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Businesses come in all sizes and shapes and are incredibly diverse across the industries that they serve. However, when it comes to running a business, there are some things that remain true across the board regardless of the specificity of your business. 

Develop People Skills

Keys to Success for Business OwnersPeople are the core of any business. Having high social and emotional intelligence and solid communication skills will take you far in this world, because at the end of the day your business will depend on how well you manage the relationships you have with the people it depends on. If people like you, they will be loyal to you and more likely to want to help you. When people trust you, they will want to do business with you. Some people you should be nurturing positive relationships with include:

  • Employees
  • Vendors
  • Customers
  • Community and industry leaders

Get Automated

If you are still writing things down on physical spreadsheets, counting inventory by hand or calculating your own payroll, you are falling behind technology and you will quickly fall behind your competitors. Today, everything is automated. There are great, reasonably priced (sometimes even free) tools out there that you absolutely must be using to streamline your process and expedite your services. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic change for your business; it can be as easy as sharing documents and information with colleagues through a service like Google Docs or using Zoom for meetings. Some things you should consider automating immediately are:

  • Inventory control
  • Payroll
  • Email
  • Scheduling
  • Invoicing

Build Your Brand

The core of good marketing is a solid branding strategy. Building brand awareness is the place you need to start. You should invest a considerable amount of time into considering the type of brand message and identity that you want. It is important that you have a brand voice that permeates all of your marketing materials and interactions with customers. Take the time to create a customer persona and a customer journey map to help you better understand your target demographic and their needs. There are some good free online tools that can help with your branding efforts, such as Canva for graphic design for making your own logo. For your business cards try a free tool like: https://businesscards.co. Some ways you can start building your brand now are:

  • Create a customer persona
  • Create a logo
  • Support a cause, charity or local team
  • Write a slogan

Invest In the Future

From the individual entrepreneur saving money for tax time, to the property management company emergency funds to cover possible fires, floods or other unforeseen events, to the shop owner buying the newest state of the art equipment, it’s all about investing in the future. As a business owner it is your responsibility to guide and protect your business. If you are looking for ways to invest in the future of your business, some things you can do now are:

  • Buy Insurance
  • Provide employee training
  • Purchase new equipment
  • Develop an emergency fund

Know Your Numbers

As a business owner, one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your business is be aware. You need to be on top of everything. You should know how much money is coming in and going out of your business. You should be aware of how much is tied up in stock. You should know your sales numbers and how much you spend on payroll. Knowing these things will help you to capitalize on trends and catch problems before they get out of hand. To have a better idea of what your numbers are and where you stand you can try:

  • Hiring an accountant or payroll specialist
  • Automating your books
  • Automating your inventory

Conclusion

Business owners put so much time and effort into making sure their company is a success, don’t overlook the things that can give you an edge over your competition.