. It’s about creating a community and acknowledging the time and effort that content creation requires. 

5. Leverage influencers: Partnering with micro-influencers who already use your product can generate organic UGC that resonates with their followers, extending your reach. 

Before sharing UGC, ensure you have the creator’s consent to use their content and credit them for their work. A simple message or comment is usually sufficient, and it shows respect for your customers. 

UGC is an invaluable tool for SMEs looking to grow their customer base and amplify their online presence. By encouraging and sharing authentic content created by your customers, you can build trust, increase engagement, and boost your brand’s credibility – all without a hefty marketing budget. 

So, start leveraging the power of UGC today, and let your customers help tell your story!

The post How to use user-generated content to boost your small brand’s engagement appeared first on Inside Small Business.

1. Not looking at the numbers regularly

One of the most critical mistakes small-business owners make is not reviewing their financial numbers regularly. It’s essential to keep a close eye on your financial statements, including the profit-and-loss statement, balance sheet and cashflow statement. Many business owners say, “I’m not good with numbers,” and put their heads in the sand, which is ultimately the biggest financial mistake of all.

Why this matters

Regularly reviewing your financial statements helps you understand your business’ financial health, identify trends, and make informed decisions. It allows you to spot issues early, such as declining profits or increasing expenses, and take corrective action before they become big problems.

How to avoid it

● Schedule regular reviews, making it a monthly routine to review your numbers and understand what they mean for your business.

● Invest in reliable accounting software that can generate detailed reports and provide insights into your financial performance.

● Educate yourself about the basic financial principles and how to interpret your financial statements – this will empower you to make better business decisions.

2. Looking only at their bank account as a means to understand their cash flow

Many small-business owners make the financial mistake of relying solely on their bank account balance to gauge their cash flow. This doesn’t provide a complete picture of your financial situation. It gives you just one angle and can get you in hot water quickly, especially if you don’t have a separate account for tax provisions.

Why this matters

Your bank balance doesn’t account for outstanding invoices, upcoming expenses or other liabilities. Relying on it can give you a false sense of security and lead to cashflow problems.

How to avoid it

● Regularly review your cashflow statement to get a comprehensive view of your cash inflows and outflows. This will help you understand your liquidity and manage your finances better.

● Create cashflow forecasts to predict future cash needs and identify potential shortfalls so you can plan ahead and avoid cash crunches.

● Keep a close eye on your accounts receivable and payable to ensure timely collections and payments. This will help you maintain healthy cash flow.

3. Not seeking advice from an accountant when needed

Small-business owners often try to manage their finances independently, avoiding professional help until it’s too late. While managing your finances in-house can save money, it can also lead to costly mistakes. Don’t be scared to pick up the phone for fear of getting a big bill. Finding yourself an accountant you have rapport with can save you thousands in poor decisions.

Why this matters

Accountants have the expertise to provide valuable insights and advice on complex financial matters. They can help you with tax planning, financial analysis and strategic planning, ensuring your business stays on the right track.

How to avoid it

● Don’t wait until you’re facing financial difficulties to seek professional help. Engaging an accountant early can help you avoid problems and make better financial decisions.

● Establish a relationship with an accountant and schedule regular consultations to review your financial situation.

● Take advantage of your accountant’s expertise to optimise your financial processes, plan for taxes and develop strategies for growth.

4. Failing to separate personal and business finances

Mixing personal and business finances is a common financial mistake that makes it difficult to track business expenses, manage cash flow and prepare accurate financial statements. It might seem like extra work upfront, but it will save you time, money and stress down the line.

Why this matters

Keeping your personal and business finances separate is crucial for maintaining clear financial records and ensuring your business’ financial health.

How to avoid it

● Set up separate, dedicated bank accounts and credit cards for your business to keep personal and business transactions separate.

● Ensure all business transactions are recorded accurately and consistently, using accounting software to streamline this process.

● Instead of withdrawing money from your business account as needed, pay yourself a regular salary to maintain separation between personal and business finances.

5. Neglecting tax planning and compliance

Many small-business owners underestimate the importance of tax planning and compliance, leading to unexpected liabilities, penalties and cashflow problems. Ensure you put money aside for tax regularly so you’re clear about what’s yours to keep and what belongs to the ATO.

Why this matters

Proper tax planning helps you minimise your tax liability and avoid surprises, and complying with tax regulations is essential to avoid penalties and legal issues.

