4 Business-Savvy Ways to Grow Your Company

Usually, when you keep doing the same things, you get the same results. Sometimes we get stuck in old habits with our business strategy. Is it holding you back? Maybe it’s time to give your business model a kick in the pants and try something new.

If you’re having trouble growing your business, or want to speed up its expansion, here are four easy, yet effective, steps you can take to keep your business moving forward:

Make Paying Easier

A survey done by Intuit found that over half of small businesses still don’t take credit cards. If you currently don’t accept credit cards, here’s a stat you need to know – studies show that businesses may be able to double, or even triple, their sales just by adding credit cards as a payment option. Not only that, but you can forget about online sales if you don’t take credit cards.

If your business already accepts credit cards, make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date terminals on the market that can process EMV chip cards and mobile payment systems like Apple Pay. Accepting credit cards also makes you more efficient. The analytics software that comes with credit card system saves you time with managing inventory, forecasting sales, and performing other business functions. That frees up more of your time to tackle three more ways to keep your business growing.

Promote Yourself Online

Social media is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of any size, yet less than half of small businesses are taking advantage of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you want to use social media effectively, here’s my advice: take it one site at a time. I recommend starting with Facebook since it’s the largest social media site. Dedicate yourself to posting 2-3 times a week and don’t be afraid to mix it up. People get bored if your posts are just about your products. Highlight sales and promotions, share relevant articles from other sources that inform your followers about your business or market, and upload photos and videos about your company, your products, and the community.

Network Like Crazy

It doesn’t matter if your customers are local or across the country, networking just makes sense. Consider joining business and civic organizations like your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club chapter. These organizations are filled with seasoned business professionals who can offer you advice, become your mentor, or connect you with new suppliers or vendors.

Attend Conferences & Tradeshows

Conferences and tradeshows are a great way to break out of your current market by generating sales leads and finding other businesses you can work with. I know what you’re thinking, they’re expensive, right? Tell me about it. But there’s no better way to generate tons of contacts in such a short period of time. If the cost is holding you back, here’s what I suggest: find a complementary company you can share a booth with and split the fees. That makes the cost a little easier to swallow and it can provide some cross-promotional synergy at your booth you wouldn’t have if you were on your own.

These are just a few ways you can give your business a shot of adrenaline. If you’ve got some successful strategies of your own, hit me up at [email protected]. I’d love to hear what’s working for you.