Where could your business be going wrong? This is a question that most businesses ask themselves regularly, and yet coming up with the answer can be really difficult. It’s hard to know where things are not going so well, and how you can get your business back on track.
Today, we will look at a list of things that could potentially be going wrong in your business and help you identify what positive changes you can start making going forward. This is not meant to be used as a diagnostic tool, it’s just supposed to give you some ideas of where to look.
Let's get started!
Top 7 Areas to Fix Today if Your Business is Going Wrong
#1. Not Using Social Media
The first place that you could be going wrong is not using social media. Having social media profiles on all of the main platforms is not good enough, you need to be actively using them. A social media page that is not updated is not going to help your business in any way and it might even lead people to believe that your business has shut down.
Nowadays, you really need to be using social media to its maximum potential. This means regularly posting engaging content and looking into things such as polls, videos, and other multimedia to grab the attention of users.
While some people don’t like social media much, it’s not about that. It’s free, and you are able to reach more people than you will be able to without it. This includes people that you wouldn’t even think to target for your products or services! You'll only fall behind if you don't go on social. That's the world we live in today.
#2. Not Being A Strong Leader
Another thing that could be going wrong is not having a strong business leader at the helm of the ship. How is a business supposed to be successful if the business leader is not doing what they should be? A business leader needs to be strong, they need to be decisive even when it’s hard, they need to know how to delegate but also how to do the hard work on their own sometimes, and more than anything they need to be fair.
A business leader who is not fair, not compassionate nor understanding towards their employees is not going to get anywhere on the market. Yes, there are times where you are going to have to be the bad guy or girl, Yes, there are times where you are going to make the wrong decisions, but you need to learn from them and move on. Remember that sometimes the strongest leader is the one who admits that they need help.
#3. Not Listening To Customers
A very common mistake that people make is that they don’t listen to their customers. I can’t get my head around this one though because it simply doesn’t make any sense. Why would you not listen to the people that you are trying to appeal to and serve? There is literally no better source of information for what is and what isn’t working in your business than your customers and yet their opinion often goes ignored.
You may not be able to action every piece of negative feedback or every suggestion for improvement that you get. But, if there is a theme and something is emerging as an issue that seems to be impacting a lot of people, then this is something that you are going to need to look into.
If you ignore your customers, you are never going to know about these issues. Develop a thicker skin, and start working your way through reviews so that you can see if there are any tips for improvement going forward.
#4. Not Having A Strong Website
Your business website is one of the most important aspects of your business, especially in today's world. Now that we live in the age of technology, it's essential to have a strong site that ranks well, stands out among other business websites, and has everything that users want to see.
If you have a cookie cutter site at the moment, it’s going to be hard to distinguish yours from others, and people aren’t going to remember you. It's probably also hard to navigate which is one of the key things that puts people off, especially on mobile. Ideally, your business website should have a fast load time, an easy-to-use layout, chat for site software so that it’s easy to get in touch with your business, and a pretty interface.
#5. Not Changing Up Marketing Tactics
We understand that a lot of people take the approach of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ when it comes to marketing, and that is okay to a certain degree. You can keep the same kind of marketing tactics for a while, but eventually it gets boring. Even if you want to keep the same premise and just make a couple of changes to the delivery, this will really help people stay engaged and interested in your business.
Marketing is tough, but it’s also a massive part of your business and you can’t avoid it. If you are struggling, there is nothing wrong with bringing someone new in to turn things around. Look for someone who knows what they are doing and has a proven track record of making strong marketing decisions, leading to success for the business.
#6. Not Using Focus Groups
Focus groups are massively important when it comes to business success and yet business owners aren’t using them. Why? Because it takes time. Because it takes effort. Because for some reason a whole load of business owners have decided it’s not worth it, but again, how could it not be? You are literally getting information about your product or your marketing material straight from the horse's mouth, which means there is no better source of information.
While focus groups might take a little bit of time to set up, they are worth it. You can get some incredible insights that you wouldn’t have had without it, and you can stop yourself from making mistakes. Sometimes businesses are way off the mark without even realising this, and focus groups can let you know before you then let other people see the mistakes that you have made.
#7. Not Taking Care Of Employees
The final thing to consider is not taking care of employees. Your business could be going wrong if you are not taking care of the people who work to provide for your customers. Yes, you pay them to do a job, but they are people too. You need to be treating them with respect at all times, you need to be there to offer them the support that they need, you need to show them compassion and understanding in tough times and so much more. Essentially, you need to be firm but fair with your employees, ensuring that they have everything that they need to complete their job to the highest possible standard.
If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business, your customers and you. Work on your relationships with them as much as you can and this will lead you to better business success.
So these were the top seven areas in which your business could be going wrong as well as how you can fix each of them. The good news is they are all fixable, it’s just a case of deciding whether you are willing to do what it takes or not.
How do you spot issues in your business and how do you go about fixing them?
