10 steps to maintaining small business momentum through streamlined systems

July 07, 2022

Steps for maintaining small business momentum

Just because you’re in the world of small business doesn’t always mean you want to keep everything on a smaller scale. The business climate can be quite complex, especially with the pandemic and economic changes in recent years. Nevertheless, as a growing business, conscious efforts must be made to streamline and maintain momentum without running headlong into common roadblocks that impede your future growth. 

While you may think only larger businesses may benefit from enterprise resource planning (ERP), a recent study from the Aberdeen Group found that 65% of small businesses are taking advantage of ERP consultation services. 

And 96% of emerging businesses that excel in their respective industry rely on an ERP solution. ERPs include any system or software meant to help with reporting, financials, commerce, supply chain, human resource activities, operations, and/or manufacturing.

When selling to SaaS as a small or medium-sized business, you must consider how sales cycles differ based on your target audience. In addition, growth-related pain points such as having to tailor pitches to individuals and needing to receive value more quickly from the products can determine which route you take in your process.

Steps for maintaining small business momentum

Going back to the basics of cold calls can be key while dealing with those less-defined and patterned sales cycles. So, what can you do to capitalize on this progress and watch your small business grow? Here are a few ideas to help you keep things moving forward positively.

Consider what can be automated

Your first step should be to plan and organize while considering exactly which processes can be automated. Certain ERPs and customer relationship management (CRM) systems can be beneficial for your specific company or niche.

Take some time before jumping into a platform or software, and do your research to ensure the tools you use for streamlining will do so in a constructive way for your small business.

Many expensive tools make huge promises through their use, but free tools often share similar features and can be equally powerful for your business, especially when cash flow is tight and return on investment is what matters most.

Focus on outcomes

After planning on which automation may best serve your business, focus on the outcomes you hope to see achieved due to these streamlined processes. For example, is your hope to boost productivity? Increase sales? Drive employee satisfaction? Whatever the case may be, your desired outcome is easier to reach when you know it.

Evaluate overall cost

You’re undoubtedly accustomed to stretching budgets and making financial compromises as a small business owner. However, before diving into streamlining software and tools, be certain about the overall cost to your business. There are many free systems, which may have drawbacks compared to paid services, but if sales boost during streamlining, you can always revisit them later on.

Implement invoice management platforms

Speaking of money, the right invoice management platform can make it much simpler to keep your cash flow both well-managed and under control. When you streamline your company’s accounting processes by automating them, you can save time better spent elsewhere while also saving yourself some future headaches. As a result, productivity will likely increase since your energy isn’t focused so much on invoicing and other tedious processes.

Software for CRM

Luckily, there are many CRM software packages that will yield great results for your small business. Many can provide customer support, customer engagement, and cross-channel customer conversions without much work on your end. It allows you to view customer insights that will advise you on how to move forward in your business through marketing and other channels while also boosting conversion rates by 300%

Communicate effectively for your business

Improving your business with effective communication can often be as simple as using the right platform. First, consider whether you need more internal or external communication tools and how you can implement these tools across the business for your employees and potential clients. Make sure, first and foremost, it is the clear-cut method for your team, so no confusion occurs. 

Utilize tools for HR

While you may not have your own human resources department as a smaller business, having an automation tool that streamlines time tracking, productivity, and monitoring will aid in employee recognition. For example, find an annual leave software with a simple but efficient application and approval process.Since engaged workers show 21% better profitability, it’s something to consider for employee morale and your brand’s bottom line. Look into other tools for human resource automation that will suit your particular company’s needs.

Manage marketing tools

For your digital marketing, which includes social media, email, affiliate marketing and SMS campaigns, there are useful tools and platforms to help streamline these processes. For social media, there are planning tools that also provide statistics about your audience and posts. Email marketing automation platforms allow you to strategize ahead of time and send email blasts at specific times. SMS campaign tools allow for more personalization while giving fast responses and calls-to-action (CTAs). By streamlining the scheduling, you can focus more on the strategy side.

Share files and important documents

With so many remote systems, it’s now much simpler to share files and important documents with your team, no matter where they’re located. So whether it’s a Google Drive, Dropbox, or even something like Canva for custom graphics and videos, finding the right place to serve your team’s collaboration needs best will also help keep your files secure and accessible.

Conclusion

Being an owner of a small or medium-sized business comes with its challenges. When balancing all of those spinning plates, it’s crucial to know what to offload and what to continue doing yourself. With automation tools that can work in your favor, utilizing them is a smart choice for budget, productivity, and expanding your services to see more customers and sales.

Take this list to help determine which ways will be most beneficial for your services, and do your research for the best software and tools you need. Help to grow your business while being prudent with your time and energy.

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

Related Articles