After a lot of hard work, your dream of opening your own small business and being your own boss is coming true! You have a product that’s in demand, the means of production in place, a physical storefront in a great location to attract local business as well as a website for reaching an entire world of customers, and a dedicated staff ready to go to work and make it all happen! It all looks great, but there are still a few more things you can do to make your success as sweet as it can be.
The first of these is getting the word out. If you don’t have one already, put up a large, easy-to-read sign with your business’s name and product highlighted to attract walk-in and drive-by customers. Big, bold colours and your brand’s unique logo are a must for this! These days businesses tend to become so obsessed with their online presence that they forget the old-time power of local area marketing, a tried and true method of reaching your community and getting them behind your success. These efforts can include good old-fashioned business cards and stationery, posters, flyers and brochures, and more! let the locals know you are there and they are sure to come check out what you have to offer!
Staying in the physical brick-and-mortar world for now, make sure your shopping area is easy to access, has plenty of room for customers to walk and examine your goods, and features attractive packaging, exciting displays, and product examples to entice them to stick around and buy! Make being in your store a fun, friendly experience and they will be sure to come back for more!
Now let’s move into the digital realm since it’s become the place to shop and just about everything else! Creating engaging content is an important tool for connecting with your target audience and spreading brand awareness. By having engaging and informative content available for consumption through video tutorials, infographics, and blogs you can show off your shop’s amazing products whilst building interest and trust with your target audience.
A vibrant social media presence is no longer just a clever sideshow, it’s become a juggernaut that drives sales and is an absolute business necessity. These platforms have a worldwide reach that allows you to actively attract, inform, and engage with your followers wherever they are. Incredibly, it is completely free (for now!) to set up a business account on major social media sites, making it one of the most affordable ways to advertise your new business.
We spoke with one small business owner specialising in books and magazines who was able to sell her products on all seven continents within the first week of opening her shop’s social media site. A bored researcher stuck in Antarctica purchased every crossword puzzle book in her selection!
Even the Australian government has some decent advice for online sales, so now everyone is getting into the act!
