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 So many companies are driving home the need for web presence, social media involvement, and outbound authorship (blogs). How can a small business owner wade through this sea of information and create an action plan? The answer starts with identifying strengths, setting goals, and aligning resources. An organized way to accomplish this is through a SWOT analysis. The analysis provides a framework to build strategy and align resources effectively.
Next Step: How?
The biggest issues facing small business owners are time management, costs, vendor selection, and creation of valuable content. Even with a comprehensive analysis building an effective action plan can be a challenge in itself. I have found the best method is to break down the solution into workable chunks and focus energy on each piece. To keep things in perspective a process-based approach to the problem is best. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s focus on your digital real estate the “website”.
Website, I don’t need no S*&^%@# Website!
Unfortunately the idea of a website is beyond the capability of many business owners and they simply ignore its value and opportunity in hopes of success using “old school” methods. If they send enough direct mail, go to enough networking events, and discount their wares, success is a sure bet. Not so in today’s business climate. All aspects of marketing have to be addressed in some fashion or failure will be a foregone conclusion. A website can be boiled down to two types: Informational or Call to Action.
Information Website
Companies that rely more on industry tenure, publicity, and/or indirect sales efforts may not need a massive web presence to be successful. These companies can use an informational site designed to demonstrate product knowledge, show industry issues, prove quality through testimonial, give access to distribution, and showcase their culture. The site normally includes data about the company, reference material about the products, lifestyle interaction, blogs, links to social media and forums, and connection to distributors or alliance partners. In essence, its primary purpose is company awareness.
Call To Action Website
Websites for small businesses should be incorporated as “call-to-action” marketing mechanisms. The driving goal is to stimulate direct sales or demonstrate content value leading to the sales process. This type of site should include information about the company, value of its products to the buyer, ability to purchase easily (shopping cart), and strong linkage to social media, market pulse, and valuable content like blogs, FAQs, forums, or white papers. This comes with a cost. Small business owners are wooed by third party sites that offer bundled services in lieu of component-based processes and pay a premium per transaction cost rather than a manageable monthly fee. Unfortunately, the devil IS in the details.
 Getting the Process Right
Time to take a step back and evaluate the current organization of your business and see how a web presence can be more effective. In 2014 alone, over 40% of small and medium businesses are going to spend money on optimization and websites platforms. Obviously, fellow business owners have identified the need and are in the process of change. Your first step is to set a budget and list expectations prior to taking any action. Use a strategic plan that builds value, adaptability, and efficiency into the design proactively rather than reactively. Marshall the right resources and start today because Inaction will eventually lead to failure.
How do you define quality in your business? Is it through measured revenues, customer feedback, market share, or process controls? All of these indicators can provide  insight into business quality but none of them address it holistically. As children we are taught results represent quality not process. For instance, a clean bedroom is indicative of hard work, organization, and perseverance but doesn’t touch on emotional or psychological value. The concept of quality is intrinsic but hard to place value on.
Types of Quality in Business
There are three primary areas of quality: personnel, product, and service. Each one can be addressed individually but must report back to the whole. Quality in the work force develops from human resource practices, company goals and culture, and individual expectations. Product quality is derived from a rigorous testing program within all aspects of the business. Service quality is demonstrated by customer feedback, loyalty, and referral. In each case quality links business practices to results.
Human Capital
Human capital is employee valuation by the company encompassing the combined knowledge, skill sets, and experience of its workforce. Employees can make or break a company and require management and oversight. Quality develops from a platform built on training, evaluation, feedback, empowerment, recognition, and reward. By nature, most employees want to exceed at their position but need direction, knowledge, and stability. Even in a sole proprietorship with one “employee” this platform can be developed with outside vendors, business networking, and alliances. No company should ignore the pursuit of quality in its work force.
Product Management
Many small businesses are built on introduction of a particular devised product or product mix to a target market. Initial growth is focused on market acceptance and market share rather than developing controls and optimization. Quality is usually measured after competition is identified as a threat and adjusted pricing, manufacturing, or marketing efforts can’t address the problem. Small businesses may fail or have to restructure at this point. Creating proper quality controls out of the gate can mitigate the negative results of introducing reflective change later in the product management process. Small businesses in particular have to link business strategy to quality.
Service, Service, Service
Customer service is an overused term in business designed to be a catchall phrase when dealing with various sales, marketing, and operational processes. Businesses need to pay attention to internal customers as well as external. In small business, communication, processes, and knowledge transfer are ways to demonstrate quality but must be measured and changed proactively. Quality of service results in easier processes, faster adaptation to market conditions, and lower infrastructure costs.
Executing Quality
Now that you have some focus areas to improve, what next? Use my Seven Step Method as a guide and follow these simply steps. Step 1, identify quality in each area of your business. Then, set up a measurement system. List potential changes and vet them against a group of advisers, core customers, and employees to make sure they will add value. Finally, execute one small change and follow it through the process. Once the kinks are worked out, go for the gold!
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So many companies are driving home the need for web presence, social media involvement, and outbound authorship (blogs). How can a small business owner wade through this sea of information and create an action plan? The answer starts with identifying strengths, setting goals, and aligning resources. An organized way to accomplish this is through a SWOT analysis. The analysis provides a framework to build strategy and align resources effectively.
Getting the Process Right