By Apurva Palnitkar
Small scale businesses are the backbone of the Indian economy and contribute to approximately 30 percent of the country’s GDP. However, small business enterprises often lack the expertise to evaluate the health of their overall business with most of their operations focused on catering to customers, staff, and suppliers.
In today’s highly digitalized world, where consumers are constantly relying on websites, keeping a regular health check of your business plays a vital role in helping to build growth and trust with your consumers.
Turning a fresh page with your small business in 2023 doesn’t have to mean a complicated deep dive into business strategy or require a ream of butcher’s paper. In just a few simple steps, you can cover off some key focus areas that can help make a big difference to your small business.
Put your best face forward online
Your website is often one of the first interactions you will have with a potential customer, so it is important it continues to authentically represent you and your business. Taking time to review your website content can identify some easy opportunities for improvement. Start with the basics like your contact details, social media links, descriptionsdescriptions, and products. Then you can consider if the aesthetic is still relevant, and if you need to give your images or colour pallet a refresh.
Does your small business have growing pains?
If your website is noticing increased traffic or if your business has been growing, it is a good idea to check that your website hosting plan is still adequate. If you’ve experienced performance troubles or lags on your website during busy purchase periods, you might be ready for upgraded capacity. Lagging websites often can test even the most loyal customers’ patience.
Protect your data
With increased connectivity online, cyberattacks are constantly evolving, posing a threat to business websites. In India, the first two months of 2022 reported more cyber crimescyber-crimes than the entire 2018, according to data by CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team).
One way to help ensure you keep your small business customer data saferdata safer, is to install an SSL Certificate for your website. An SSL Certificate creates a digital tunnel or an encrypted link between your customer’s web browser and your web server. It helps to ensure that data that’s shared is further protected.
Email market like a pro
Setting up an effective email marketing strategy is one way to help keep your business front of mind for customers. Including a pop-up prompt on your website with a discount code or benefit for signing up for emails can be a great way to help capture customers. For maximum effectiveness, make sure your marketing emails have a catchy subject line, a clear point of interest for your customer and are visually impactful.
Let your data do the talking
One of your strongest strategic resources is your small business data set. Website, salessales, and even social media data can be highly revealing and instructive, so it’s worth taking the time to review your 2022 performance. Identifying your busy periods and down times might tell you the best times for some new or targeted marketing opportunities or how to build in some business efficiencies.
Kick some goals in 2023
Setting some goals for your businessyour business can help to guide your efforts and help you focus your valuable time on the priority endeavours. When you sit down to consolidate and focus your list, make sure you are identifying SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. This can give you an increased chance of achieving your goals.
Setting your business up for success this year does not have to be a laborious or a brain-busting exercise. The practicable steps above can help you yield some actionable ideas with the power to help give your business a boost.
The author is the senior marketing director of GoDaddy India.