Starting a business is a big achievement for many entrepreneurs, especially those in Nigeria and most African Countries, but maintenance for these startups is one is the larger challenges. Ask any small business owner and they’ll tell you: running a small business is anything but small. It takes dedication and lots of hard work to get off the ground, but creating your own profitable business can be beyond rewarding. Numerous surveys highlight a wide range of problems which small businesses face on a daily basis both internally and externally.There are many standard challenges that face every business whether they are large or small. However, there are some that are unique to small businesses – ones most large companies have grown out of long ago. We’ll look at the 3 common problems facing small business owners in this article.
Little To No Online Presence –
Lead generation is the most important element of any small business. Marketing methods have changed a lot in the last five years so if you’re not seeing quality leads coming to your business, chances are it is time to modernize your approach. A lot of businesses are doing things in the same way they used to and in this fast moving world it’s no longer enough.
There’s no denying it: people are turning to the web for just about everything. If your business doesn’t have a professional online presence, you’re already a step behind. Luckily, putting your business online isn’t the complicated and costly endeavor it once was. Here is a checklist of essential elements for a successful online presence.
- Get yourself a professional website. Be sure to optimize your website for mobile and beef up its SEO. This way, no matter what device people are on, they’ll be able to find you. Rely on an experienced and knowledgeable team. SilvaCreate can make sure to leverage our website building best practices gained through years of experience and lots of sites.
- Determine which social networks your target audience frequents, and set up a professional account on them. Creating and maintaining a social presence is key to helping drive traffic to your website, and grow your business.
Trying to Do It All Alone – Working Many Hours, Not Having a Life
So many people start their business, only to realize that they have essentially bought themselves a job. They keep everything in their head and they never delegate or make their business systematic. They find themselves working nights and weekends just to keep their heads above water.
This is a common trap that many self-starters fall into. While you may be able to maintain an insane work flow for a while, eventually your knees will start to buckle and your business will suffer. It can be hard to hand over the reigns to someone else, or to trust a new hire with important tasks, but as you grow it will become necessary. The money you spend on salary will almost certainly equal what you’d lose if you go at it alone.
- While sometimes you may think you know best (and sometimes you’re right), don’t shy away from advice. Learning from others and their mistakes is a great way to make up for any lack of experience. And remember, just because someone gives you advice, doesn’t mean you have to use it.
- Build a dream team. If you’re desperate to hire staff, you’ve likely already started too late. When growing your business, the people you choose to work with can make all the difference, so be sure to bring on talented people who will be a good fit for your work environment.
Lack of Marketing Knowledge – Not Embracing Changes In Tech
When you start your own business, you don’t get a handbook explaining the ins and outs of marketing. While there are plenty of resources to help small businesses learn these skills, it’s hard to find the time to filter through with an already jam-packed schedule from running your own biz. Even though you may be spinning multiple plates at once, marketing should be prioritized. Getting the word out about your business is crucial to its success – so don’t skimp here.
So many business owners are too scared of technology and software to really take advantage of using them to streamline their business marketing. If they just spent a short amount of time each week to learn solutions like Google Analytics, or embrace a modern day CRM they’ll be able to be so much more efficient.
- Subscribe to a trustworthy blog that provides detailed information and actionable tips on all things marketing for small business. Dig deeper to find specific blogs and online resources that cater to your niche.
- Once you’ve done your research, put this new knowledge into action. Create a marketing plan that includes your target audience, measured goals, known competitors and initial advertising platforms.
These are challenges, but not death sentences. One of the worst things a would-be-business owner can do is to go into a small business without considering the challenges ahead. We’ve looked at some things that can help make these challenges easier, but there is no avoiding them. An important step in overcoming a challenge is knowing the size of that challenge. Besides, a competitive drive is often one of the reasons people start their own business and every challenge represents another opportunity to compete.
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