Running a business is not all glossy. In fact, the average lifespan of a small business is only eight and a half years, according to the Small Business Administration. That said, by keeping an eye on generating and retaining sales to ensure they don’t run dry, you can give your business the boost it needs to last the long haul. So, here are some tips to stoke your sales.
Grow your online presence
According to statistics compiled by Orbelo, one in every four people are digital buyers and 63% of all purchases begin with an online search. So, as the best online sales courses teach, your digital visibility is one of the most important keys to sustained sales.
Some of the main ways to build up your online presence include:
- Optimising your website speed. According to Ready Cloud, if your site takes longer than three seconds to load, 40% of visitors will simply bounce to another website.
- Having a mobile-friendly site. Sweor reveals that more than 60% of website visitors use smartphones.
- Using keywords in your web content. Once you single out which terms are most popular with your audience, sprinkle the most relevant keywords and phrases into your copy.
- Creating quality content. Craft colourful content that’s rich in value to grab your target market’s interest and attention.
- Improving appearance and navigation. The best-performing sites are attractive and easy to navigate with clear calls to action.
- Being active on social media platforms. Have a vibrant presence and engage with your target audience. Also, use hashtags to shine the spotlight on your posts.
Map out a sales strategy
Develop a solid sales strategy that clearly frames your product offer and target market to move your sales programs along a well-defined track. When the strategy is blurred, your team may end up hopping from one sales method to the next, overwhelming themselves in the process. Also, mapping out your path helps create a system for measuring the outcomes and successes of your growing small business.
Your sales strategy can include:
- a detailed plan on how you will generate leads
- how you intend to retain customers
- when and how you will conduct training and learning courses for your sales team
To create a solid strategy, start by nailing down your buyer’s persona that embodies the essence of your ideal buyer. Thorough market research and data analysis can help you see the light when defining:
- who your buyers are
- what they need
- where to find them both online and offline
Listen to your customers
Your company’s success often boils down to how well you deliver on your promises. Listening to customer feedback is one of the best ways to get customers raving about your offering.
Leverage your online social media presence to get customers’ views. You can also use surveys and customer feedback forms to gather your customers’ thoughts about what makes your brand tick.
Keeping your ear to the ground concerning your customers’ views can help you brush up on your customer service. For example, you can discover which areas to focus on when creating your customer service courses. You can also use the information you get through feedback to beef up your product or service.
Once your customers see that you care about their experiences, you are more likely to reach the sweet spot of customer retention and loyalty. Also, research by Hubspot showed that 77% of satisfied customers will spread the word about their positive experiences.
Before you go
To create a bright future for your business:
- stay visible online
- light up a strategic path to guide your sales programs and courses
- always lend an ear to your customers
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