The year is well underway and it’s a great time to analyze your business goals. If you own a business, are an entrepreneur, have a startup, or have plans to start a new business, now is the perfect time to jump-start your business. I’ve got three ways to jumpstart your business today.
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Connect with your ideal audience.
No matter if you’ve been in business for 15 years or are just getting started, connecting with your audience is always important. Relationships are powerful in business and should not be taken lightly. The truth is we are all just a conversation, call, private message, or click away from landing our next big client, sponsorship, or project. With social media forces like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, most businesses are within arm’s reach of their audience. If you’re selling to other business (B 2 B), then your audience may not be on social media. Don’t forsake old school tactics like cold calling. You may have to pick up the phone to reach your customer. It will be up to you determine who your customer is and where to find them.
Here’s an example of how you can get going on your ideal audience. Let’s say you sell home decor items. Your ideal audience is probably women. The price point of your items will dictate what age (ex. 25-45) and income group ($80K-$100K) is likely to buy your products. Find out where those women spend their time (on Pinterest or in coffee shops), how they like to shop (in-store or online), and how they like to be marketed to (Facebook ads or word of mouth). If you want to reach your ideal audience, you must market to them in the way they like, not how you prefer. The point is very simple. Figure out who your ideal audience is, find out where they hang out, and start marketing to them today!
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Step up your web presence.
Did you know that over 70% of consumers use the internet before they make a purchasing decision? That’s a huge number that shows that your web presence is important. We’ve all done it and so do potential customers. So, stop and take the time to research your web presence online. Do you have a website? Could your website use a design update? Are your website pages search-engine friendly? Are you ranking for pertinent keywords that could drive you business? If applicable, are you updating your social media accounts? Would your sales increase if you sold items online? Could you reach your ideal audience by sharing regularly through a blog? You’ll need to be honest as you answer these questions. Only then will you be able to take immediate action to correct what needs to be done, or start giving attention to what needs it.
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Take action today.
Think of a business like a basketball game. We’ve all seen a basketball player make a slam dunk. Just because a player makes a slam dunk doesn’t make him or his team the winner. However, it’s a notable action that is remarkable. Think of taking that kind of action with your business. “Slam dunk” type of action. So, when I say “jumpstart” I mean that you are looking to take some sort of action to propel your business forward. You’re in the game to win! However, sometimes our simple actions (slam dunks) are more notable than those that win or were better. So at this time, think about actions that will be notable and will help you meet your business goals.
If your ideal audience is on Pinterest, are you on Pinterest? Maybe it’s time you get acquainted with Pinterest for business and utilize this tool effectively. If your customers can be reached via phone, when is the last time you talked with them? Sometimes a quick email or phone call can result in a referral or even more work. If you’ve been scared of or don’t have time to start a blog for your business, hire someone. This may prove more beneficial over traditional advertising. In addition, you may notice a higher ROI by hiring a professional to do the work for you. The point is clear. Whatever your business needs to make a “slam dunk” move, do it today! This action will produce results and aid in meeting certain goals. Think now, of how you can make a “slam dunk” with your business. Blow your competitors out of the water! They will know that you are here to stay and ready to bring your business to the next level.
No matter what category your business falls into we can all take different actions that will propel our business forward. Setting attainable goals will be necessary to determine what action will be needed. There are still several months left in the year to reach your goals. Never stop setting goals and looking for ways to jumpstart your business.
-Crystal
