5 Things You Can Action Now To Improve Your Small Business

Being a small business owner you probably spend most your time managing day-to-day activities to keep your business going. This leaves little time for looking at ways to improve your business and to implement and execute a marketing plan.

Here are 5 things your business can start doing today. Like, right now.

Get everyone on the same page
Organization is key. It can save you time and unnecessary confusion in the long run. Set up a shared calendar and shared to-do lists. Getting everything in one place and sharing that information with the rest of your employees in a clear, concise way will speed things along and help you to actually get things done. There is nothing more satisfying than ticking jobs off of a list. Download Google Calendar on your phone and get the people you work with to do the same and start organizing.

Get analytics on your website
For most businesses your website is the first handshake and first impression for your customers. By adding analytics to your website you will begin to understand how your customers use your website. How they navigate through the pages, if they aren't seeing important content, if they aren't clicking important links etc. Once you have this information you will be able to implement changes to improve. Here is a helpful guide on how to set up Google Analytics on your website.

Speak to your customers
No one knows your business better than you, but it's your customers that are best positioned to tell you ways to improve your business. After all they are the people that use your service or buy your product, not you. Create a list of things you want to find out about your customers and their relationship with your business. Now spend an hour ringing some of them up and get first hand feedback. This will be invaluable to you.

Google Reviews
You may notice that when you search for a business on Google, along with your search results you will be shown map locations. This is 'Google Places'. It's right at the top of the search just below the paid ads. First of all, if your business isn't listed then get it listed now. To do that click here. Once your business is listed you want to make your listing more attractive than the rest, there is really only one way to do this; 'Google Reviews'. Get your friends and customers to leave a Google Review about your business. Next time you line up against your competition on the Google listing you’re going to come out on top when you have 100 more reviews than them.

Create your marketing plan
"Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail", no truer words have ever been said. Putting together a monthly marketing plan that details your daily marketing activities can be the difference between actually getting stuff done and continuing to ponder what great ideas you have. Make a detailed plan of exactly what you are going to do day by day, for example Facebook posts, blog posts, editorials, advertising etc. Consistent marketing is the key and a marketing plan will give you this as well as saving you time.