Is your business performing at its absolute maximum potential? Odds are that even if things are going well there are still some things you could improve. It’s the summer, a time of year when many business owners complain about slumping sales and checked out customers. If this sounds like you, you might be searching for an extra jolt to get things moving in the right direction again. You’re in luck. Here are five business growth strategies you can put into practice right now.
Treat Your Customers Like the VIPs They Are
So you say things are a little slow this summer? That’s fantastic news – really. Now is the time to build strong relationships with your customers and let them know how much they mean to you and to your business. If there’s no line at the register, encourage your cashiers to spend a little extra time getting to know your customers and building the kind of bond that will bring them back through the door again and again. If you don’t have a full day of jobs lined up, set aside some time to call some recent customers and check to make sure they are satisfied with your work. This kind of relationship building is one of the best business growth strategies you can employ, even when things are slow.
Consider Using Sales or Other Incentives
No one likes to slash their prices, but the summer is a great time to experiment with special offers to see what works to attract new customers to your business. Even if your business isn’t located in a traditional vacation destination town, take advantage of the vacation mindset when people are feeling more relaxed and open to experiencing a few new things. Now’s the time to try that silly promotion or that whimsical ad – your customers might just love it!
Network with Fellow Business Owners
If you’re slow, chances are your neighbors are, too. Now is the perfect time to build up those relationships. Seek to understand what they do, what they’re most passionate about, who their customers are, and what pain points they have at their businesses. This isn’t an interview, just a genuine conversation between two business owners. Who knows, you may develop a referral relationship out of it! At the very least you’ll gain a better understanding of your neighbors and colleagues and how they do business – and hopefully learn a few things you can implement in your own organization.
Get Your Digital House in Order
The silver lining to a slow season is that finally have time to focus on all those business growth strategies that you know are important but always seem to get pushed aside. In particular, now is the time to take a serious look at your online presence. Make sure – really sure – that your customers can find what they’re looking for when they access your website – and if you’re not sure what they’re looking for, ask them! Think about how your customers are using social media – is your brand in front of them wherever they are? Finally, take a look at your online reviews. Is there a pattern of compliments you can capitalize on or a pattern of complaints you could change your business practices to address?
Find a Mentor
While these tips are all well and good, in order to keep growing you will likely want to seek the counsel of someone who has been there and done that. We’re talking about seasoned business owners, whether in your industry or not, who can serve as mentors to you. Running a business is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Chances are that a lot of the mistakes you’re making have already been made by other leaders who would be willing to share their knowledge with you. This is one of those business growth strategies from which every single business owner could benefit.
Here’s to Your Best Summer Yet!
While it may seem like a tall order to implement all of these business growth strategies in one summer (it’s already mid-July, after all!), challenge yourself to tackle at least one over the next few weeks. While you’re doing that, the slower season is also a great time to take stock of your vendor relationships and make sure they’re serving your needs. If you’re less than thrilled with your credit card processor, we can help with that. Give us a call at 1-855-360-0360 or drop us a line on our website. We’d love to help you make this the best summer your business has ever had.
PS – You can save some money this summer, too. Check out these tips.
PPS – Did your credit card processor just raise your rates? Read what you can do about it here.