How to avoid it

● Work with an accountant to develop a tax plan that aligns with your business goals. Estimate your tax liabilities and set aside funds to cover them.

● Keep up-to-date with tax laws and regulations, ensuring you comply with all filing requirements and deadlines.

● Take advantage of all available deductions and credits to reduce your tax liability – your accountant can help you identify and claim these benefits.

6. Overlooking the importance of financial forecasting

Many small-business owners fail to create and update financial forecasts regularly, but “if you don’t plan, you plan to fail”. Every bulletproof business has a strategy, and this includes a financial strategy, too.

Why this matters

Financial forecasts provide insights into future revenue, expenses and cash flow, helping you plan for growth, manage risks, and make informed decisions.

How to avoid it

● Develop detailed financial forecasts that cover different scenarios, including projections for revenue, expenses and cash flow.

● Update your forecasts regularly to reflect changes in your business environment and performance.

● Use your financial forecasts to guide your business planning and decision-making, adjusting your strategies based on forecasted outcomes.

7. Ignoring the importance of financial metrics

Financial metrics provide valuable insights into your business’ performance and health – a fact many small-business owners overlook. Having four-to-six key metrics that you understand and can guide your decision-making can be a total gamechanger. You don’t need to be a financial pro, but you do need to understand what good and bad looks like in order to make the best decisions for your business.

Why This Matters

Tracking key financial metrics helps you understand your business’ strengths and weaknesses, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.

How to Avoid It

● Determine the financial metrics that are most relevant to your business, such as gross margin, net profit margin, return on investment, and liquidity ratios.

● Regularly monitor and analyse these metrics to stay informed about your business’ performance.

● Use the insights gained from financial metrics to guide your strategic planning and operational decisions.

In conclusion

Avoiding these common financial mistakes can be the difference between thriving and becoming another small-business failure. Regularly reviewing your numbers, maintaining accurate records, seeking professional advice, and planning for the future are not just important – they’re essential practices for any business owner determined to build a bulletproof business. Don’t leave your success to chance. By being proactive and informed, you can build a strong financial foundation and ensure your business not only survives but thrives for years to come.

This article first appeared in issue 45 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine

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Here are my tips on how to skyrocket sales in the post-holiday season:

1. Mindset is key – If you anticipate slow sales, that’s likely what you’ll get. Maintain a positive and resilient mindset. Remember, part of this mindset shift is persistence – don’t give up, even when the going gets tough or the battle is lost before it has even begun. This mindset not only prepares you for challenges but also opens your eyes to new opportunities. Remember, your attitude towards the market conditions can profoundly impact your business outcomes.

2. Replicate success – Reflect on your most successful campaigns of 2023. What worked? Can these strategies be adapted for the current season? Often, the best ideas don’t need to be time-specific and can be executed at any time. Leveraging proven strategies can provide a solid foundation for your new year’s sales approach.

3. Foster community engagement – Conversations lead to conversions. Engaging with your community and having genuine conversations with customers can unlock valuable insights and sales opportunities. Make this engagement a core part of your sales strategy and process to uncover further sales opportunities. Ask for feedback, share insights, and build a community around your brand. This approach can turn your customer base into brand ambassadors.

4. Win-back strategies – Reach out to customers who haven’t made a purchase recently. Offer them irresistible win-back deals that add value without heavy discounting, which can erode brand equity. Tailor these offers to their past preferences to make them more personal and appealing.

5. Increase average order value – Explore strategies to increase your average order value. Introduce bundles and bulk deals, or leverage cross-selling and upselling techniques. For e-commerce businesses, consider using apps to facilitate this process. For brick-and-mortar or telephone-based sales, train your team to identify and take advantage of opportunities effectively. In the service sector, consider packaging services together or offering premium service levels. Ensure that these offers are prominently displayed and that your sales team is well-versed in promoting them.

6. Push as in peak season – The most critical piece of advice is to not let up. Approach the new year with the same strategic focus and determination you would during peak season. This relentless drive can be the difference between a new year sales slump and a surge in sales. It’s about sustaining that sense of urgency and importance in every aspect of your business, ensuring that every opportunity is maximised.

As we step into the new year, remember that challenges often lead to growth. For Australian SMEs, this is a time to be bold, innovative, and proactive. By adopting these strategies, you’re not just aiming to survive the January slump, you’re setting the stage for a successful start to 2024.

