If your business feels like it’s stuck in the past, now is the best time to modernise it. Every time you put off work that needs to be done, you halt your business’s progress. That’s no way to run your business, so think again about what you can do differently. Fitting your business for the 21st century is necessary, but not easy. However, it can be done, and here are some key dos and don’ts to consider.
Do
Make the Workplace More Collaborative
Today, successful businesses are not ones where people work in isolation. Instead, pool your people’s different skills and make the most of them by becoming more collaborative. Collaboration is impossible to do when people are not working together in a functional way. So, redesign your structure, their workflow and the layout of the office to support collaboration among employees.
Learn Which Social Media Platforms Are Most Useful
Because there are so many different social media platforms, it can be hard to keep up with which are the best. Rather than juggling six or seven different accounts, it’s better to learn which are most useful to your business. It all depends on what kind of business you run and what demographic you are looking to target. For example, Tumblr is perfect for targeting young people, LinkedIn is best for making business contacts and Facebook channels women in the 40 to 60-year old category.
Attempt Community Outreach
Conscious capitalism and social responsibility are now expected of businesses by their customers. Your customers don’t want to see you focus 100% of your energy on making profits. It works to your advantage to commit to community outreach. This societal service cements relationships with customers of similar values and guarantees their return. At the same time, it shows the humane side of your business, which illustrates a people-planet-prosperity bottom line.
Don’t
Leave Your Business Unprotected
Cyber threats must be taken seriously to fit your business for this century. Using professional IT consulting services — internal or external — ensures your setup is adequately protected against all the threats it faces. Use a firewall to stop intruders and be careful about who has access to your network and systems.
Abandon Email Marketing
Many companies forget the benefits of email marketing. However, it still can do very good things for your brand over the long term. Many people still prefer to be contacted via email, and it’s a way of getting your business’s message directly to them. Therefore, don’t be afraid to give it a try and make it part of your modern marketing strategy.
Take Customers for Granted
Customers have more choice of products and services than ever before. If they don’t like something you do, they can and do head elsewhere negatively impacting your business. Show your customers they are not taken for granted by engaging in positive behaviours like offering a reward for their loyalty. It’s a great way to encourage a lasting relationship.
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