Do You Make These 3 Small Business Mistakes?

Ben Camerota

There are many moving parts involved in running a small business. Though this can ultimately be a satisfying and financially rewarding experience, it can also be risky at times. That is why it is important for small business owners to focus their attention on what matters most, preventing blunders that can snowball and have a significant impact on later business growth.

Below are three common small business mistakes and how you can take actions to avoid them:

Image by Pixabay user StartupStockPhotos

1. Not knowing your customers

If you do not have a clear idea of who your target customers are then you will have a hard time connecting with them.  To avoid this mistake, research and planning is essential. Take some time to create detailed sketches of your target customers, keeping the following in mind:

• Demographic data such as age, location, and income level
  
• Behavior patterns like how and when they research and purchase
  
• Motivations for seeking out and buying your product/service
  
• Objectives for what they hope to accomplish by buying

2. Focusing on just the sale instead of building the relationship

The key to small business success is building long-lasting customer relationships. This takes time and resources, two things that are in limited supply for most small businesses. When things start to get busy, it can become easy for small businesses to focus on sales and forget about relationship building. One way to avoid this mistake is by creating and sticking to a content schedule that allows you to stay in touch with customers regularly through e-newsletters and social media.

Image by Pixabay user StartupStockPhoto

3. Skimping out on marketing

Some small business owners see marketing as an area to cut costs, but this mistake could have a significant negative impact on your business. Ongoing marketing efforts are essential to business growth and the long-term success of any small business. Just because times are good does not mean that marketing can be forgotten. It is important for small business owners to develop a marketing strategy from the onset so that marketing does not fall by the wayside when things start to get busy.

It is easy to overlook some basic considerations when running a small business. Don’t let these common business mistakes hinder your success.

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