Almost all business owners are using the internet. But not all are able to take advantage of the internet to grow their business. Internet is a boon for almost all types of business, no matter it is an offline small grocery store, vegetable shop, trolley, or agricultural business.
There are thousands of people teaching indirectly business owners about the internet and the platforms through online courses, videos, blog posts, and offline trade shows or seminars. Even the business owners are also seeing the changes that the internet impacting directly and indirectly. But still, I am seeing that only 5 to 10% of business owners are able to use the internet to grow their business. And those are also not using it in a big way. I don’t have the figures but I am sure that you agree with my points.
But the point is why many business owners are not using it when everyone knows that the internet is really beneficial for business and customers expecting it. Why are only a few bigger companies making millions and billions of dollars online or through the internet? Why do small business owners are remaining small when there are opportunities for growth.
So, in this post, I am sharing with you very simple steps and methods that you can do to grow your business faster by using the internet. And also sharing some examples that you can follow. If you’re doing any type of business anywhere in the world then reading this post will boost your brain to explore ideas and creativity that you can use by using the internet to grow your business.
So, let’s get started:
Let’s understand what things on the internet will help you to grow the business faster:
- You can advertise your business online. The cost of online advertising is less than offline marketing or traditional advertising methods. And you can control your budget, ad campaigns and also get data about the campaign performance. You can buy new products stock or another variety from the money that you save from online advertising. Social media ads, search engine ads, display ads on specific websites, affiliate marketing, and partnerships with blog websites are a few methods to advertise online.
- Use google my business, Facebook page to connect with current customers. After that inspire them by posting creative and meaningful content. Get reviews, like, and share your products, services, and business when they are in your shop. It will help people to find out the best products, prices in that you’re selling. And it will not cost you money.
- You can build websites for each product category and then get people from search engines or Google to your website. You can sell online. You will get paid online directly to your business account.
- You can use the internet for learning about marketing, business, automation, and the latest business technologies. When you learn then you will implement them. No one will come to you to grow your business. You have to reach them. For example, if you think that people are calling you for websites, online marketing, and business listing then think or ask why they are doing it.
They are doing it because they want to grow their business and they will be able to grow it when they will list your business online or when you will get the benefits.
Similarly, to grow your business you have to take initiative. And the first initiative can be to learn about online marketing, advertising, blogging, and eCommerce.
The above posts are very important for you to read later. Might be you know them all. There is something different in each post that I have written. But let’s assume, you know all of the online things for business but you don’t know what is that preventing you from taking the advantage of business opportunities that are available online. And following are the points especially for those, who know what is happening, but are unable to move towards growth.
1. Change your mindset about the Internet:
The way you think about the internet will impact the results you’re getting from the online opportunities. If you believe it will work and make your business profitable then it will do. If you think it’s not for you then it will not work for you. It’s just simple. Your belief on the internet matter the most to grow your business, no matter you have internet experts.
My suggestion is just simple, think about the Internet as a tool that will help your customers and business. And with this mindset, facts, beliefs you have to work on this. Learn everything about those things that you can do to grow your business. And then select anyone to start with. It can be a website, social media page, business listing, YouTube videos, and advertising.
2. Try to do new things on the internet:
Trying new things is challenging and has a cost. That’s why business owners are not doing it. It’s nice to keep saving a small amount of income each month and keep running the business the way it is. But it’s good at present. But not good for the future. Tell me what you’re doing for the future in your business. What you’re doing something different than your competitors. If you like to keep sitting in the shop each day and waiting for the customers and then waiting for the money without trying something different then think honestly, is it a way to grow the business? Is your job being to sit and wait? It’s the work of your team.
Your work is to identify new business opportunities, new ways to make a profit, new ways to reduce cost, new ways to do business without disturbing the current system.
When you started the business, it was a new thing for you. It was very tough for you, it was risky for you but then you survived, you learned it quickly, you have made the profit and you were successful. But compare your current activities with that time when you started.
You got success. But how many successes or goals you have achieved so far. If you’re successful and satisfied then you will not read it. But if you’re serious to grow your business consistently by using the internet then you have to do new things. Might be they are not that challenging as you’re thinking now.
You have to try new things, you have to listen to the ideas of your kids, you have to listen and observe what your customers are expecting.
The new things can be the following:
- You will use a computer and internet in your business, store, and shop.
- You will use Microsoft Excel to manage stock or an account management applications.
- You will share your business banner or shop on your Facebook profile.
- You will create a Facebook business page.
- You will call someone to build a website for your business.
- You will use your mobile phone to create videos related to products and services in your free time.
- You will watch the success stories of Amazon, Alibaba, Google, reliance, tata, Facebook, tesla, ford, and many others.
- From now you will join online business courses so that you will learn how to convert the small shops into a billion-dollar business.
- You will buy books on business leadership or entrepreneurship.
- And you will do almost everything each day 1 new thing to grow your business.
You may hesitate in the beginning. You may think about what people say. But remember, you’re not doing it for people. You’re doing it for customers. And customers are God.
