The secrets to growing your business is the first thing, you need to know before setting up your business, that is why in this blog post, I want to share with you, the 7 secrets to growing your business quickly.
I recommend you continue to read, to get the 7 secrets to growing your business today.
#1. Know your competition
Unless you’re genuinely going rogue with an all-new product or service, your customers already exist and spend their money elsewhere.
Competitor research is one of the best ways to get a feel for what works and doesn’t work in your industry.
It’s also a smart way to get in touch with your customers’ needs, including what they expect to pay and how much you can expect to earn.
Find a handful of companies doing what you hope to do and be a student. “How much can I learn here?”
Study their websites. What stands out and what isn’t so great? You can monitor web site changes over time with Visualping.
This free tool allows you to enter a website you want to track, and you’ll get email alerts any time that site changes.
You’ll know if your competitor created an excellent new landing page copy or swapped out photos.
Follow your competitors on social media and subscribe to their newsletters. Take note of any posts that generate a high number of comments or shares.
Sign up for Google Alerts for your business name, your competitors, and an industry term or two that makes sense.
Tap or click here for steps to set up a Google Alert. I suggest you go with weekly alerts. Daily alerts can get overwhelming.
#2. Brand yourself with a memorable domain
A strong web presence is essential; the first step is securing a great domain name. You want something easy to remember, clear, and concise. No one is going to remember a twenty-word-long URL.
Also Read: How to prevent your Google Accounts from Hackers
Doctors, lawyers, or other professionals who use their names for their businesses have an advantage. Hey, my website is ogbetaonline.com.
How much will a domain cost you? Let’s use GoDaddy as an example. For a .com address, you’ll spend about $19.99 annually, paying just a penny for your first year.
You can get a .me email address for $6.99 for the first year, then $21.99 annually. A .biz URL requires a two-year purchase for about $37 total.
The best domain idea means nothing if it’s taken, of course. Search your domain.
Put in your idea and see if it is registered or open. We’re not talking just .com or .net, either. It checks for .us, .info, .biz and lots more.
Also check social media sites to see if your preferred name is taken there, too. Consistency is key because it helps people find you much more quickly.
#3. Speaking of websites, make yours smart
SEO is about more than just keywords that get you to the top of Google’s search results. An optimized site is lightweight, loads quickly, and is tight enough to prevent a visitor from getting stuck in a glitchy dropdown menu.
When in doubt, you can hire a professional developer for a site audit, which may reveal frustrating flaws turning customers off. You can also run these free online tests to see your site’s most significant issues.
A common issue is your website’s design. Remember that mobile performance is just as important as your site’s appearance on a desktop monitor.
Today’s website building tools make it easy to create a site that looks good and performs well on every device.
Weebly’s plans start at $12 a month. Wix starts at $22 a month or $27 if you accept payments online. Squarespace starts at $23 per month or $27 if you take payments.
It’s worth browsing what those monthly charges get you. Squarespace’s Business plan, for example, includes advanced site analytics and a year of professional email through Google.
Wix gives you access to drop shipping inventory and 100 GB of storage space.
#4. Don’t forget about email marketing
I’ve been in the email marketing game since 1995. Back then, I’d send out one email a week.
These days, my team produces a dozen different emails with millions of monthly sends that have an average open rate over 50%.
I had to invent ways to make it work back in the day. Today, there are tools that make creating and sending beautiful, compelling emails a snap. Here are a few to consider:
- Mailchimp: Send up to 10,000 emails monthly (2,000 a day) for free. Paid plans start at $11 per month and include email templates and custom branding.
Also Read: 5 great things you can get for free
- Constant Contact: You’re charged by the number of email addresses you import, starting at $9.99 monthly for up to 500. Up to 2,500 email addresses will run you $35 a month.
- Emma: Starts at $99 a month for up to 10,000 contacts. You can add up to five users and set up an email automation campaign to woo your new customers.
- HubSpot: Ideal if you need a powerful marketing and contact hub. The free plan is robust, and you can add up to a million contacts.
Paid plans with support, automation, and custom branding start at $45 a month for up to 1,000 contacts.
#5. Make it easy to get paid
Traffic is increasing, but you’re not making more money. Your customers might be running into a wall.
Are they frustrated by an inconvenient payment method? Is there a technical bug preventing them from finalizing the sale?
Go through the entire checkout process yourself, using a VPN or an Incognito window to see your site as a visitor does. Take note of anything that doesn’t go smoothly.
If your payment processing options aren’t up to snuff, consider these:
Square: Pay a flat fee plus a percentage of the sale. Cost depends on the type of transaction. For example, a customer entering a card number online will cost you 3.5% of the sale plus 15 cents.
PayPal: PayPal’s checkout works similarly. A standard credit card payment is 2.99% plus a 49-cent fee.
Stripe: For card charges, pay 2.9% plus a 30-cent fee.
#6. Only pay for what you need to
There’s no way around some expenses, but I bet I can save you a bit of money with this gem: There are free versions of most popular paid software that are just as good.
Instead of Microsoft Office, check out LibreOffice or Google Docs and Sheets.
For editing photos, I like GIMP, Pixlr X and Canva.
DaVinci Resolve is excellent free video editing software.
Audacity is a free audio editing program the pros use.
#7. Get advice from other pros
This is the last secret, on the 7 secrets to growing your business quickly.
The federal Small Business Administration has more resources than you may realize. Use this link to find free or low-cost training or business advice in your area.
If you’re starting out, you can also find guides for creating a business plan, registering your company, and getting a handle on day-to-day operations.
SCORE can also connect you with business mentors who can help you start or grow your company — and it’s free.
The nonprofit organization runs the nation’s largest network of volunteer business experts.
You can get help via email, phone, or video if there’s no local chapter where you live.
Give me your thought on the 7 secrets to growing your business on the comment below.
