Running a small business is not easy. To attract new clients and customers, when you’re working on your own or in a small team with limited resources, you have to work three times as hard as the big boys. With all the noise of the competition, getting seen and noticed means that you need to raise your profile. But how do you go about doing that?
We talked to some of our customers at Ourworx serviced offices in Stockport, to ask their advice on how to get seen and noticed in Stockport and what changes you can make to deliver greater business success. Here are some of the top answers they came up with.
1. Celebrate Business Achievements – Vocally!
It doesn’t matter whether you run a small business with a few members of staff, work on your own or freelance, it’s vital to have a positive profile and a high reputation with your clients. This comes through the service you provide, but also by being visible and open in celebrating achievements and promoting how well you provide for your customers.
It doesn’t come naturally to many small business owners, but to have the edge commercially, we all need to celebrate our achievements and talk about them everywhere we can. Promote good reviews and champion your own success to give you more success and a higher profile amongst your peers.
2. Keep up the Positivity
Be positive, whatever media you use to talk about your business. It’s important to maintain a positive and upbeat demeanor, no matter whether you are talking to people directly, on the phone or through digital channels. Nobody likes a grouch!
On social media, always make sure you post a good combination of positive stories and updates. Leave out the negativity, even if your client lets you down, or the train is late. B2B messaging should be topical, informative and light. If you are going to critique something, do it from an informed perspective and be constructive.
3. Business is Two Way
Business conversations are two way. Really, they are! We’ve all been in meetings or 1-2-1s with business people who use it as an opportunity to talk about them and only them or to try to sell you their services straight away! It’s not impressive and it rarely leads to a fruitful business relationship.
Taking an interest in others means that you keep communication two way. If you are part of a small business community, like the one here at Ourworx, then make an effort to be involved with the community. Help others solve problems or offer support. This will do wonders for your reputation and means that others will want to help you in a similar way.
4. Champion other businesses
Office spaces, like Ourworx office rentals in Stockport, actively promote collaboration. Our clients talk to each other, understand each other’s businesses and want to help. This means that they actively promote each other to their network.
It doesn’t need to be overdone – but retweets and recommendation go a long way. You never know how far a kind word can go in the world of small business.
5. Stay Consistent
However you are promoting yourself, be consistent about it. Firstly, be consistent in terms of the types of messages you are posting and the way you are promoting yourself, but also be consistent about the regularity of your promotion. It’s no use posting a hundred messages on social media one week and then doing nothing for the next six.
Having a company blog is a great way of keeping your clients and colleagues updated on you and your activity, but you need to update it regularly, to have an impact and be top-of-mind with potential customers.
6. Be out there – Don’t hide at home!
To be noticed, you need to be present. Which means being out in the business community. For our clients, here at our Stockport offices, being part of the exciting office space at Ourworx helps them to be visible and noticed. Many of our clients started off their businesses working from home. But soon found that it was limiting. They needed to be out amongst other businesses. By coming to Ourworx, they found a thriving small business community in Stockport, that wants to help small business to grow and reach their potential. By being a mutual support to each other and raising each other’s profiles, our clients are building business links that will last and relationships that have longevity.
Without spaces like Ourworx to support them, small businesses do struggle to maintain and grow their businesses. Which is why we are proud to champion the profiles our customers and help them build the success they deserve.
To read more about our customers at Ourworx, see our Customer Interview Blogs, or pop round for an informal visit.
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