3. Take the help of a computer/Internet expert:
Obviously, you’re good at doing the business but it’s tough for you to create a website for your own business. That’s ok. There are people ready to help you to grow your business. You just have the select the best one.
There are people who will create an online presence for your business. There are people who will advertise your business online. there are platforms, tools, and technologies they will bring into your business and then make it profitable.
In the beginning, you will be scared of their ideas to grow the business. Even you will convince yourself that it will not work in your business. But remember, their job or business is to grow the business of others. You just have to allow and watch them. And everything will grow in front of you.
But yes, it’s not that easy. You have to listen to them. You have to follow what they say. And you have to allow yourself to do experiments. If you don’t believe in them and their ideas then they will not be able to grow your business.
So the point is that take the help of experts when you’re not able to do anything in your business. And listen to them and allow them to work. And if you don’t like something then discuss it with them.
Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Ambani, Ratan Tata haven’t built everything on their own, they just allowed the people to work. The people have built every empire for the billionaire and business owners. People have more ideas than you to grow your business. But you have to believe in them. And you will believe by checking, testing, and identifying their creativity, capabilities, and skills.
Learn more: Business growth opportunities examples
4. Invest a minimum of 5% of your income each month:
Most people look for ways to make money without spending any money. That’s ok. It can work one time but not all the time.
To make money you have to invest something. It can be time, skills, and money. But to make business big you have to multiply time, skills, and money.
For example, you’re earning 50,000 from your business on your own. But if you get someone at a cost of 5% and that improves the revenue minimum of 10% then what you will do? Definitely, you will take their help.
But then you give up. You will not able to get the person who can help you. It means you have to build those people. And it’s called investment. You have to invest in right the people, you have to invest your time to train them, you have to invest your money to give them job security, you have to appreciate them for their small wins, etc.
And when you do these all your investments will give you 50%+ return or even more than expected.
But who earns more money?
The person who invested early (when they find it’s important), who invested in the right person, who invested time, resources, and knowledge.
If you have invested 5% each month on online advertising, computer operator or digital marketer or content writer or video editor or automation or eCommerce then, in the long run, you will be able to get profit. Your today’s decision will impact your business positively and negatively in the future. That’s why I suggest each month try to invest 5% of your revenue in business development, marketing, people, and new things on the internet. And keep doing it not matter it will give you the return you expected. At the right time with the right timing, you will get the return that you haven’t expected ever.
5. Communicate with people and follow their ideas:
Communication skill is most important in business. While you’re in business don’t talk about politics, cricket matches, and Hollywood. Instead, create topics or build communication channels based on business development, customer success, marketing, and growth.
Communicate your problems with the bigger business owners. Communicate your business ideas with customers. Experiments your thoughts in public. Experiments with new product schemes.
And listen.
Listen to how people are responding. And think why?
And then execute the strategy at a bigger level.
6. Think to help your customers:
When you think to help your customers then you will not think that the internet will not be beneficial for your business. When you think to help then you don’t think about the cost, price, and process. You just do that.
Might be you think your customer is not that educated to buy your products online. or you might think that this kind of product will not buy people online.
But Is your thinking is the same as the thinking of customers?
Your duty in business is to help customers with all the possible methods. It can be to help them to find your business location on google map.
It can be to help them to watch the videos of your store.
It can be your blog post about the business solutions you’re providing.
It can be advertising, marketing, tools, software, technologies that you’re using in your business. And your goal is to help customers faster and with the best possible methods.
People are preparing to deliver products through drones. Why?
It’s because it helps customers to get the product delivered to their doorstep faster. It will work or not work, it’s the future. But at least they are trying to do the things that are possible to help customers in the present.
That’s why think about your customers. And when you think you will get thousands of ideas, tools, technologies, and people to grow your business.
7. Don’t get scared of eCommerce websites instead take that as an opportunity:
Ecommerce has changed the way we do business. And that’s ok. People are buying online more than offline. But it’s very challenging for offline businesses or traditional businesses and shops to grow the business. Even they are not able to stabilize the cost and profit.
It’s scary.
More and more businesses are getting closed. But it’s not only because of eCommerce.
It’s due to a lack of taking the opportunities of the internet. It’s because of the lack of strategy to fight with eCommerce. It’s a lack of mentors. It’s a lack of business strategy. It’s due to the lack of investment. And also lack knowledge.
And most importantly it’s due to lack of innovation and entrepreneurship skills traditional businesses getting impacted by eCommerce.
But still, there are possibilities to compete with big eCommerce companies. And there are 100% chances that small business owners will win the game.
But many are not able to believe that it’s possible. If those are not believing that they can grow or fight with big eCommerce companies then they will never grow and they have to close their business very soon. That’s simple.
The first thing that small businesses can do is to believe that they can defeat or they can grow their business no matter how tough or impossible it is to compete with what eCommerce companies are doing.
The next thing is they need strategy and plans.
Then they need experts and possible funds.
If even they fail after trying 10 times at least they have tried to win. And not give up. This attitude will not only save their business but make a billion dollars companies that no one ever imagines.
When you take a bigger challenge, you improve your capacity and powers.
I know this post is motivating to use the internet in your business. But take a small step. One at the time.