The Best Ways to Boost Your Business Using Savvy Outside Services

This article was provided by guess writer Lucy Reed from GigMine.co. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great week!

Raising your bottom line is a natural goal for all small business owners, but it can be a frustrating puzzle.  Looking beyond your own walls can often make a surprising difference.  Read on for how to use both free and paid outside services for boosting your business in ways you might not have considered. 

Does your business have a website?  Sometimes small businesses, especially ones with ample foot traffic, might feel an internet presence is unnecessary.  However, as Chron points out, a website is an inexpensive avenue for adding to your customer base.  It's a chance to have your storefront available 24/7, all without adding to your staff.  Besides, people often check out items and services via the internet these days before ever making a purchase. Your website should include information like your location, hours, and a story about your business that sparks interest. 

By developing a digital presence, the chance of being noticed is dramatically increased.  There are website builders available to help you in your creation, and it's far easier than it used to be. Consider including a shopping cart so you can snag more sales while you’re at it! When it comes to hosting your website, you can pay for business hosting, but if your business is just getting off the ground, you can save by using shared hosting. Some web-hosting companies offer shared hosting services for as low as $2 a month.

Encourage engagement 

Using your website is a great first step toward boosting customer engagement.  Telling your customers your business's story can help them identify with you and want to send their dollars your way.  But it doesn't need to stop there.  Consider adding a blog, which can be informative and entertaining. You can build on that engagement even more with a social media presence. You can quickly learn how to use Facebook to boost interaction. Some statistics indicate Facebook is the most popular social media site these days, with well over a billion active daily users. Consider it a chance to broadly market your product, with minimal investment of time and energy. 

Build your brand 

Do people know your company by name? There are some obvious perks for a strong brand name. For instance, LEGO, Kleenex, and Band-Aid tend to roll off our tongues more than "interlocking toy bricks," "facial tissues," and "adhesive bandages." 

If you haven't done so already, one way to bolster your brand is to create an easily recognizable logo, which you can do for free using an online template.  Another idea is to run online contests and giveaways. You can use an app for creating contests, which reduces the amount of effort you need to put toward them, and can help funnel sales to your webpage. When it comes to prizes, think of what your customers are apt to appreciate, while at the same time directing them to your products.  A T-shirt printed with your logo or a coupon to spend on your website are a couple of popular and effective ideas.

Keep customers happy 

In our world of e-commerce, your clientele can jump ship in the blink of an eye. Not only that, unhappy people are able to voice their opinions via the web, instantly reaching their friends with any bad vibes regarding your company.  This means customer satisfaction can make or break your business these days.  In fact, some surveys indicate putting customer satisfaction ahead of profits is linked with how well-established and successful companies become. 

One way to avoid trouble is to make it easy for your customers to connect with you when there is a problem. Offer tools like a post-chat survey, and make sure it's user-friendly and concise. The last thing your customers want is to struggle with navigating the vehicle for feedback. Also make sure you are available, since some research indicates they will reach for the phone to let you know there is a problem. 

Finding ways to raise your bottom dollar can be puzzling, but outside services can often give your business a boost. Develop your web presence, build brand recognition, and make sure your clientele is happy.  Thanks to looking beyond your four walls, you can enhance your business and profits simultaneously.

Lucy Reed has been starting businesses since she was a kid, from the lemonade stand she opened in her parent’s driveway at age 10 to the dog walking business she started while in college. She created GigMine.co because she was inspired by the growth of the sharing economy and wanted to make it easier for entrepreneurial individuals like herself to find the gig opportunities in their areas.