As many businesses slow down, accepting the January lull as a norm, you have a unique opportunity to think differently and capitalise on the general market’s inactivity. While others are switched off to sales, your business can stand out by ramping up. This is your chance to capture the attention of customers who are still active and seeking engagement. In a quiet market, your voice can be the loudest, offering a distinct advantage over competitors.

Remember, the difference between stagnation and growth often lies in the perspective and strategies we choose to adopt. Embrace this new year not as a challenge to endure but as an opportunity to excel and be the go-to authority in your industry.

The post Six essential growth hacks for small businesses to ensure a profitable start to 2024 appeared first on Inside Small Business.

As a business marketing consultant, I have helped numerous small online businesses thrive during challenging times. Here are my top tips on how to recession-proof your small business.

Diversify your income streams

Relying solely on one source of income can be precarious during a recession. Regardless of the type of business you operate, it is essential to consider diversifying your revenue streams. Explore various opportunities such as partnerships, new product lines, service expansions, strategic alliances, or exploring untapped market segments. By diversifying your sources of income, you can mitigate the impact of a downturn in one area and maintain a steady cash flow for your business.

Build strong customer relationships

During a recession, customer loyalty becomes even more critical for the survival of your small business. Focus on building strong relationships with your customers by providing exceptional customer service and personalised experiences. Engage with your audience through social media, email marketing, and other communication channels. By nurturing trust and loyalty, you can create a loyal customer base that will continue to support your business during tough times.

Focus on high-value offerings

In uncertain economic times, consumers become more cautious about their spending. Evaluate your product or service offerings and identify high-value options that cater to the changing needs and priorities of your target audience. Highlight the unique benefits and value proposition of these offerings to make them more appealing. By focusing on high-value products or services, you can attract customers who are willing to invest in quality, even during a recession.

Optimise your marketing efforts

During a recession, it’s crucial to make the most of your marketing efforts to reach your target audience effectively. Invest in search engine optimisation (SEO) to improve your website’s visibility in search results. Leverage social media platforms and email marketing to engage with your audience and promote your offerings. Consider collaborating with influencers or running targeted advertising campaigns to expand your reach. By adapting your marketing strategies to the current economic climate, you can maintain a steady flow of traffic and potential customers.

Streamline operations and reduce costs

Efficiency and cost reduction are paramount during a recession. Take a close look at your business operations and identify areas where you can streamline processes, automate tasks, or cut expenses. Embrace technology solutions that can help you reduce costs and improve productivity. Consider outsourcing non-essential tasks or hiring freelancers for specialised projects. By optimising your operations, you can create a leaner, more resilient business structure.

Stay updated and adapt

The business landscape can change rapidly during a recession. Stay informed about industry trends, market conditions, and consumer behaviour. Monitor your competitors’ strategies and adapt accordingly. Embrace innovation and be open to exploring new opportunities that arise. By staying proactive and agile, you can position your small online business to thrive despite the challenges posed by a recession.

Recessions may present challenges, but as a small online business owner, you have the advantage of flexibility and adaptability. By implementing these top tips, you can recession-proof your small online business and come out stronger on the other side. Diversify your income streams, build strong customer relationships, focus on high-value offerings, optimise your marketing efforts, streamline operations, and stay updated with the latest trends.

Remember, with the right strategies and a proactive mindset, your small online business can not only weather the storm but also unlock new opportunities during economic uncertainty.

The post Top tips to recession-proof your small online business appeared first on Inside Small Business.

Static content is out, audio and video content are in

Video will continue to increase in popularity as brands embrace video at every touch point including web, email and social media. Instagram doubled down on video content when they released their new algorithm in 2022, and we will continue to see a preference towards more humanised forms of content like audio and video.

Focusing on CRO in isolation from the customer journey is out

Focusing purely on conversion rate in isolation of customer experience is out, as brands focus on a holistic customer experience that results in a longer lifetime journey. Customers are savvier than ever, and brands are aware that taking a short-term view and optimising CRO without considering overall customer experience is short-sighted.

Partnerships and collaborations with influencers will continue to rise

Brands will continue to embrace macro, mid and micro-influencer collaborations over celebrity endorsements as they have proven to deliver a significant ROI and impactful results. Forming meaningful and long-term relationships with influencers will be paramount to a brand’s success as customers become increasingly savvier with understanding the commercial relationship between brands and ambassadors.

Proactive brands will continue to pursue social commerce

Social commerce may not have been met with success in the US and Europe (despite its success in China) but proactive brands will take advantage of the lesser competition and will continue to pursue social commerce. They will continue to shift from traditional marketing strategies to and turn to engaging and fun content without being too promotional. Social ecommerce allows consumers to explore and buy products through social media platforms like Tiktok, Instagram or Facebook.

