Small businesses don’t have the same reach or resources as large firms, so it might seem simpler to stay away from the technology-centric approach large corporations often use. However, there are aspects of this approach that can benefit small firms and can help you grow your business and cement yourself in the market.
What is the downside of not integrating technology into a small business?
At first, and at smaller scales, it can be difficult to see the positive impact incorporating technology can have. But as you become a mid-sized business, these become far greater and the downsides of not integrating technology become apparent. If your goal is to grow, you need to be prepared for growth. And part of preparing is making sure you’re not left behind in the fast-paced technology-driven world of business.
Here are 10 ways you can inject technology into your small business today. All of them may not be right for you, but just incorporating some of these can help your business shine.
10 Ways to Inject Technology into your Small Business
1. Take full advantage of internet marketing to expand your small business
Gone are the days where you can rely on newspapers or billboards alone to advertise your business. Today’s market has moved online, and so must you. Consider how you can promote your small business online, what platforms your prospective customers frequent and what messaging they might want to hear. Attention is always limited in a fast-paced, technology-driven marketing world. It’s all about capturing attention as effectively as possible and converting people into customers.
2. Engage with your audience on social media
Social media has boomed since its inception, becoming an easy place for your audience to engage with your brand. Make sure you are actively posting about your business, events and the latest trends in your space. People want the sense that your business is alive, and there’s no better place than on socials. This is especially important for local businesses who rely on a smaller market, and it can be a brilliant way for a new business to start reaching out to grow.
3. Level up your business’ website to bring in more customers
Just like with digital marketing, you need an effective website to successfully promote your small business. Transforming your website from using simple templates to a fully custom solution will bring out your brand identity and give potential customers a hook to start engaging with it. Make sure you keep everything up-to-date and give future customers a good sense of who you are and what you offer. Before they step foot anywhere near your business, they want to be confident they get genuine value from you.
4. Understand your users better through Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
As you grow your business, it is crucial to understand what customers like and dislike, and what they engage with. CRM tools give you a central place to collect and analyse data, providing insights on what works and how to grow. In a highly competitive market, it is crucial that you understand your customers best so you can retain their business. And as your business progresses from a startup to a larger player in the space, retaining customers becomes pivotal to success.
5. Centralise your inventory management to more effectively track stock and assets
If your small business relies on moving stock in and out, consider moving your inventory management system fully digital. That way, all the information you need is in one place, can be accessed from anywhere, and you won’t have to worry about losing physical records again. This can also help your small business become more efficient with moving stock and to make sure all items are accounted for.
6. Automate tasks so you can focus on what’s important
In today’s ago, technology has progressed to where many tasks can now be automated. You should leverage automation so everybody in your small business can focus on what matters most. While this may be easy to set up in some instances, more complex scenarios may require custom connector applications to do what you need it to. Putting your people hours to effective use allows them to produce higher-quality outcomes for them and your business.
7. Synchronise communication across your small business
Nothing is worse than a breakdown in communication. Having a one-stop-shop for questions, updates and any communication can greatly improve clarity and productivity. Without synchronised digital communication, it becomes harder to keep everybody informed and can easily lead to problems.
8. Effectively manage and keep track of goals, progress and achievements
Internally at your small business, it is important to provide a environment for your employees that promotes challenging themselves and striving for success. Having a digital place where you can meet, together or one-on-one, can streamline this process so you and your employees get the most out of their time.
9. Incorporate a mixed-modal approach to learning and skill training
While some training will always require in-person learning, others can be brought into the digital space. Not only can this provide a more effective and interactive method of teaching, but also provides a place of reference for everything they learn. This can be especially useful to refer back to in the future or to quickly introduce employees to different skills.
10. Make sure not to leave behind those who don’t wish to use technology
Even though this is last on the list, it is far from the least important. Technology has revolutionised how the world connects, but some customers still prefer to engage in other ways. Whether they are new customers or existing customers, it is important that they still have ways to engage offline, otherwise you risk alienating a portion of your audience. This can further be an issue for poor implementations of technology which can instead lead customers to feel disappointed or frustrated, which may lead their business elsewhere.
In Short
Incorporating technology into your small business can sound daunting. But in the long run, it can greatly benefit you as you grow. Remember that you don’t have to jump in all at once, instead dipping your toes into the water and experiencing a new way of business one step at a time.