Starting and sustaining a small business is tough — no matter how brilliant your bright idea is.
Whether you’re delivering hot buttered toast door-to-door or selling sandwich protection helmets, there’s always the possibility your beloved business will sink faster than a torpedoed submarine.
But by implementing a few timely tactics as part of a sophisticated long-term strategy, you’ll move towards a bright future in leaps and bounds.
So here are four hacks for small business success.
Mobile
If you’ve invested in an attractive website, you’ll need to ensure that it’s mobile optimised — it needs to work as well on customers’ phones as it does on a PC, otherwise it’s off-putting.
If your site looks plain weird on mobile and it’s tricky to navigate, customers looking for a fast solution to their retail needs will rapidly switch their attention to one of your competitors.
Signing up for a Google My Business account should be your next move — and make sure that your onsite content contains the relevant local SEO keywords that help you climb the search engine results page rankings.
Gym
If you’re looking for a way to recruit and retain talented staff without paying sky-high wages, a brilliant benefits package might be more economical — but just as effective.
And since healthy workers are usually happier and more productive, a corporate gym membership for an affordable chain like Puregym could be a real honey trap.
Decide whether you can afford to pay the complete costs or make a significant contribution — but it’s sure to be popular either way.
Outsourced HR
Internal business functions like staff payroll and performance monitoring are often carried out by dedicated HR teams.
But hiring a qualified HR partner and staff to assist them is very expensive.
Outsourced HR and payroll services from an organisation like SD Worx ensure that staff are paid promptly and your organisation remains compliant with the relevant tax regime — even if you operate across national borders.
And these automated systems mean there’s no need for a full-time HR employee — at least until your company expands significantly.
Community
Corporate social responsibility is becoming more important to every company — in a crowded marketplace, firms that foster community engagement and give something back definitely prosper.
If local businesses and individuals are likely to form a significant part of your clientele, the positive PR and loyalty generated by donating a small amount of time, money or expertise is worth its weight in gold.
These four hacks don’t guarantee success for your small business — but they might help you hold on to valued staff and gain the trust of customers.
What tips do you have for a small business? Share your secrets in the comments section.