Digital content creators are in

While influencer marketing is still the king in 2023, many brands will also turn to content creators. Digital creators or content creators focus on creating strategic, high-quality content with the goal of educating and informing their audience. Compared to influencers who share their personal life in an attempt to persuade others to buy something, content creators focus on creating content rather than themselves. They may have a lesser following but their content is just as powerful since their content targets what the audience needs and wants.

The eCommerce industry is constantly evolving and as an entrepreneur, you have to be continually learning and be up to date with the latest trends. A key success factor for brands playing in this space is to be able to quickly adapt to new technologies and embrace the trends quickly in order to continually maintain competitive advantage over their competitors.

2023 is likely to be an exciting and daunting year for eCommerce. With an economic recession on the horizon and inflation continually on the increase, it’s never been more important for brands to remain agile.

The post The eCommerce strategies small businesses need to embrace in 2023 appeared first on Inside Small Business.

With the third July quarter soon upon us, now is the time to revise your goals for the next important three months with these tips in mind.

Work towards a manageable plan

Following a 90-day plan is much more approachable and manageable than following a 365-day plan. Quarterly plans allow for the completion of short-term goals that will help drive the company’s long-term goals. This process not only fosters motivation and accountability amongst team member but also allows you as CEO to assess team performance and overall productivity.

Who should attend the planning

Typically, your quarterly planning should take place in a meeting attended by your entire team, from execs to management to general staff. This ensures everyone has a chance to shape the plan, contribute their opinions, and understand how their role fits into the planning for the upcoming quarter.

Think about pre-planning

Sometimes, it can be helpful to hold a “pre-planning” session with a few key players in your organisation prior to the larger planning meeting. This way you’re able to come to the meeting with clear objectives so the rest of your team knows what to expect from the conversation. If you’re a solopreneur, carve out time in your calendar to sit down and plan for the quarter, consulting with a trusted mentor or business friend if need be.

Break large goals into chunks

Divide your larger annual goals into smaller, more targeted goals that can be taken on in three months or less. Try working backwards from the finish line, what needs to happen before you can reach your big goal?

Review your results from the previous quarter

Before you can think about planning for the next quarter, you have to review the most recent quarter that has passed in order to accurately project business needs for the coming 90 days. This way, you’ll know if your current strategies are effective and where potential improvements can be made.

Identify key focus areas for the upcoming quarter

Select three main areas to focus on for the upcoming quarter. These should be things that are essential in helping you reach your longer-term business goals.

Develop action steps and benchmarks

To avoid getting bogged down in the planning stages, identify specific actions that will be necessary in order to achieve your short-term goals for the quarter.

Set clear timelines

Quarterly goals are more “time-sensitive” than other goals. As such, you should be sticking to a specific timeline throughout the quarter.

Identify what success will look like

Success will look different for each of your focus areas. Be sure that you and your team know what the criteria for success are for each focus area, keep this information in a document that you can refer back to if need be.

The post How to nail your next quarter appeared first on Inside Small Business.

The dichotomy between logical versus emotional buying decisions is further explored by the concepts of red brain and green brain marketing.

Red brain marketing

This is focused on the “logical” side of sales – hard facts like product/service features, instructions, methodology, and price. However, much like a stoplight in traffic, red brain marketing can compel the brain to halt and procrastinate over decision making, increasing buyer resistance. The buyer gets too caught up in trying to justify the purchase instead of focusing on the transformation that will occur in buying your product/service.

Green brain marketing

This uses real emotions and genuine human experience to encourage consumers to make a buying decision – and it works! Here you make your ideal client feel something instead of just feeding them information. When you are able to market your business in a way that appeals to your customer’s feelings, creativity, and imagination, your ideal customer will feel empowered into making a decision.

Five key emotions used in marketing

Happiness: Brands associated with happy customers and positivity have proven appeal. Positive, upbeat language and promotional materials (including photos of smiling customers) are two ways brands speak to “happiness”.

Sadness: Marketing that tugs at a consumer’s heartstrings can be incredibly powerful. Think touching commercials about animals in shelters that need homes, complete with sad musical overlay!

Fear: This creates urgency and prompts us to take action, to change something so that we can avoid a dreaded or undesired consequence.

Surprise: Advertisers turn to surprise when they want to capture audience attention and establish a strong brand impression. Often we care about getting something unexpectedly – especially if it’s something unexpectedly enticing!

