Page 25 - The Compass 2017 | Volume 12 | Issue 8
P. 25
TRAINING by Kelly Robichaud
4 tips to Help smaLL Business owners
drasticaLLy Boost their earnings this year
hether you’re running an established small business 4. find a Mentor
Wor just starting your journey toward entrepreneur- In addition to networking with other local business
ship, it’s safe to assume most business owners are on the owners, you'll want to find a local mentor who can help
hunt for new ways to grow their enterprise and improve you navigate the inevitable ups and downs that come
their bottom line. with starting, owning, and running a business. Often-
What are some quick and easy things you can do to times, they’ll have more experience in certain areas,
grow your bottom line? Here are some thoughts from and can share their own lessons learned and advice on
your friends at Learning Alliance. fostering growth.
There are resources, like SGI and your affinity-spe-
1. go grassroots cific coach, who can help make these connections for
While tried-and-true marketing tactics like digital ad- you or answer any questions you may have. They’d be
vertising, email campaigns, and direct mail are great more than happy to share their insights and provide
ways to extend your reach and awareness, a 2015 Niel- business advice.
sen report found consumers are 90 percent more likely Of course, if you’re in need of training for yourself
to trust a brand recommended by a friend. Never un- or your team, your friends at Learning Alliance are al-
derestimate the power and value of word of mouth. ways wanting and willing to assist in every way that
The lesson here: local partnerships and engagement we possibly can. If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to
can bring big results. Whether its learning from oth- stop by your SGI website, www.yoursgihub.com, and
er small businesses and turning to them for advice, or you’ll find our complete course catalogue, along with
finding opportunities to connect with new customers, descriptions of our many classes designed to help you
small-business owners need to capitalize on opportuni- run your business more successfully.
ties to engage with prospective customers.
2. fail fast and pivot often
The word “fail” may seem counterintuitive when it
comes to business growth, but playing it safe can stall Homeowners look at their
progress. This is especially true for businesses develop-
ing new technologies or tools. thermostat up to 12x per day.
As you introduce new products, adopt new technol-
ogies, or expand your sales strategy, identify key per- Help them think of you each time.
formance indicators (KPIs) to determine the customer
and business impact. If the new strategy works, great. FREE IMPRINTING!
If it doesn't, learn from it, refine your approach, and
try again. • Minimum order of
only 6 thermostats
3. Be opportunistiC
Oftentimes, small businesses stick to what they know • Mix and match all
when it comes to running their business. It’s not that major brands
they are reluctant to modernize, they’re just so busy • No setup fee
managing day-to-day financials and tasks; they have
little time to educate themselves on new ways of doing • Free same-day shipping
things.
By dedicating time to learning about new technolo- YOUR LOGO HERE
gies, business owners can ultimately benefit from tools
that automate tasks and streamline processes, which Show Special!
help save time and reduce operating costs. This allows
small-business owners to focus on what matters most: Buy 18 Honeywell Lyric Thermostats,
growing their business. Get a FREE C1 Security Camera
Emerging technology businesses are adopting mo- PLUS Double Contractor Pro Points!
bile payments—there’s good reason why. According to Use promo code 17HWFREECAM when ordering.
a recent report, 46 percent of small-business owners Limit 3 cameras. Expires 11/30/17.
currently offering mobile payments say sales have in- 888.652.9663
creased over the past six months, compared to 35 per- SYSTEMS www.jacksonsystems.com
cent who do not use the technology.
THE COMPASS | Issue 8 | 2017 25
