Latest Guides & Tips
Retaining and developing existing customers
In the effort to win new business, it's often easy to forget what a significant revenue stream existing customers can be. Here are five tips on customer retention:
Secrets of sales
Four seasoned sales experts tell SmallBusiness.co.uk what their experiences have taught them.
Retaining customers
Keeping customers coming back for more isn't always easy. Here are ten top tips on how to retain a loyal consumer base.
Healthy margins for speciality food
Splashing out on organic and home-grown foods is something we have developed a taste for, but with sales of fast food on the rise how are speciality and niche providers findiing new ways to stimulate taste buds and be affordable?
Gift voucher power
With a million unwanted Christmas presents sold on ebay last year, gift vouchers are becoming a popular way to avoid upsetting a loved one with an ill-chosen purchase. Here’s how they can benefit your business
Don’t get hit by the postal strikes
With reports that the Royal Mail industrial action could cost the economy £1.5 billion, SmallBusiness.co.uk and Business Link have teamed up to help you minimise the damage.
Getting customer feedback
The customer is always right, apparently. So it follows that listening to your customers and finding out exactly what they want is a sure-fire way of improving your product or service and consequently boosting revenue. But sadly, it is not usually that simple.
Need to know: CRM
Loyal customers can sustain your business by consistently returning and buying your product or service. But you cannot create loyalty without putting in the groundwork. This is why it’s crucial to establish a customer relationship management (CRM) system to help you identify who your most loyal clients are, why they keep coming back and how to enhance their overall customer experience.
Dealing with dissatisfied customers
Nobody likes disappointed customers, but if your business handles complaints well you could find an angry one becomes a loyal advocate of your business. Alex Tomlin explains how
The value of branding
Having a strong, easily recognisable brand can make all the difference in raising your profile and setting you apart from your competitors. SmallBusiness.co.uk offers some answers to commonly asked questions on effective branding.
Watch out for the language barrier
One might think that the confidence, even arrogance, of the British in the pervasive nature of our mother tongue would successfully see us through the maze of overseas expansion. In fact, in the minds of many of the UK’s exporters there are no barriers. However, because of Britain’s long-standing unwillingness to communicate in foreign languages we may be offending some clients and possibly ignoring others.
Developing your brand
Putting in place a brand strategy is key to ensuring the success of your company and a genuine, solid identity has a direct impact on your bottom line. Small business owners tend to relate a strong brand and marketing strategy to high cost, but this need not be the case. Read on for our top tips.
The power of business design
A well-designed brand identity can boost sales, ensuring your customers remember your business in a favourable light and come back time and again. Here are some things to consider.
Customer relationship management explained
Effective management of the way you sell and market to existing and potential customers is vital if your business is to succeed. This is where customer relationship management, or CRM, comes in.
