8 ways to grow your business in 2017

If your thinking how to expand and grow your business in 2017. Then your not alone, many entrepreneurs and business owners are paying little attention to the media and hard focused on their business and making it even bigger and better than before.

So below is a helpful list of things that will help you:

1. Market Research
Ask your customers what is good and what is not and improve the not. It doesn't mean making forms and handing them out to everyone only to be disappointed that 99% of people binned it. It means talking and listening to customers and getting the all important feedback about what you can do to improve the business and noticing the opportunities to grow. After all your customer will know what else they need and what you could also offer to increase your sales.

2. Segment your market for increased growth
Ever heard of divide and rule? Well it works, sit down and look at your business and start to split it up into different parts especially your customers. Some splits may be geographic others age or income related etc. Knowing what are your customers key traits and background can highlight triggers to get them to buy more. Look at how the large corporations pour millions into analytics and data analysis. All businesses have this potential info at their finger tips but most small business owners chose to ignore it instead looking at day to day stuff. Plan far ahead and use analysis to get there.

3. Finance for growth
Sometimes you just need more money to open more branches or take on more people or have the infrastructure to take on more business. If your looking to export (due to the GBP pound being lower) then maybe you need better logistics facilities. Therefore look at how you can raise finance cheaply for this. And don't trust the banks they are not really looking  to help you, look at the old school way of borrowing from friends and relatives or crowd funding as these can help you more and leave you free to not worry about a greedy bank knocking on your door when you need more time.

4. Diversify services and products
It sounds like common sense, and we see it every day in the supermarkets - how many different types of products do they have. There is always something for someone when you have enough choice. Well why not stock sale or return items and expand your stock and customer appeal. And if your a service industry increase your types of services or add more parts to your current level of service. e.g. if your a contractor get another qualification and get yourself in demand in another market place that may be more lucrative.

5. Partner with others and align with complimentary brands
Have you seen some services advertised on the payment counter at your local coffee shop? They are partnering with that shop to promote themselves and they probably equally do the same at the their business. Look at what your customer's have in common and where else they frequent so you can partner with them and bring more customers in. And don't be shy what will the other business say at the worst it will be a no. Move on ask some one else.

6. New technology
Try to see how new software and technology can help make things more efficient and cost effective. They say a pound saved is the same as a pound earned. In the old manufacturing days it was more advanced factory machinery that required less workers and produced more output. Today in the UK its more to doe with software and hardware that can do the same for you too in your industry sector.

7. Engage customers with social media
Today increasingly customers are looking online and on social media platforms for service recommendations. Have you seen the size of the yellow pages now? Its like an A5 few page pamphlet , gone are the days people look in this great big yellow book. This means people do not need it to tell them where to look for a service. Post daily updates about your business and what's going on to engage an audience and build trust in your business, so when they make a decision to buy they come direct to you.

8. Merge or buy other businesses to expand rapidly
Buy out another business or to merge with a competitor can be a quick and easy way to increase business and sales. The big companies seem to be doing it all the time, so why can't a smaller business do this to achieve rapid growth too. Maybe you want to sell up and try something else and someone could be interested in your business. Or your competitor is getting ready to retire and you can move in and take all his business.

By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants

Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Worcester Park and Kingston upon Thames they are considered in the Industry to be expert accountants and tax advisors for small businesses. Helping and supporting business throughout the UK, they regularly help clients grow their business providing tailored advice.

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