Tips for SMBs during the quiet periods

As we come into the Christmas break most companies usually slow down or close all together.

This gives owners time to reflect on the year, and plan for the next.

So here are a few tips what you can do during your quiet time.

Improve Your Business

Look at your current business flow. Think to yourself, how can I improve my productivity, and decrease double handling. To give you some examples;

Are you still using Microsoft Excel, or Outloook to manage your customer’s information?

Look into using a CRMs (Client Relationship Managers)

CRMs can greatly improve the way you interact and target your customers. Set up sales processes, and track against your marketing and sales goals to see which are working for you, and which are not. Keep all the communication between you and your customers like, emails, phone calls, proposals/quotes even birthdays…

There are many different CRMs on offer. If you looking for a more advanced CRM look at; sugerCRM or Salesforce. If you require a simple to use, low cost CRM, look into at using Connect2Field, it helps you manage all your customer details and provides you with an account history of all your customers. Which ever you choose you will improve the relationships with your current, and prospect customers.

Is your accounting system working for you, or are you working for your accounting system?

The days are over of accounting systems designed just for accountants. Sure a few that still exist, however so many new accounting apps have been created in the recent years which a perfectly suited for SMBs, and some come with an SMB price ;).

Make sure your current account package is best suited to you. Don’t be afraid of change. It’s not difficult to switch from one system to another with the export and import features built into most accounting packages. Connect2Field directly integrations with the following,; Saasu, Kashflow, Xero and Quickbooks, and moving to an online accounting system can have huge benefits for your company.

Make your business found in Google

Have you heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) before?

SEO helps your potential customers find you easily through surfing the web on search engins like Google. It really can help you increase the traffice to your website.

Here are a few tips to help build your SEO.

Firstly, build your website to be SEO friendly.

Once you have optimized your website, create a blog and talk about what’s going on in your business, and industry. This helps you build and online audience, and in return increase your SEO. This does take some time but the results are well worth it.

Find website listing relevant for your company IE http://www.plumbers.uk.com/ some are free, some charge based on how many customers click on your Ad. Either way these greatly help your SEO.

Additional tools to help you connect with your customer like snapengage assit in converting website visitors to customers. These guys offer an excellent service in connecting to your customers with a live website chat, this will really help increase your website sales.

We hope the tips give you some ideas on things to look at for 2011. The Connect2Field team wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.