5 Things to Add to Your Small Business Wish List

As a small business owner, you should create a wish list of things you need to strengthen your position and reach your long-term goals. This list of objectives should be formulated with clear guidelines, realistic expectations, and outstanding values. Your business goals should be backed by dependable employees to better ensure that you deliver the greatest value to your customers.

The following goals can help strengthen your customer relations and overall business performance:

1. Find the ideal employees

In many cases, small business owners hire friends and family to manage day-to-day responsibilities. As your business expands, you can use the vast employment resources available to find dedicated employees outside of family and friends. When hiring employees outside your personal circle, make sure they understand your goals, values, and employment guidelines. Allow candidates to sell themselves to you and run all necessary background checks, including contacting previous employers.
2. Make time for yourself

Many small business owners fail to add a proper vacation to their wish list or agenda, and often wind up working over 40 hours per week throughout the year. Even if you are highly motivated to make your business successful, everyone needs a break to rest, recharge and effectively envision their ultimate goals. Thankfully, you don’t have to step away for a long period of time. An extended weekend allows for some much-needed relaxation and contemplation of your business goals. Instruct your employees to contact you for emergencies, but take time to refresh your mind and, if necessary, reassess your objectives.

3. Use social media

Social media enables you to attract new customers and job candidates and keep followers in the loop about your products and services. Additionally, if customers share your business by linking to your web page, they may provide you with valuable feedback, which in turn, enables you to connect with a larger audience over time. As a bonus, positive comments from customers on social media will often generate more business leads, thereby increasing revenue for the products and services they’ve recommended.

4. Implement an efficient credit card management system

Because many customers prefer to use credit cards to make purchases and pay bills, small businesses can and should accept credit card payments for a minimal fee. To minimize the hassle of sending invoices or accepting checks, find a technology provider to implement online credit card payment technology. Remember that although there is a fee involved with credit card processing, the efficiency can help convert each transaction into a potential recurring or long-term customer.

5. Work with other businesses

Many successful small business owners work communally by providing services to one another and collaborating on a small or large scale. These business connections can prove even more valuable when they recommend your products or services to their customers. You can also pool resources with other businesses at networking or marketing events in your local community or by joining your local Chamber of Commerce.

Even if you have no plans to drastically expand your small business, it’s critical for you to make a wish list and pursue it. And whether you operate a standalone business or have a staff of employees, following through on these objectives is important to your long-term success.