Keeping your business CURRENT

Worried about how to keep your business current? Being current, in trend and up with modern times is a MUST when it comes to running a business. However, sometimes it can be a little difficult to know what to do and how to do it.

Here are a few pointers that should hopefully help you steer your way through being current and maybe even help increase your business awareness in your local community and possible wider audience.  

Research Marketing

Generally when a business first starts out, they complete a large-scale research marketing process. This gives them an idea on prices to charge, services to offer, markets that are available, target audiences etc. However a rut that business usually fall into is stopping researching once their business opens – DON’T.
This also means researching ‘trends’ in your industry – this can be a Google search, looking at trending on YouTube or even just watching the general news.
To continue to grow your business you must keep up with your competitors or businesses in similar positions outside of your area.

Points:
*Continue to research.
*Adjust to modern changes and trends.
*Compare your services and differences to other competitors.
*Provide continual updating, change and growth.
*Keep on top of trends and use them to your advantage.

Technology

A crucial and incredibly important part of your business – technology and MODERN technology at that!
Ensure that the software you are operating is current, not a great look if you are sending a document to someone and they are unable to open it because your software is outdated. Which then takes me to posting documents instead of emailing, filing hard copies instead of scanning and all of those possible traits.

These days people are impatient, they want answer the minute they ask, they want everything in writing and they want to be able to open it up on their phone when they need it next.

In the world that we live in, technology is your best alias when it comes to business success.

Points:
*Make sure the services you offer that are technology-based are up to date.
*Email documents and details – people want it easily accessible, not posted to them.
*Use text services to send information and reminders to people.
*File your documents electronically, you have access to them as soon as you need them.
*Keep your customers and potential customers up to date with the technology updates you make.

Social Accounts

Social Media – vital to your business – free advertising, ensuring viability of your business and increasing your potential customer reach massively.

Depending on your industry, you should decide on what social media accounts to hold. Generally as a minimum it would be Facebook and/or Instagram. Having these accounts means that you can get a larger following and reach a greater audience that would not know about you from your other marketing (e.g. paper and radio).
Social Media allows you to post information about your services, present yourself in an approachable and informative manner and it is all free!

A large number of potential customers use Social Media as a tool of validation, they search for your account, have a quick look through and see if it is something or someone they want to approach. Do you have regular posts? Do you look modern? Are you an active member in the community?

Social Media should be a MUST, it shouldn’t even be a topic to ‘consider’.

Points:
*Ensure you have at least one social media account.
*Keep your page current with at least one post a week.
*Try sharing your posts to local community pages.
*Get involved with local events where they are able to tag your business as sponsors etc.
*If this is something you feel you are going to struggle with, look to source an external party to do this for you.
*Trends should be used here too. Use your market research and trend research to impact the posts you create and the information you present.

Up Skill Staff

Keeping your staff current is just as important as keeping your business and your services current. Whilst staff may have high level training in certain areas, such as degrees, diplomas, certificates etc, professional development is still important to your business.

Professional Development doesn’t have to be fancy long, face to face, expensive courses – in fact the best courses to be doing to keep up to date are usually online and a lot of the time, FREE.

Knowing information about new products you are looking to offer, how to use social media, marketing tips, updates in industry trends, changes to your industry etc.

These are all important things for your business and things that with knowledge for your staff can benefit your business greatly.

Look for local Chamber of Commerce’s, Business Australia, Business Enterprise Centres etc. These places usually always have incredible free online courses, webinars or sometimes face to face sessions. The information is up to date and they even also are able to talk you though current changes, grants and other services available for businesses in your industry.

Points:
*Keep your staff current – look online for training and information to do this.
*By upskilling your staff you are upskilling your business.
*Ensure to have meetings and toolbox talks after attending these sessions. Passing this information onto other staff allows growth and provides staff the opportunity to provide feedback.
*Use these sessions to better your business, improvements and changes should be implemented.

I hope this helps, and remember – doing something is better than doing nothing.

-Kaitlin-