When you are working hard on your new business, time is always at a premium. There simply are not enough hours in the day, are there? Which is why it is sometimes much more efficient to look to develop your business online, meaning that you can grow your business without even leaving the house.
Online inspiration
There are thousands of blogs and websites out there for you to delve into and come out inspired. There are tips and articles covering a vast array of subjects, from the general to the industry-specific. You could look for articles and blogs by business people that you are inspired by or you could try listening to a podcast for entrepreneurs jam-packed with ideas.
Online courses
You can learn so much online, from developing a new skill to getting a full education. You will find that there is a course for pretty much everything that you can think of, some are free and some will require a fee. You might be able to upskill around your business niche or you might want to add other strings to your bow. Perhaps you want to develop in some of the other areas on this list, for example, taking a social media course.
Online networking
You can ‘meet’ up with people online. There are plenty of small business forums available and they can be a wonderful source of support. You can ask questions, read advice and share in one another’s experiences. You can also begin to network in this way, building connections for your business.
Online with your blog
You can start your own blog to support your business. Lots of business owners are doing this now and it really does pay.
The best way to do this is to add it to your existing business website as an extra section. Exactly what you choose to blog about will be dependent on your own industry, and we would recommend a minimum of two new posts per month, so that it continues to be freshened up and looks current to any new visitors.
If you run a holiday lets business, share behind the scenes tours with readers, share local outings and scenery with them and share your own role in working and promoting the lets. If you run a pet groomers, share pictures and stories of your pampered clients (with their owner’s permission, of course) as a way of showing off your work and creating interesting stories likely to appeal to your target audience. Whatever your business, you need to think of a way to bring it to life, offer an insight into how it works and share some personal angles to connect with your customers.
Online with social media
If your business is yet to have any social media accounts connected to it, then you are definitely missing a trick.
Take a look at the most popular platforms available at the moment and the ones that you feel would best fit with your business and where you feel your potential customers are most likely to find you. The most obvious candidates are Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram so familiarise yourself with these and set up profiles on at least a couple of them. Start following, sharing and interacting and your brand should build up from there.
