9 March Being Flexible in Your Small Business March 9, 2021 By sma Business Tips, Franchise business growth, client satisfaction, motivation, small business 0 BEING FLEXIBLE IN YOUR SMALL BUSINESS March 9, 2021 | Business Tips, Franchise | client satisfaction, small business, business growth, motivation By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.'s Marketing Coach Flexibility is a business trait that benefits your customers, you as an entrepreneur, and even your employees. With a landscape that’s constantly changing, it’s important to stay on your toes and adapt for consistent growth. While it can sometimes be hard to change from doing what you’ve always done, being open to new processes isn’t as scary as you might think. Flexible With Customers Being your own boss means that you're in control of how and when your business operates. Customers certainly appreciate when you go out of your way to accommodate them and make them feel like a priority. Obviously you won’t be able to juggle your schedule all the time, but making adjustments when you can reflects positively on your customer service. Keep in constant contact with your clients to figure out what works the best for both of you. Flexible With Employees A flexible schedule also applies with your employees. They have their own projects and deadlines to meet, which can make coming together for a meeting difficult. Having a good working relationship with your employees can mitigate a high turnover rate. There’s nothing more stressful than having to regularly replace and train employees on a tight schedule. To keep your workers in the loop, integrate things like Zoom or Skype to make meetings easier to fit within your timeframe. Learning New Technologies Technology is rapidly evolving to make both life and business easier. New software and devices make your daily operations smoother, quicker, and more effective. If there’s a program that you’ve grown accustomed to throughout the years, you might be hesitant to switch. But staying on the cutting-edge of the latest tech is a small thing your customers notice. It shows that you stay ahead of the curve and want to provide them the best service possible. You might even notice less struggles with updating older applications and dealing with constant crashes. Adjustable Marketing Marketing has come a long way since the days of placing an ad in a phonebook or the newspaper. Now, social media plays a big role in a business’s growth. With everything from Twitter to YouTube, there are now more ways than ever to get your brand out there. It’s important to research and practice with these outlets to get a better handle on how to incorporate them in your marketing plan. You should also be flexible with marketing towards different demographics to cast a wide net over prospective clientele. Knowing who to reach and the best way to reach them keeps you on top of your market. Changing Attitudes A key characteristic of business owners is to have a positive attitude. Life happens, and the better you’re prepared for it, the less stressful it can be. Things will get difficult at times, and you’ll need to navigate these challenges. Developing an optimistic outlook will make you a more effective business owner and leader. This applies not only to tough situations, but also how you go about conducting business. It can be hard to make a switch from something that you’ve done for years, but look at the new opportunities that can open up. Don’t completely shut out ideas that could elevate your company. Looking to start a National Property Inspections franchise? Request your free, no-obligation info packet at npifranchise.com/learn-more. About the Author Kimberly Stevens, Marketing Coach The baby of eight children, Kimberly learned quickly to master the art of communication in order to be heard. She has been with NPI for more than 15 years and is passionate about getting to know our franchisees. Kimberly is a certified marketing and business coach, trainer and speaker, leading training seminars, one-to-one coaching and more. She's a high-energy, fiery red head and an eternal optimist. Her greatest joy is celebrating our franchisees’ victories! Comments are closed.