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In 2017, business owners across the country faced several challenges that ranged from financial matters to maintaining small business websites.  Despite these challenges, their resourcefulness resulted in numerous success stories at the end of the year.

Now, in 2018, you have an opportunity to benefit from the specific lessons that were costly for some business people last year and apply it to your business.  The following are technological and strategic tips to help you take your small business to the next level.

 

While running your business, you might be tempted to handle all tasks despite the time it requires.  But, did you know that taking on more responsibilities than you can handle could overwhelm you and reduce your overall productivity?
Based on one report, almost 50% of businesses spend excess money and time trying to settle on matters regarding technology.  This is normally attributed to people lacking the background it takes to make technology-related decisions.  Therefore, make sure you have a tech-savvy member in your team so you can gain valuable IT solutions without wasting time.  You don’t have to hire an IT expert immediately, that might cause you to incur extensive costs but a technology advisor is usually helpful and affordable.

 

In 2017, businesses realized the extent of just how much damage can be caused by hackers.  Even major institutions like the CIA were affected.  Today, the trend is for most businesses to embrace ecommerce which entails web-based payments and gives hackers another reason to try and access your system.
Rather than waiting for a problem to arise and then react, consider boosting the security of your small business websites and online payment system.  Additionally, you need to think about setting up cloud storage to safeguard your data.  An important takeaway from 2017 for small business owners should be to back-up data regardless of the protection you have in place for your business.

Small business websites are crucial as they help entrepreneurs present themselves to customers, both existing and prospective.  But, it takes more than a basic website to gain clientele that will remain loyal to your business.  In order to get the best results, your business website needs to assure customers they can trust you.
As well, it needs to show them that your business commands a high level of authority in your niche.  Trust and authority are the biggest factors influencing online sales.  Below you will discover just how to boost them and gain a bigger share of the market.

 

On the homepage of your website, you need to include a physical address or contact details to prove to customers that your business is real.  It also helps authenticate your business if you include an About Us page with information when it was started.

If you examine websites of big businesses, you will likely notice many of them have Terms and Conditions, a Privacy Policy, and Data Protection sections.  By adding the same to your website, you prove to your clients that you know the law and have satisfied the legal requirements associated with your kind of business.

 

Trust is often gained through trust signals which include slogans and logos.  Consider incorporating the logos of partner brands and governing bodies like FDA into your website.  You may also think about utilizing slogans such as “Featured on” and “Over 25 years of experience”.  Showcasing your business as a partner to reputable brands is a fine trust and authority boost.

Display positive reviews from popular review websites or a screen capture of positive feedback from a customer would be extremely helpful.  Some small business websites have secure URLs while others do not and a majority of people can agree those that are secure are more trustworthy.  For that reason, buy an SSL certificate as it will give your clients peace of mind while shopping online!

A properly-motivated workforce is a key element to the success of businesses.  When you inspire your employees, you make it more possible for them to perform at exceptional levels and that helps your firm reach new goals.  However, if you fail to motivate your team, their performance gradually declines and this can spell chaos for the entire organization.
Whether you’re the manager or the owner, it’s up to you to motivate your team and implement Indianapolis SEO to reach your targeted audience.  One method that always motivates employees is to make them feel as though they are partners in the business.

That means enabling them to share in the growth and success of the business.  Start by rewarding good performance since this challenges bad or average-performing employees to do better.  Here are other ways of motivating and challenging your employees.

 

As a starting point, you can let workers know what you think about their performance.  Praise good work frequently to stimulate great employees to do even better and use constructive criticism to encourage others to improve their work habits.

 

Some managers or supervisors have a strict approach towards employees and watch them every step of the way which has a negative impact in many cases.  Alternatively, let employees work freely and give them the opportunity to deal with projects involving Indianapolis SEO.  If a non-routine task needs attention, allow them to volunteer rather than delegating who will take care of it.

As a result, employees will be driven to work based on passion as opposed to duty.  In conclusion, an employer should never take advantage of employees since many people determine their work ethic based upon how they are treated.  Often, small businesses that make it a habit to reward good performance see more growth as employees stay motivated throughout the year!