2024 is here and we know that things are not the same for any of us. AI has come into the market and small business games have changed. With technology’s new era, small businesses can make it their best friend in business to win the new age sales and target trends. 

Small business owners in Kolkata can upscale their businesses with a few simple things. Unlike what most people think, you don’t need to spend bundles of money on new equipment & advertisements. Instead focusing on what is trending now will be your greatest weapon in today’s time. 

Come together and let’s explore simple things that every small business owner must do in 2024. 

1. Make Your Business Organized: 

The first thing all small business owners in Kolkata must do is organise their businesses. Often businesses mismanage their workflow and finances that later harm them. Proper documentation of each activity will create space for growth & scaling. Automation would also be a good step for optimising repetitive tasks. 

– Record every financial transaction and review them weekly. Secure a copy for yourself to review, cash payments, and tax legalities. 

– Plan your marketing weeks earlier. It includes social media, advertising campaigns, emails, networking, offers, events, and festive season sales. 

– Use Slack, email, or WhatsApp groups for effective communication. 

– Set deadlines for all your future activities. Assign tasks and maintain them thoroughly. 

– Don’t call for frequent meetings if things can be done on messages, WhatsApp or emails. 

2. Understand Your Competitors: 

Let me tell you a hard truth. Whatever you’re working on, it’s not new. There are already hundreds of businesses out there who’re really offering the same products & services. The question is does it affect you? Only if you don’t learn from them. 

Treat your competitors like teachers and refine your workspace. Understand about their workflow, digital marketing strategies, targeted audience, strengths & weaknesses. Both of you will have differences in your Unique Value Proposition. 

3. Find Your Complimentary Businesses: 

I would be amazed if small business owners in Kolkata have not heard this term. Understanding this will make your business grow by 2X. Complimentary businesses are those who are in your industry but support your business as natural resources. They are your direct partners who can boost your sales instantly. 

For example- 

– Advertising agencies & graphic designing are complimentary. 

– Coffee maker and coffee are complimentary. 

– Event management & dining. 

– Restaurant & night shows. 

4. Use A Great Website: 

We are living in an era where the website is not a luxury. It’s a need for every 21st-century business. It is a platform where you can connect with your audience & potential customers. It’s the source of new customers each day. If you don’t run a physical store, this is the only source for orders. 

– Use powerful SEO optimization for ranking your website. 

– Design a clear & user-friendly website. 

– Choose colours that define your business. 

– Use your USP as a power tool. 

– Use high-quality images. 

– Show your client’s review. 

– Focus on product benefits. 

– Share stories about your business. 

If you don’t have a website right now, ask a local website design company in Kolkata for creating one. Make sure that they offer competitive pricing and good quality websites.

5. Start Creating Content: 

Your website & social media accounts are places where you can connect with your potential customers. But let me tell you truly, social media is not a source of lead generation. It is a platform where you showcase your value to people, attracting them to your workspace.

Now is the time to create content. People like human faces so be sure to curate real-life personalised content, behind-the-scenes, customer interactions, and experiences. 

For examples- 

If you are a travel agency owner, create content that shows your face, travel videos, lifestyle, office fun, teamwork, and customer reviews. 

If you run a bakery, create content around dishes & recipes.  

6. Study the Analytics: 

For small business owners in Kolkata, here is one solid tip that we learned hard. Never miss to review your analytics. Each of your internet platforms offers you analytics to understand your metrics. You must use it to determine whether you are doing well or need to modify your strategies. Check reach, enquiries, leads, and conversions. See how many people are engaging with you. Make notes and highlight the key points. 

– Use CRM data to understand customer behaviour. 

– Evaluate the health of your website. 

– Is your social media working for you?

7. Be Flexible: 

Change is the only way to survive. Rigid businesses often lose their ground when market trends change. Flexible businesses which are ready to change their business model or product/services are the real winners. These businesses always listen to their feedback and act on it as soon as possible. Don’t stick to your old models or pricing just because you think its right. 

8. Use Local Digital Marketing: 

Search engines are changing drastically towards localization. It means more & more small businesses will come to light. Small businesses use their local market most often to get their customers. Unless you run a complete online business, local optimization will let you win the local market. Here are a few things to use in Digital Marketing. 

– Submit your businesses in local business directories. 

– Create & optimise your Google My Business profile. 

– Use location tagging in all your social media posts. 

– Optimise your SEO marketing for local searches. 

– Target your digital ads for the local market. 

9. Start Using Email Marketing: 

Emails, the old marketing genius still works very well. It still upholds the tag of one of the best marketing tools. It’s still affordable & effective. Use emails to convey valuable messages such as events, sales, new arrivals, and offers to your leads or prospects without putting much investment into them.  

10. Build A Strong Team: 

Running businesses is a job of strong teams. You must be ready to share responsibilities with new people. This will help you save time for more productive activities. But don’t rush for it. Your team is your 2nd family. It simply means that you must choose your team carefully. They should be dedicated to the company, skilled, & passionate about the field. 

– Ask them about a real-life challenge in your industry & their opinion on them. 

– Check whether they’ve researched the industry & your start-up. 

11. Develop Exceptional Customer Service: 

The best customer service is when companies don’t treat people like customers but friends. Personalised customer service connects with customers deeply and solves responsibility. Create personalised templates & scripts to welcome their queries and solve them. Here are some tips to improve your customer support. 

– Don’t be overly formal. 

– Use FAQs & knowledge bases to deal with consumers. 

– Keep a conversational tone in emails. 

– Share an in-detailed step-by-step guide to help them. 

– Don’t forget to greet them warmly. 

Conclusion: 

Business in the 21st century is changing rapidly. Right now we are witnessing the rise of AI and we still don’t know what is coming next. The new-age small business owners in Kolkata must understand the power of digitalization and localization. Automating the business operations will save you time & money, organising your business will track your growth, and a fun-loving environment in your office will let your team showcase their skills at best. 

In this article, we have listed down a few must-do things all small business owners that will boost your business revenue as well as optimise it for greater performance.