Sales are the most fundamental aspect of a successful business. But as most business owners know, maintaining sales or achieving consistency isn't the easiest thing to do. In fact, a lack of steady revenue is one of the most common reasons why 90 percent of startups fail, so it’s critical to focus on sustainable growth.
Fortunately, any business can improve its sales strategy with the right tips. Here are some ways to boost your small business sales in 2022 and beyond.
1. Improve Your Website
Whether or not you care about SEO or optimizing online sales, a fast, fully functional website is a must. Even if 100 percent of your sales come from in-person shopping, your website acts as the center of your entire online presence and digital marketing strategy. No other asset affects your PPC ad, SEO, social media, and email campaigns quite like your website.
Also, your website is often the first impression for new users. Keep in mind that many shoppers use digital assets like a company's website or social media presence before they decide whether to shop.Focusing on developing a user-friendly website that’s optimized for mobile devices should result in an improvement of sales, no matter what you do for work.
2. Optimize Your Sales Funnel
Chances are that your business relies on its websites for a sales funnel to some extent, so you should optimize that funnel to avoid losing leads. What gets measured can be managed.
Look for obstacles, distractions, or clarity issues along your sales funnel that might detract a user or confuse them. Streamline content and make it more concise wherever possible. This is another example of where a fast, functional website with mobile-optimized pages can really be an asset.
3. Offer More Payment Options
By only offering limited options for your customers to pay, you limit your potential earnings as a company. One of the biggest mistakes businesses can make these days is not adapting to changing trends, especially since the pandemic.
More and more, consumers are relying on mobile payments, Tap-to-Pay technology, and other new payment options. Research these to learn what might make sense for your business.
4. Automate
It's a reality of business in 2022: if a potential customer has to wait 24 hours for an email response to make an intended conversion, they will likely have already found their solution elsewhere—and you'll be out of a sale.
Simply put, it's no longer a good idea to rely on human intervention for everything.
Leverage automated tools to increase online sales in any way possible. There are thousands of tools to choose from that can help with follow-up emails, confirmation notifications, password recovery, and so much more. Not for nothing, these tools will save you time and peace of mind, too!
5. Advertise In-Person
Digital sales are, of course, standard these days for many businesses. But with so many people moving online, diversification might make more sense than ever before. This is especially beneficial for local businesses.
Flyers, event-hosting, and local ads can go a long way to generating regional traffic, standing out from the competition, and building brand recognition among your target audience!
6. Leverage Free (or Low-Cost) Marketing Tools
Social media, SEO, and email campaigns don’t have to cost a dime if you’re willing to put in the work. A small budget can go a long way, and all of these strategies work in a manner where you pay once and generate leads over time.
Similarly, be sure to get your business listed (and optimized) on all relevant directories. Google My Business and Yelp are great places to start but don’t forget industry-specific and location-specific directories that can generate free traffic and potentially improve your website’s SEO value.
7. Provide Quality Service
68% of consumers say they are willing to pay more to shop with brands they know have quality customer service. The data shows that improving customer relations processes, from upgraded CRM tools to your direct lines of communication, will ultimately improve sales.
Providing the best service also helps build brand loyalty and repeat customers. The digital landscape is a competitive one, but there's still nothing better than word-of-mouth marketing.
8. Offer Discount and Loyalty Programs
Helping customers feel invested in your business is a great way to boost initial sales and drive repeat business. Offering a loyalty rewards program with promises of discounts and other promotions will attract new leads, and if you follow through on your promises, could help bolster repeat customer numbers, too.
Boost Your Business Sales Today
Now that you know how to boost your small business sales, put these tips to use today and turn your online presence into a sales machine. With time and consistency, you should see significant results to your bottom line.
Keep reading our latest tips to help you grow your small business and feel free to contact us with any questions!
