At Localmize, we understand the hurdles and obstacles that small businesses deal with because we’re a small business too. We have employees that depend on their paychecks. We have bills that must be paid. We have accounts to collect from. Out of all the things we worry about as small business owners, we’ve compiled a short list of some of the top concerns and some solutions to possibly help. Remember, as isolated as you may feel we’re all in this together. Surround yourself with other small business owners who can lend a hand and give advice when needed.
Not Enough Hours in the Day
Ask any small business owner, they’ll tell you that they wish they had more time in the day. One of the first things you are going to have to learn to do is delegate. While that may sound simple, we all know it just isn’t. Delegating by a small business owner literally means letting go of something that could depend on your company making it or not. It’s handing over the keys to the car to someone that may not know how to drive yet. So, how do you delegate to employees that don’t know your business inside and out yet? You train and trust. You have to trust the people that work for you, and you have to trust them to get the job done. Create an environment where they feel like they are part of the solution. Create a work environment where people feel supported to ask questions and learn by doing.
Hiring the Right People
This one is probably hitting most of you in the gut. This is an obvious problem all small businesses have been experiencing since the on-set of the pandemic. Forget hiring the right person, most of us just hope someone will show up for an interview! Finding people to work has never been more challenging. Utilize all forums you can, from online listing services like Indeed down to utilizing your local Chamber of Commerce to post to their job board and don’t forget your own social media! Put your needs out there to your colleagues and friends list. Once you find candidates, you want to look for employees who can work independently and take on tasks without being asked to. Initiative should be a key thing you look for in new hires. Are you hiring the type of person that can see something that needs to be done and therefore, just gets it done? Are you hiring people that you can trust with the life of your business?
Balancing Business Growth vs. Company Resources
Growth for any small business is a good thing, but we’ve all dealt with the excitement of a product taking off or a service becoming popular and then not being able to meet demand. Whether it comes down to not having enough people on staff or enough inventory, growing pains are a real thing! Anticipating your clients’ needs while having a flexible staff willing to roll up their sleeves and dig in until the work is finished, is the best-case scenario. More likely, you and possibly one other employee are pulling late nights to create, prepare, build or service your new customers. Finding a balance between new business growth and handling the supply and demand issues that new business brings to your team is always going to be a balancing act.
Digital Presence and Marketing
Small business owners are always looking for the right way to market their business. Whether it be full marketing campaigns or networking events, we always want to make sure the largest group of people know about our business and what we offer. No matter what town, city or suburb your business is located in, your largest target audience is located online. You will reach more potential customers with an online presence, especially if you’re utilizing social media. Localmize can help you design a safe, easily navigable site that can help generate leads and/or sales for your business. We also have a complete social media marketing team that can design an entire social media presence for your business. How can we help you reach more customers? Connect with us today to see what we can do for your business.
