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Regardless of the state of the economy, new small businesses face an uphill battle in establishing themselves. Between competition against existing businesses of every size, new or struggling companies must use strategies that set them apart and drive sales. Most entrepreneurs know that you need to focus on customer service and satisfaction. Very few, however, know exactly how to do that effectively. If you find that current sales are lacking, and you are looking for new and proven ways to turn sales trends around, these strategies can give you an advantage over other, similar businesses.
1. Assess Current Sales Methods
Before you work to develop solid sales strategies that can grow your business, you'll need to have a thorough understanding of exactly what strategies you are using right now. After all, what you laid out in initial plans and what procedures have morphed into over time are not always the same thing. Look at how you interact with customers —both current and potential ones — and whether that is driving the business towards its goals. Be sure to turn a keen eye toward sales forecasts, too. Markets, customers and preferences change. It is up to you to anticipate those changes as best as possible and adjust forecasting models accordingly.
2. Listen to Your Customers
Getting honest feedback from customers is crucial to maintaining positive relationships. Don't just collect it, though. Rather, use it to inform business decisions about product offerings and services. Negative feedback shouldn't be viewed as a failure, but rather as a tool to help you improve. It can help highlight any shortcomings in how you interact with customers so you can correct them.
How do you keep up with customers right now? If you are not using a customer relationship management system, you are likely missing out. At its most basic, CRM is a strategy used to track customers and monitor their behavior. However, it will quickly become one of the most valuable tools you have in increasing sales in a small business.
3. Build Value To Attract New Customers
You want to make a sale every time you interact with a potential customer. Doing that might not be the best way to gain long-term accounts, however. Instead of focusing on the immediate sale, focus on what value your business' products and services create. You might not walk away with a contract immediately, but you will build trust and loyalty — both of which are critical to driving sales. Those relationships are more important in the long run than upselling a particular product right now. Offer personalized assistance or training with your products, which will only further enhance the value of your business.
4. Optimize Web Content
More people are turning to search engines to find local businesses. No matter how you feel about Google and the other search engine behemoths, they are an integral part of how people function in society. Make sure your business attracts new customers when they are looking for services and products you offer by showing up toward the top of web searches. Google even offers a handy guide for optimizing web content to boost rankings.
5. Create Engagement Through Social Media
More people are using social media in their daily lives than ever before. You need to capitalize on that by building a robust social community. take time to learn how other small businesses are successfully using social media in marketing strategies. If you haven't set up business pages on the major channels, now is the time to do that. Visit them often and contribute engagement material. If you post something on your website, link to it on social media. Integrated add-ons make it simple to do, even if you aren't very tech-savvy. Share customer achievements and celebrations with their permission, of course, to create a personal feel and encourage sharing.
Most often, the most effective strategies for driving sales will focus on attracting attention and engaging those customers with who you interact. Be willing to listen to customers, evaluate what is and isn't working in your current strategy and work to increase awareness of and engagement with your company.
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