If you are a small business owner, you don’t probably don’t have the backing of a large brand, existing huge customer base, or a huge amount of money at hand for growing your business. Luckily there are heaps of resources available to assist you in the day to day running of your business and to assist you in growing your brand over time.
Here are 5 awesome resources for the small business owner.
Social Networking
When Facebook and Twitter first hit the internet it looked like an interesting way to connect with friends, but before long businesses realised that it was a very effective way of reaching people and increasing their customer base. Utilising social media such as blogs, and social networking sites is an awesome resource for small businesses to get their brand out there and known in the community. Youtube videos have proven to be a way of increasing sales exponentially and brands such as Rapid Hot and Vistaprint on Youtube are making the most of social networking sites to increase their business.
Meet Up Groups
While we now know the importance of having a presence online to spread the word far and wide, for the small business owner it is important to build the customer base in the area around them. By attending meet-up groups and getting to know other small business owners you will be able to keep your finger on the pulse and network face to face with people who are trading in your field.
Dropbox
Buying software can prove to be an expensive part of running a small business, but through utilising free online file sharing tools you could save a lot of money and time, and make life a lot easier for yourself. The Dropbox file sharing tool enables you to share files quickly and easily simply by dropping the file into an icon on your computer screen. Its free, and easy to download onto all the computers of your employees, meaning that information is available quickly and efficiently.
Government Resources and Grants
Where there is business, big or small, it means more jobs in the community, and in turn means less strain on the system if people are employed. It is in the interest of governments to ensure that small business owners have everything they need to keep going. As a result governments have loads of resources available for small business owners to assist them in effectively growing their business and making the most of the resources that they have. They also provide grants to small business to assist with start-up costs and other financial needs in running a small business.
Workshops and Seminars
Keeping your finger on the pulse of your product is a great way to stay up to date with what customers are looking for. Attending workshops and seminars with other small business owners will assist you in gaining valuable information about trends and developments in your area of expertise. It will also give you the opportunity to network with people in your industry and make valuable contacts.
Written by Kim Blair. Kim loves writing, spending time with her two kids, as well as giving advice to small business owners on how to successfully run a business startup. She has worked as business consultant for ten years.