Anger: It might seem counterintuitive to evoke feelings of anger or disgust when you are trying to sell a product/service, but when done strategically, it can be powerful. Your target audience may be incensed enough to make a move. For example, showcasing graphic images of smokers’ lungs in an effort to ‘disgust’ viewers into quitting smoking and buying nicotine patches.

How to incorporate green brain marketing into your existing strategy

While there’s a time and place for red brain marketing, green brain marketing will help you drive sales on a deeper, more widespread level. Consider these strategies:

Be intentional with your messaging

Review your content (both written and video) with an emotional eye. Your tone should be less formal and geared towards creating a friendly rapport with your audience. Pepper the entire customer journey with customer-centric, relatable language and imagery.

Know your audience’s pain and pleasure points

• Ask what does your audience want out of life?
• How can your service or product help them get it?
• What would make your target consumer sad? 
• What would shock or scare your target consumer into taking action?
• What would make your target consumer angry?
• How can you tap into this anger without creating controversy or resistance?

Don’t ignore red-brain marketing completely

Sometimes, logic and emotion go hand-in-hand. Aim to balance the two sides to resonate with your target audience. To follow this rule, try and combine every red brain appeal or fact with greenery. Always question how your customer is feeling, and how your product or services helps to solve their problems.

The post Red brain, green brain: how to use emotional advertising to drive sales appeared first on Inside Small Business.

Learning what is critical for customers and optimising the way that messages get delivered amongst all the online noise has become paramount. What’s more, a targeted e-commerce strategy will help you gain valuable insights into what customer expectations are.

Here are some key marketing predictions to be aware of over the next 12 months, which will help you really nail your marketing in the new business world.

Prediction 1: People will buy brands, not products

Having a strong product or service alone is no longer enough. Consumers are wanting to invest their dollars into brands that they trust, believe in, and align with their core values while also providing an exceptional product/service.

Commit to elevating brand awareness, developing an active online community, and building trust. Including details about the transparency, sustainability, or ethics of your business is important. If you have a compelling backstory include it on your online site. If you feature in the media with positive pieces, include that as well.

Be a brand that customers will be proud to talk and even brag about. If you are a small outfit, don’t let that hinder you – cultivate the idea of you being a “hidden gem” or “best-kept secret” to build the intrigue.

Prediction 2: Video content will continue to thrive on social media

Between platforms like TikTok and features on Instagram like Reels and Stories, video content has seen a massive spike in popularity over the last few years which will only continue to increase. The need for quick, digestible content is highly prevalent on social media. Focus on implementing this crucial marketing tactic into your strategy by leveraging reels and short videos that either entertain, educate, or solve a problem.

If you don’t know where to start, contact people who have expertise in this area or are of a generation who are most familiar with fast-moving platforms.

Prediction 3: The pandemic will continue to affect consumer behaviour

When it comes to consumer trends and buyer behaviour the long shadow of COVID-19 will continue throughout 2022 and beyond. Make sure your brands, products, and services are meeting new consumer needs in regards to convenience, innovation, and safety.

There will be an even bigger push toward e-commerce sales and the digital community as well as “failsafe” policies that make consumers feel like they have nothing to lose when trying out your product or service, such as seamless returns, money-back guarantees, free samples or trial periods.

Prediction 4: Influencer marketing is going to gain even more relevancy

Influencer marketing will become a global $13.8 billion dollar industry in 2022 and is predicted to only grow from there. Influencer campaigns inherently provide context, familiarity, and relevance to your audience if you pair up with the right influencers.

Begin to look for opportunities to engage in influencer marketing this year. Start by making a list of influencers you think would appeal to your target demographic and are a realistic match for your business based on their popularity and your own budget. If you need help, then various companies can engage influencers for you.

Prediction 5: Hyper-personalisation set to become critical

Hyper-personalisation – creating custom and targeted experiences through the use of data, analytics, AI, and automation – will become critical for brands wanting to leverage key moments with consumers. This will become common practice for brands when delivering unique experiences for their customers. As daunting as it may sound, it’s worth getting in on this early and exploring options with a specialist. The market is constantly changing and you don’t want to fall behind the pack.

The post The online marketing trends small businesses need to know in 2022 and beyond appeared first on Inside Small Business.

So, I’d recommend SMEs to join forces with a reliable business consultant to help navigate them through the eCommerce labyrinth, ensuring that they come out the other end with clarity, consistent growth and plenty of happy and loyal customers!

