Published on May 9th, 2019 | by Marie Erhart

Small Business Trying to Disrupt Your Industry? 5 Growth Hacks You Cannot Succeed Without

As any small business knows, growth is the key to long-term success. Whether you’re looking to grow in your existing market or grow to an international presence, there are multiple methods that you can use to grow your business. Growth hacks are strategies that businesses use to quickly grow their customer base and their revenues. While there are some growth hacks that are purely coincidental and based on luck, there are others that have proven to work for multiple businesses.

Whether you’re looking to rapidly grow your small business or add a few tricks to your marketing toolkit, growth hacks are foundational tools that any business can use. Here are five fantastic growth hacks that your business needs to succeed today.

Leverage Social Media Engagement

Social media is a powerful tool that your business should be using. Facebook alone has billions of active users, and if you’re not actively engaging with Facebook users, you may be missing out on potential customers. While you may not need to create a business profile on every social media site, social media engagement on at least one platform is key.

Facebook is ideal for linking your site and content, Instagram is tailored toward visual content, and Twitter is perfect for active engagement with your customers. Many small businesses don’t have a dedicated social media marketing team, but fortunately, most business social media profiles are very simple and intuitive. By dedicating just a few hours per week to your social media presence, you can significantly grow your business.

Offer Free Products and Services

Free products and services are a great way to draw in potential clients and customers. Both free physical and digital goods incentivize your customers to engage with your business, which gives you the opportunity to turn them into long-term customers. It makes more sense financially to offer free digital goods if it makes sense for your business and industry, and this tactic can be used to build your email list, which we will discuss later in the article.

If you aren’t able to offer free digital products and services, you may want to consider offering a free premium upgrade to a paid product or service. For example, if a customer purchases a recurring service, offering a limited free trial for a premium service may encourage the customer to purchase that premium service after the trial ends.

Build Your Email List

Your email list should be one of your top priorities as a small business. In fact, email marketing has one of the highest returns on investment in marketing. Building your email list is one of the most effective methods to grow your business and retain loyal customers. There are a few ways to grow your email list, and it all starts with optimizing your website.

Use your small business website to capture contact information and leads. Offer a free download in exchange for an email address, or offer a discount on a high-value product or service if a customer signs up for your email list. You may want to implement an exit-intent campaign. These campaigns are pop-up screens that attempt to capture customer information before a user leaves your site by offering a reward or incentive for providing an email address.

After you’ve built your email list, send out regular, high-quality content that your readers will value. If you immediately start pitching your products and services, your readers will unsubscribe just as fast as they signed up for your email list.

Connect with Industry Leaders

Connect with industry leaders both in-person and online. By connecting with industry leaders, you’re creating brand recognition for your business. If you can connect with someone online and create a meaningful relationship, they may promote your business, your products, and your services.

Word of mouth marketing is a free, powerful marketing tool that many businesses don’t know how to leverage. Make connections, share valuable content, and boost your brand’s presence online and in your community.

Hire a Small Business Consultant

Many small businesses would do well with hiring a small business consultant. Too often, small business owners don’t know where to begin when it comes to strategic marketing and real business growth. A small business or marketing consultant can help you make impactful decisions to grow your business. You’d be surprised at just how affordable a consultant can be, all while growing your business and increasing your business revenues.

Bonus: Host a Contest

Contests create engagement with your customers and can grow your existing customer base. Whether it’s online or at your physical store location, a contest creates a fun and exciting atmosphere while promoting your brand. Offer a valuable giveaway or create a contest to come up with your logo or slogan. Regardless of the contest, they’re designed to generate valuable leads and interact with your customers on a personal level.

Tags: business, email, growth, IT, services, social

About the Author

Marie Erhart Marie Erhart is a Success Manager at FieldPulse, creators of field service software that lets you run your entire contracting business from a single app. She works with contractors to help them grow their business using best practices.