A small business does not mean a small workload. In fact, it’s often quite the opposite — as small businesses do not have the same levels of infrastructure in place to manage daily operations or a large task force to delegate duties to. As a result, as a small business owner, it’s important that you make use of the outsourcing services available to you that can make your day-to-day life a little easier. With that in mind, here are 5 services you shouldn’t skip out on when running a small business.
By Team Savant
Image: S O C I A L . C U T
1. Social Media Management Services
Your brand’s social media presence has never been more important. In fact, a recent study found that 72% of consumers are heavily influenced by social media when it comes to making a purchase. This means that they’ll likely check out your social media accounts before buying anything. As such, you need to ensure your socials are up to scratch. This can be difficult if you aren’t super tech-savvy and don’t know your tweets from your tiktoks. Conversely, a social media management company can help put your brand on the map by curating unique, relevant content that is specifically tailored to your target audience. This will expand your reach, increase your engagement and, in turn, boost your sales.
2. Customers Brokerage Services
There are various legal complexities associated with shipping your products abroad, especially in regard to customs regulations. Therefore, if you don't want to receive angry emails from customers asking why their products never arrived, you may also want to look into customs brokerage services. For example, you could work alongside companies such as Livingston, who will provide you with great peace of mind by ensuring your practices comply with all government regulations, and that your products reach their intended destination in a timely manner.
3. Virtual Administration Services
While a little bit of routine administration is impossible to avoid, many small businesses allow it to consume them. For example, you may find that you spend hours responding to emails as opposed to actually working your way through your to-do list. However, this issue can be easily solved by hiring a virtual assistant or outsourcing staff to carry out routine administration duties. This will not only work in your own favor but will also help your customers as they will find it easier to contact your business and get their questions answered without having to wait around for you to get to their email. Studies also show that the quicker a customer connects with a member of your team, the better their overall perception of the brand will be — whether they are asking a question or making a complaint. As a result, it's important that you speed up your administration services as much as possible.
4. Web Development Services
A poorly designed website is a small mistake that can spoil your client's first impression of your business. For example, if your website appears outdated, poorly designed, or simply doesn’t work - this does not exactly build a relationship of trust between yourself and your customers. As such, they are likely to take their money elsewhere. Thankfully, you can avoid this issue by bringing in an experienced web developer to put together your website. Not only will this ensure that your site functions as it is supposed to (no broken links, etc.), it will also look great.
5. Financial Assistance Services
If you want your small business to succeed, you need to get to grips with your finances sooner rather than later. This is due to the fact that poor money management or financial planning can quickly lead you into a lot of trouble. However, with invoices coming in each day and bills to be paid, managing your money and staying on top of your finances is often easier said than done - unless you bring in the experts. For example, you could hire an accountant or bookkeeper to help you better understand your financial situation and ensure that you are complying with all government regulations.
As you can see, there are various different services that small business owners can rely on to help their business gain its footing. While this may seem like an additional expense, especially when money is scarce at the start of your venture, they are worthwhile investments that help maintain your brand’s longevity. Furthemore, they are certain to make your day-to-day life easier by reducing your workload and ensuring that you can focus on what matters. As such, your business will begin to grow - but you won’t feel anywhere near as stressed or overwhelmed.