As a small business owner, especially if it’s still in the early days of establishing your company you probably don’t have a whole lot of spare money to be upgrading and splashing out things that bigger businesses take for granted. But that doesn’t mean you should be staying in the dark ages either, and there are a few things you should be investing in which could be the difference between success and failure. Here are a few to consider
Business software
Manual methods when it comes to many aspects of business are highly outdated and could be a huge hinderance to your company. Paper methods of bookkeeping for example are tedious, and there’s always the risk of human error. Accounting software can tackle these kinds of jobs quickly and easily, and it’s cheaper for you too since you don’t have to pay an additional member of staff for their time to do it. Customer relationship management software, file management software and legal software are others to consider. These will make your business more efficient, can save you money and could even be the difference between success and failure overall.
A practical office space
Whether you’re working from home or renting premises, your office space needs to be functional. You should make sure it’s a comfortable place to work including desks and chairs that are ergonomically designed, sufficient lighting to prevent eye strain and migraines and appealing decor. White walls and living plants will make the office look spacious without feeling stark. Plus, psychologists have shown that plants in the workplace make people more productive. You need the right storage and everything should be organised for full efficiency. It might just seem like four walls and a place to work but your office space is important, for you and for any employees you hire as well.
A business blog
The benefits of blogging for business have been shown time and time again. It’s a cheap and easy way to build credibility, establish a loyal following and promote social shares which can lead to more traffic and profit too. Platforms like WordPress integrate easily into websites, and each time you create a blog post, it’s another opportunity to be crawled by search engines. This can boost your ranking in searches which leads to more organic traffic. You don’t even need to write it yourself, there are tonnes of writers online on freelancing sites waiting to go. Simply set a brief and outline the kind of post you want to be written and you could have unique and interesting content in just a day or two.
Well run social accounts
Another cost-effective way to boost your business and gain credibility would be to make sure your social accounts are properly run. Questions and queries should be dealt with promptly, and you should share relevant marketing materials to boost your profits. If you run regular giveaways and promotions and share discount codes, it will encourage people to follow you. The trick is to ensure there’s something in it for them.
