Tips and Advice For Growing Your Business

Starting a business and becoming self employed can sometimes be a daunting prospect but with the right plan, some hard work and not to mention dedication and determination, you'll never look back! As you may be aware I (along with my business partner) run a business specialising in a unique type of sensory class for babies across the West Midlands and Worcestershire. Like many businesses, we had to close during the lockdowns but have started to build the business back up in recent months. Due to the nature of the service we offer which caters to babies, we had a brand new customer base to introduce ourselves to; our pre-pandemic babies had become toddlers in the time it took for the lockdown to end! As this example demonstrates, we have had to adapt the business over the years to meet new challenges and have also been required to keep our brand fresh and relevant. When we first started the business, we were in fact the only baby class offering this particular type of activity, but now many of the other baby classes in the area have incorporated the very element we are known for into their own classes. As a result, we've had to ensure we still offer something unique, high quality and captivating for our customers. This year we are finalising everything ready to start selling franchises across the UK. It's exciting to think what the next 12 months could hold. With this in mind, I have put together some tips and advice for growing your business and helping to take it to the next level! A useful resource is the Best LLC Services by howtostartanllc.org guide.

Delivery of Goods

No one enjoys waiting a long time for items they have ordered and so having a robust system in place to ensure you can arrange delivery of the items in a timely manner will help maintain your excellent customer service record. Your customers will then be more likely to both recommend you to others and to return to you in the future. If you're planning to sell items which require delivery, it's important to give consideration to whether you would like to sell to places further afield than the UK. It is important to familiarise yourself with the regulations around this, in particular to the areas around customs clearance. Customs clearance involves the preparation and submission of the documentation that is required to export or import products in or out of a country. The Twill ‘Go Global Guide’ Campaign is an excellent resource offering individuals all the information and knowledge they will need around this.

Believe in your brand
You're passionate about the products/ service that you are selling and that's why you started the business in the first place. Let yourself be fuelled by this passion and allow this enthusiasm shine through in your advertising, during your contact with customers and in your social media posts, for example. Your customers will see how much you believe in the products/ service and this will encourage them to take a chance with your brand.

Know Your Worth
Prices for many goods are at an all time high at the moment and so it can be tempting to try and undercut your competitors but remember, you need to ensure you are reimbursing yourself for your time, your effort and your skillset. By not necessarily joining the race to offer the lowest prices and instead focusing on what makes your business unique, you're showing your customers that yours is a brand worth paying a little more for. 

Move with the times

Social media is ever changing and new platforms can emerge and take off in popularity but it can be tempting to set up camp in the one you're most familiar and comfortable with. However, if you settle for just one platform you may be missing out on new audiences and new ways of showcasing your product. For example, whilst Twitter is a fast moving platform where your posts will consist mainly of text that will be fed into your followers' feeds, Instagram is a very visual platform enabling you to share images of your products/ brand and/or lifestyle. TikTok is a video based platform and is an amazing way of showcasing your products/service to potential customers. Whilst it appeals to wide range of different ages, it's also particularly popular with young adults and teens which is great to know if this is your target audience.

You may find that your popularity causes other businesses to pop up offering similar services. Think about how you can stay one step ahead at all times, focusing on providing both amazing customer service and exceptional quality products and services.

Know your customers

Your customers will be at the heart of your business, so knowing what they want and need is absolutely essential. Listening to and responding to their feedback will show the customer that you value them and have their best interests at heart.

Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with Twill but all thoughts, opinions and experiences shared are my own.