With the new year fast approaching, there are many ways to prepare for your business being thrown into the spotlight. No matter the size of your company, there are lots of different things that you can do to make sure that you can expand your business so that it becomes more profitable and gathers a large loyal following of customers in the new year.
Only one-third of all SMBs last over ten years; so, if you want to have a long-lasting business, you need to be prepared. You will face competitors that are big and small and make investments and changes to keep up with the current trends. While you might be determined and mentally prepared for the hard work, you need to make sure that you have clear strategies and plans ready for the new year if you want your goals to be accomplished.
Keep reading for our top tips on preparing to expand your business in the new year; ensuring that 2020 is packed with growth and new experiences. With companies around every corner competing with you and consumers demanding only the best, these are our tips on helping your business to stand out amongst the competition and reach the next level.
EVALUATE YOUR BRANDING TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS
If you want 2020 to be the year that your business fully expands, you need to make sure that your branding is memorable, unique and suited to your company. If you don’t look like a credible business, people may choose to take their custom elsewhere. Even though people always say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, when it comes to your company, people will judge it based upon its website and social media presence.
First things first, make sure that you are using the same colour palette across your website and social media platforms, as well as the same logo. This may seem obvious, but many small businesses forget to update third-party sites after rebranding. You want people to be able to recognise your brand at a glance, and the more memorable your branding, the more likely it is that they will remember you.
If you find that your branding has got a bit dull or uninspiring, it may be worth dedicating some time to rebranding in the new year. However, when building your new image, make sure that you pick something that will scale with your business, as changing your branding again in the future is time-consuming, expensive and potentially confusing for your existing customers.
EXPAND YOUR TEAM TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS
Why do SMBs fail? 23% of SMBs fail due to not having the right team. You need the right people in your corner if you are to take on competitors, create amazing products and provide impeccable customer services. Your team represents your business, as well as keeps everything flowing; if you don’t have a strong team behind you, how can you expect your business to do well in the new year.
Your business might be your baby, but you can’t run it completely by yourself. While you might be a genius inventor and have created a fantastic concept, you could be terrible at marketing or sales. If you hire the right people who can handle the different aspects of the business for you, you have time to focus on your individual strengths. Make sure that you hire people who you know are passionate about what they do, good working under pressure (as an SMB can be stressful) and who you genuinely get on with, too.
MAKEOVER YOUR MARKETING TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS
Marketing is such a crucial element to ensuring that your business is reaching its full potential, especially when expanding. You can be lost behind the bigger competitors if you don’t take the time to create a marketing strategy which will grab your consumers’ attention. Take a look at what your competitors are posting; what’s working well and what’s not? Even though you may have a smaller following, you can take inspiration and create similar compelling marketing.
If you or your team members aren’t a whizz at marketing, hire someone who is or start taking an online course. Read anything and everything that there is to know about marketing so that you can gain a wealth of knowledge in this area. It may take you some time to make content that invites the most engagement, but soon enough, with help and understanding, you will be grabbing your consumers’ attention.
HIRE A STORAGE UNIT TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS
Here at SureStore, we have several storage units of various sizes that are very helpful when expanding your business in the new year. When starting your SMB, you might be based in your home entirely; meaning you’re carrying out everything from creating products to packaging them on your dining room table. Although this is a temporary solution, you need to expand outside of your home both to help develop your business and free your family/home from business-related stress.
A storage unit can be used to store your products ready to be packaged and sent off. You can even store the materials in a unit and build the products (if needed) within the unit. When you grow as a business, the size of your storage unit can grow with you, so that you are always given the amount of storage that you need.
Alternatively, if you need to expand on your team so that your business runs more smoothly, our working spaces can give you the room to do so. We know working from home can be tough, especially when you don’t have sufficient space, but when working in our offices, you will have the space for your entire team, as well as new members. Not to mention, you will be right next door to your storage unit that holds all of your stock!
With SureStore, you can work and store from the same place, making it a convenient option for you when you expand on your business in 2020. Did we also mention the many perks? Enjoy FREE Nespresso’s, WiFi, car parking, meeting rooms and a mailing service while taking advantage of our spacious suites.
Are you looking for a storage unit in Stafford? Check out our website today to learn more about SureStore and how we can help you expand your business in the new year. Storage units allow you to free up space in your working environment, while an innovative working space will allow you and your team to get the most out of your working days. Allow us to help you get the most out of 2020 for your business.