Summary
Small businesses can use some ideas from large companies. This guide shows how to improve marketing, daily work, money, and customer service. It shares examples about customers, products, brands, tools, cash, hiring, and service. It also helps you choose a first step. The list of resources includes the book Scaling Up.
Introduction
Small businesses can learn from large companies. Small businesses do not need the same staff or budget. This guide covers marketing, daily work, money, and service. It helps you choose a first step. For more, see our complete guide to business growth and marketing.
Marketing: Help people find and choose you
Ask customers what they need
Ask customers what they need before you decide what to improve. A short survey or social media poll can show common problems and needs.
Show why people should choose you
Give customers a clear reason to choose your product or service. It could be a useful feature, an easier process, better help, or a focused offer.
Help people remember your business
Use the same name, look, and main message on your website, invoices, and social media. This helps customers recognize your business.
Make daily work easier
Make work easier
Look at routine work, such as filling an order or answering a support request. Remove steps that cause delays but do not help your customer or team.
Choose tools that solve a problem
Choose a tool that solves a clear problem. A tool for tracking customers or an online store may help. Compare its cost and setup time with the work it can save.
Control more steps
Some businesses control more than one step in making or delivering a product. People call this vertical integration. A small business may not need to control every step. Focus on the steps where more control can improve quality or make delivery more reliable.
Make smart money choices
Track the money
Track the money that comes in, goes out, and stays in the business. A spreadsheet may be enough. Use a budget tool only if it makes the review easier.
Spend with a plan
Before you spend money on a product, partnership, or way to find customers, write down what you hope to gain. Then write down the cost. Choose a review date. On that date, check the results and decide whether to keep going.
People and customer service
Hire and support your team
Set clear work goals for each employee and give them the training they need. Regular feedback can help you find problems before they affect customers.
Give helpful customer service
Good customer service means giving quick, useful answers to questions and complaints. For examples, see why customer experience is your competitive edge.
Challenges Small Businesses Face
Small businesses may have tight budgets. Suppliers may not lower their prices. It may also be hard to grow fast. Choose ideas that fit your team and budget. Do not copy every step a large company takes.
Choose what to try first
- Choose a clear goal: Pick one business problem to address.
- Ask for input: Talk with employees and customers who encounter the problem.
- Check the cost and result: Write down the time and money it will take. Then write down what you hope to gain.
- Try it on a small scale: Start with a test before spending more.
- Review the result: Keep, change, or stop based on what happened.
Free and low-cost help
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Offers many free resources.
- SCORE: Offers free help from business mentors and low-cost workshops.
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs): Offer local help and free or low-cost training.
- Business accelerators and incubators: Some offer free advice, mentors, and training.
- Local colleges and universities: Offer free or low-cost advice and other resources.
- Business associations: Offer free resources, talks, and advice from other business owners.
Book to read
Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It…and Why the Rest Don’t (Rockefeller Habits 2.0 Revised Edition), by Verne Harnish
The book covers four areas: people, strategy, execution, and cash. It gives small-business owners a framework for growth.
Conclusion
Small businesses can learn from large companies. These ideas can help with marketing, money, daily work, and customer service. For more tips, see our growth-hack guide.
More resources
Business Strategies and Growth
- Ideas for growing a company
- Ways Lam Research could grow
- Growth ideas for Wells Fargo
- How I built a large company
Marketing
Operations
Finance
Human Resources
Customer Service
Case Studies
Challenges for Small Businesses
Prioritizing Strategies
Free or Low-Cost Resources
Explore these resources for more guidance on these topics.
