1 Use social media – but be social!

As small business owners we know that the wonderful free lunch that was social media is long gone – to be seen on Facebook these days you really need to prime the algorithm which means lots of effort on posting super engaging posts before hitting people with your sell. Don’t be disappointed if you are not seeing much love on Facebook, it’s a pay to platform these days, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t post to show the personality and personal side of your business. Of course, some businesses lend themselves more to ‘being social online’ than others, but with a bit of help from your business advisor you can come up with some great ideas.

Which leads me nicely to point 2:

2 Tell your story

As I mentioned it’s social media – so be social! People love to hear stories – think about the stories you tell around the campfire with your family and friends – stories about funny experiences, positive interactions with people…your last trip away, the meaning of life!

The ‘why do you do what you do’ of your business makes for a great story. People can connect with your passion for your business. If you are a restaurant owner, tell your stories of learning to cook, your nonnas recipes, where you got your inspiration for your menu – there are plenty of stories just in those few ideas.

3 Know what you do well…and promote that!

Digital disruption and the power of the internet search has not only enabled and empowered small business, it has also dramatically changed small business, as people are now educated to seek out specialists. The one stop shop is an outmoded business model, in the digital age, for most small businesses.

Stop trying to be all things to all people and get clear on what you do, who you serve and why you do it.

Are you all about new products and being first to market or are you well known for your lower prices, or is your goal to create excellent customer service? Pick one as you cannot do all 3 and be profitable.

Why do people seek you out – why do they do business with you? How do you make them feel and what does your business enable your customer to do?

In a crowded market place with human attention spans at about 8 seconds, you need to be clear on the value you bring to your client and deliver that in everything you do.

Stay focused on who you are selling to, and what you offer for long term success

Take a few minutes to get clear – fill in the blanks! Click the image below to download a PDF.