There are plenty of businesses that do not have a storefront. In fact, most businesses are either online or run out of the business owner’s home. This can be difficult at times, especially if you do not have the proper equipment. Keep reading to learn how to improve your mobile small business so you can fulfill demands for orders and services while having everything run smoothly.
Table of Contents
Get a POS System
Point Of Sale systems, or POS’s, are integral to the operation of every business. However, if you sell things at a flea or farmer’s market, or if you go to a convention, you may not think about having one. Getting a mobile POS system will save you the trouble of having to go through getting a cash box, making sure you have the right amount of change, and worrying about taking a large amount of cash to your car. You also have the benefit of listing products in the POS and having easy access to the things that your customers are purchasing. Otherwise you have to look through a physical price list for ages, and that takes time away from yourself, your current customers and any other customers waiting to ask you questions or make their own purchases.
Have an Established Inventory
When you are first starting a small business, it can be hard to know when enough is enough in terms of inventory. You want enough variety to draw interest, but you do not want so much variety that customers get overwhelmed or confused. Start with about 20 to 30 items to get the ball rolling, and you should be able to find more traffic coming to your site. Once you identify what the best-sellers are and which products do not sell well, you will be able to adjust your inventory accordingly.
Use Your Social Media Presence
If you have not gotten into social media, there is no better time. Depending on which platform you are most comfortable using, that is where you should start. Make a special, individual account for your small business and make sure to post regularly. Take clear pictures that grab the eye, make sure you are using the correct hashtags, and keep engaged with your audience. Once you have a decent following, you can change things around and make it to how you want it. After getting that base account established, go ahead and create accounts across every social media platform. That way, you get more reach and you have more variety in your posts. If you do not want to bother with every single platform, choose three of them.
Take Suggestions From Customers
There is a reason that suggestion boxes are so popular. Customers have a place to address any grievances they might have about your products as well as fill your inbox with ideas that might inspire you to make your next hit product. Though the messages can be a pain to sort through, they are worth it. If need be, establish a set of rules for how the suggestions should be submitted. If the customers do not follow the rules, then do not read the suggestions. If you feel the need to, set up an automatic message that you can send to them when they have not submitted a suggestion properly, explaining that you would love to read their suggestion but they have to follow protocol. Include either a link or a description of the proper submission process. This way, your customers will feel heard without thinking that you are either not reading their suggestions or just brushing them off.
It is tough to run a small business, and it might often feel like you will not be able to get it off the ground. Keep this article in mind the next time you are looking at making changes to your business operations and hopefully you will be able to find some inspiration.