The three P’s

From the outset, the three P’s of business success – people, product and processes – form the foundation in what you want to achieve.

The clarity and integration of the three P’s will set the scene for adaptability, motivation and accountability in the business. As a business consultant, I want to know how innovative the product is, how motivated the people in the business are to succeed and understand the current mechanics of the business’s processes. From there, we can start fine tuning all the other elements to create an eCommerce presence that is destined to succeed.

Remove any obstacles for customers to purchase

There is nothing more frustrating than for a customer to be confronted with a confusing and complicated site, which makes it difficult to purchase a product with ease and simplicity.

Patience and time runs thin at this stage of the buying process, so it is imperative that the back end of your eCommerce site has the technology which allows your customers to click and buy in the time frame they find acceptable. Anything less, equates to disaster and believe me, it is rare for them to return, regardless of if your product is that captivating.

Driving qualified traffic to the website

There is a suite of tactics that you can drive qualified traffic to your website with the intention to purchase. From running Google ad campaigns, social media ads and engaging conversation on social media, the key is to create a mix of marketing strategies that will attract a larger sphere of potential customers. Don’t assume your customers will find you somehow. You must use clever ways for customers to be energised in buying from you.

Invest in recapturing missed opportunities

Through clever and slick retargeting, via ads and emails, a business can reconnect and revisit missed opportunities. It is that intimate and authentic approach in customer service and communication which will make you outshine you from the competition. Sometimes, potential customers needs a reminder or a prod that your product is worth purchasing. Be convincing, captivating, without being annoying!

Rich promotional calendar

With eCommerce, you cannot use a short-sighted lens to maximise your opportunities for success.

As a business consultant, I drive my clients in creating a myriad of sales generating activities. It is so important that we are continually working on educating the business on product and service delivery. Customer satisfaction is the top priority so we continually need to pool our resources and expertise and funnelling into that.

eCommerce is here to stay and its presence will continue to grow in an astronomical rate. Australian businesses not only have to keep up, but they also need to be ahead of the pack to not only outshine competition, but also engage in their customers in a way that makes them come back for more!

Olivia Jenkins, Business Consultant

The post How small businesses can navigate their way through the eCommerce labyrinth appeared first on Inside Small Business.

If you have a laissez-faire attitude with minimal answerability, you are doomed to fail.  Investment of time and resources are needed and that where the business consultant can guide and monitor you.

Connect with a good and reputable business consultant who is able to direct and guide you from the get-go in how to plan, manage and execute your business, maximising opportunities for success.

When things are meticulously planned, we know the numbers and what we are dealing with and we can then confidently do the work.

Not only does it provide a saving in time, money and resources, but it also provides a level of outside input and valuable experience from someone who has worked in many small businesses in your industry.

When you finally find a good one, they are worth their weight in gold and can bring much fortune and knowledge to your business. 

There are four clear things for a small business to consider when starting the search for the ultimate business consultant:

Does the consultant have strong industry experience?

When selecting a consultant that is best suited to your small business, you need to consider if they have industry expertise. For example, an eCommerce specialised consultant advising a local home builder may not be the best fit.

Does the consultant have the relevant qualifications to advise me in my business?

There’s also been a huge rise of business coaches in the last 12-24 months which is fantastic and there is such a need for that however it’s important to ask questions about qualifications and understand whether the coach you are working with has the appropriate knowledge to best guide you.

What is the consultant’s communication style and is it a good match for me?

Building strong rapport with your consultant is essential so it’s important to understand the communication style of the consultant in order to ensure it’s a good match. For example, considering if you prefer to communicate via email, phone or another method.

There also needs to be consideration on the communication style from a perspective of a consultant who is direct versus one who may be more sensitive in the delivery of information. I know some clients really love a direct style of communication and value the straight up honesty and others would prefer a softer approach.

What are the values of the consultant and are they aligned with mine?

Shared values is also incredibly important and something I focus on when bringing on new clients. There are certain red flags that I watch out for and one of them is when potential clients seem like they are expecting their business consultant to be 100 per cent responsible for their success. Owning and operating a business takes passion, skill and tenacity and if someone expects a business consultant to show up and do all of the work, that’s not congruent with my value as a consultant. I work best with clients who are as equally invested in the success of their business as I am.

The journey with your business consultant may often be challenging and confronting, but the end results are the most rewarding. Believe me, you come out fighting!

Olivia Jenkins, Business Consultant

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