Recession: an ugly little word on the mouths of everyone in our country.
Out-of-business signs are becoming more frequent sights, leaving small business owners to wonder exactly what they can do to save their livelihood.
Well, here are five tips for surviving a recession.
Don’t set and forget
All businesses, big and small, have to make goals. Goals help drive your business into the next phase and keep things moving forward.
All businesses, big and small, have to make goals. Goals help drive your business into the next phase and keep things moving forward
We all have days where it feels like we’re cleaning up one mess after another with no real sense of direction. But it’s vital that we have a long-term strategy in mind, to keep things on track.
The biggest mistake small business owners make is to set and forget. They pick a goal, but don’t set forth any motion to achieve it.
A goal without a plan of action is like getting on a plane without a destination. Sure, you’re plane is going somewhere, but you have no control over where or even how it will land.
The recipe for success is Goal + Action = Achievement.
Set a goal and a date to reach it by. Get a plan together to make it happen.
Image is everything
People judge you on how you look. Period.
Businesses that present a professional image seem more trustworthy and worth buying from. The economy is tight on everyone’s pockets, but there’s an ace in the hole you can get: look better than the other guy.
Offer a good product and present it well. Make your customers feel safe and secure in purchasing from you.
Taking the time to maintain a professional and well-kept business shows that you take it seriously, and encourages your customers to do the same.
Make sure all employees are trained to answer the phone in the appropriate manor.
It can vary widely depending on your business, but bear in mind dress code: what you would want to see if you were a customer at your store?
Ensure that all employees who deal with customers have proper customer services training. If a customer has a good experience, they may tell three people; a bad one and they’ll tell twice as many.
