BBB: 6 Ways to Run Your Small Business More Effectively

Getting the most out of your small business isn’t always easy. When you wear many hats and work hard to maximize your limited time, some tasks have the potential to slip through the cracks. These tips can help you run your small business more efficiently, getting the most out of the hours you spend at work — and your investment.

Automate as much as possible

When there’s only a short time in the day and a lot of tasks on your to-do list, the more you can automate, the better.

With today’s technology it is possible to automate a wide variety of business tasks, leaving a computer to do the heavy lifting in the background while you focus on the essential aspects of your business. For example, according to Software Path, marketing automation software led to a 14.5% increase in sales productivity, saving time where it counts.

Target your marketing strategies

In today’s tech-driven environment, it’s no longer acceptable to just run ads in newspapers or on the radio hoping the right audience will pick up your message. Instead, target marketing can ensure you get the best value for money, with benefits such as the ability to:

• Speak specifically to a targeted audience;

• Attract and convert quality leads;

• Highlight the unique attributes that differentiate you from the competition;

• Cultivate customer loyalty;

• Improve the products and services available;

Outsource if necessary

Small business owners often do a bit of everything, serving as a customer service representative, marketing manager, accountant, financial analyst, and human resources team all rolled into one. However, when the burden becomes too much for one person or a small team of people to bear, outsourcing can save time, energy and money.

For common day-to-day tasks, like accounting or social media management, working with a third party can improve service quality without significantly increasing costs. Outsourcing can add expert input to your business and provide as-needed availability to help your business grow, while reducing costs by up to 30%, according to Harvard Business Review.

Invest in your website

If your website isn’t up to snuff, now is the time to make a change. Upgrading your website with a responsive, mobile-friendly design can increase your position in search engine results pages, improve customer responses, and boost your reputation in the local community. Also, the more information you make available on your site, the less time you will have to spend answering customer questions.

Use tools and technology

Do you still distribute to-do lists on paper? Insist on tracking inventory by hand? While there’s nothing wrong with old-school techniques, software solutions designed to improve productivity can go a long way in a small business.

For example, inventory management tools can ease the burden of manually overseeing inventory, and social media marketing opportunities can improve communication with employees. No matter where your business needs to improve, there’s a tool to help you save time and increase your results.

Listen to the comments

When you receive customer feedback, it’s natural to smile, nod, and say thank you without really taking the time to practice compliments or constructive criticism. However, failure to do so can send your business in the wrong direction.

Although you have a vision and purpose for your brand, your customers are the reason you exist and they know how you meet their needs better than anyone. Instead of moving forward without recognizing potential customer red flags, take the time to listen, process feedback, and leverage customer opinions to make informed decisions that will give your business a boost. ahead.

Although there is no way to guarantee success in any business, there are steps you can take to tip the balance in your favor. From an improved website to the use of outsourced resources, it is possible to increase the efficiency of your business.

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Roseanne Freitas, Hawai’i Market Manager, Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific, 900 Fort Street Mall, Ste. 1310, Honolulu, HI 96813 808-260-0643, bbb.org Start with trust.