2020 has proved to be a year full of hardship and determination for small business owners. While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses to close their doors for good, some companies continued to thrive despite the state of the economy.
In an article for Milwaukee Community Journal our President and CEO, Chris Buitron, offers his take on how some small businesses managed to survive this past year and how they can keep their momentum going in 2021.
According to Buitron, “To stay afloat, owners adjusted on the fly and creatively found ways to change their operations.” Those that survived can use innovations they came up with during the pandemic to generate new opportunities and drive revenue.”
Here are his five tips for how small businesses can improve and stay afloat in the new year:
- Fine-tune your messaging: Effective branding is one of the most essential tools for growing your business. “Your branding is your promise to your customers,” says Buitron, “so you need to make sure all of your messaging is valid, consistent, and on-point.” Consistent branding across all forms of communication is key.
- Maximize social media marketing through storytelling: Learning how to use social media to build your brand is critical. By telling a story about your brand on social media, you create an authentic connection with your audience.
- Emphasize customer service: Good customer service is what kept a lot of small businesses afloat in 2020. Buitron points out that with fewer resources and more at stake, small businesses need to make customer service a priority.
- Focus on building and improving your team: Passionate employees make all the difference when operating a small business. Use this time to analyze opportunities for growth and improvement on your team.
- Keep adapting: Adaptability has become one of the most essential attributes of businesses in the last year. According to Buitron, adjusting to new customer demands in new and innovative ways will be vital in 2021.
Over the past year, small businesses have had to adapt to unprecedented circumstances. By learning new ways to market themselves and building a strong team, small companies can continue to grow in 2021.
Click here to read the full article.
