Five Ways for Small Businesses to Get Ahead

In this day and age, small businesses need as much help as they can get to thrive in their industries. Technology has helped countless companies get an edge, whether it be through emails, a website, social media, etc. Here are five tips for small business owners to get a leg up on the competition:

1. Corporate Identity - It's more than just a logo; it's the difference between getting a second look or becoming just an afterthought. It needs to stand out amongst the crowd. A lot of people say that certain brands are bought because they spend more money on advertising and packaging...and they're right. The corporate identity is the first impression that an outsider has about your company, so this is reason enough to put considerable effort into its design. The MOST important aspects of the company identity include the logo, the name of the company and the catch line.

2. Say it in one sentence - Lots of business owners try to put everything they do on a business card, web site home page, tagline or slogan. But if everything is trying to get your attention, nothing is actually getting it. Can you say what you’re selling in one short sentence from the buyer’s perspective? You should. And it should be short and memorable.

3. Online presence - These days, creating an online presence is key. Your website is first and foremost the digital representation of your company. The site provides a user experience for any potential customers that come across it. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a major component of any good web strategy. When designing your new web site, it pays to spend some time on your SEO strategy and how exactly you want to fit that strategy into your content and site design. Quality content with legitimate mentions of key words and topics related to your business will help to bring more business your way.

4. Keep it visually simple - Going along with what I said in my second point about saying everything in short sentence, a visual aspect follows the same rule. Your site should ultimately draw focus to the content, not what’s surrounding it. A bit of white space can help to distinguish the separation between the design and content. When there’s not enough room on the screen to cleanly display your content, you need to go “back to the drawing board.” For every flash animation or widget on your web site, your site’s loading time will increase while your screen real estate decreases. Remember to have clear, concise and easy to use navigation for your website, too. It is the key to a rewarding user experience.

5. Get out there and be somebody! - Use the technology of social media to your advantage! People are buying insurance policies through Facebook now. Social media sites are for more than just spying on people from high school. Companies are using sites like Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to connect to existing and prospective clients. It's also a good way to help with SEO search results and Google page rankings. Social Media creates a bond with your customers and it's a sign of the times showing that you are "with it" to your audience.

These are just a few tips and tricks to help smaller, local businesses get an advantage to compete against larger companies. I am a designer here in town who can help you with these, and other business aspects. I work with web developers, SEO specialists, and Social Media experts and can create a unique brand and online identity to establish sustainability for your company. Contact me at macamdesign@gmail.com or visit www.mikecamera.net to learn more.