Pave the Way for Business Success: Best Practices for New Jersey Small Businesses

Most small business owners want nothing more than to find success. While there is no one-size-fits-all guide to achieving it, there are a few best practices that can help you on your way. Here, we dive into some of our favorite methods for bolstering your business courtesy of the New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commerce.

Effective Communication is Essential

One of the most important keys to success in business is effective communication. After all, how can you expect your employees to meet your expectations if you don't take the time to clearly articulate what those expectations are? Similarly, how can you hope to keep your customers coming back if you're not regularly communicating with them? Whether you're writing an email, sending out a newsletter, or posting on social media, make sure that your communications are clear, concise, and on brand. Your customers and employees will thank you for it.

Use Organization to Foster Productivity

Another important focus area for small businesses is staying organized. This can be difficult when you are juggling several responsibilities, but it's essential if you want to keep your business running like a well-oiled machine. Invest in a good CRM system and/or project management tool, and make sure that everyone on your team is using them regularly. From there, schedule regular check-ins—both with your team and with yourself—to ensure that everyone is on track and that things are running smoothly. You'll be glad you did when things start going off the rails.

Ditch Paper Accounting Practices

If you're still doing your accounting the old-fashioned way (i.e., with pen and paper), it’s time to switch to an online accounting system. Not only will this save you a ton of time and energy, but it will also allow you to track your finances in real-time, which can be invaluable when it comes time to make big decisions about where to allocate your resources. There are a lot of great options out there, so research which one makes the most sense for your business.

Welcome Innovation

It's more important than ever for businesses to encourage innovation. That doesn't mean that you need to overhaul your entire operation every six months, but it does mean that you need to be open to new ideas and willing to experiment with different approaches when necessary. Rocket Mat suggestions that one way to encourage innovation is to create an environment where employees feel supported in taking risks. When you don’t punish people for trying something new, you are more likely to have employees who think outside the box and try new strategies. Another way  is to invest in tools and resources that will help employees do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Whatever approach you take, make sure that encouraging innovation is part of your company culture.

Say Goodbye to Stale Marketing Efforts

No matter how much experience you have in marketing, it's always a good idea to revisit your marketing plan on a regular basis (ideally at least once per year). Why? Because change is constant and it can make or break your business. With that in mind, periodically analyze your marketing efforts from both a quantitative (e.g., website traffic) and qualitative (e .g., customer feedback) perspective. Based on what you learn, make adjustments to ensure that your marketing plan is as effective as possible moving forward. 

Do You Really Know Your Target Audience?

Just as it's important to examine your marketing plan from time to time, it's also important to revisit your target market. Chances are, your target market has changed since you first started your business. And if it hasn't, you’re probably missing out on potential customers because you’ve remained in your marketing comfort zone. Re-evaluate who your target market really is and make sure that your marketing efforts are aligned with those individuals' needs, wants, and behaviors. Doing so will help maximize the return on investment for every marketing dollar you spend. 

If you’re having a hard time figuring out how to reevaluate your assessment or expand your scope, it might be time to work with a marketing professional. You can hire a consultant or a freelancer to provide a new perspective and get you on the right path. When working with professionals, you need to be clear about what you want and how you would like to get updates. You may want to experiment with a PDF editor online to see if providing feedback on drafts, mockups, and ideas through this medium would work for you both. These free tools provide virtual resources, like highlighters, pens, text boxes, and sticky notes to provide feedback directly on the document. And everyone on your team can then access records of the drafts and feedback for reference any time.

Be Open to Feedback and Change

There are plenty of other tried-and-true methods for keeping your business moving in the right direction, but the above tips are great if you feel like you could use a reboot. By staying organized, communicating effectively, investing in online accounting, encouraging innovation, revisiting your target market, and re-evaluating your marketing strategy, you set your small business up for success. And if you need help getting out of your rut, consult with professionals using collaborative PDF editing tools to get your marketing efforts back on track.