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6 proven small business growth hack strategies you need to try in 2023

by | Mar 1, 2023 | Public Relations

Small businesses represent the backbone of the economy, and they can be challenging to get off the ground. As a small business owner, you must stay on top of the latest strategies and tactics to stay competitive and grow your business.

The key to success is finding the right growth hack strategies that are proven to work for your particular industry. Here are some growth hack strategies you need to try in 2023 to succeed as a small business owner.

6 proven small business growth hack strategies you need to try in 2023

1) Use chatbots

Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular and are being used by many businesses to automate customer service and answer common queries. You can use them to respond quickly to customer inquiries, generate leads, and increase sales. Chatbots are also great for gathering customer feedback and providing personalized responses to customers in the customer journey.

Chatbots are automated programs that interact with customers via text messages, allowing businesses to provide quick and efficient customer service available 24/7. Chatbots can provide customers with various services, from simple questions to detailed information about a product or service. Businesses can easily create a more personal relationship with their customers by using a chatbot, allowing them to respond to customer inquiries instantly. This makes customers feel more valued, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.

According to a post on ServiceBell, around 23 percent of customer service companies will use AI chatbots to interface with clients in 2022; if nearly a quarter of customer service industries are turning to such automation in their customer service workflow, it implies some benefits are being noticed.

For example, Chatbots can also help small businesses increase their sales. Businesses can target their marketing efforts more effectively by collecting customer information, such as their buying habits and preferences. This can help businesses get the most out of their marketing campaigns, as they can target the right customers with the right offers and promotions. One statistic worth noting is that, according to data from ServiceBell, the global chatbot marketing revenue climbed to $83.4 million—impressive for being a primarily automated marketing tool.

Chatbots can also automate specific tasks, such as customer service. This can help businesses to save time and money, as they don’t need to hire additional staff to handle customer inquiries. By automating customer service, companies can also ensure that customers get a consistent experience, no matter what time of day they contact the business. Chatbots also feature faster response times, especially for everyday operations, resulting in greater customer satisfaction. For example, further data compiled by ServiceBell reveals a fascinating statistic: around 60% of customers surveyed indicated that they prefer to send and receive messages for a chat service rather than deal with a live agent regarding issues. It seems that customers have already accepted AI tools in their day-to-day experiences.

Overall, chatbots are a handy growth hack for small businesses. They can help businesses to increase their sales, save time and money, and improve customer service. Companies can use a chatbot to ensure they provide their customers with the best possible experience. Chatbots also allow businesses to pivot better—less time on unnecessary one-to-one contact is more time spent researching and improving other workflows.

2) Leverage social media

The influence of social media cannot be understated for businesses as a whole. Many customers are quick to use social media to interact with companies, and a business at any level should be prepared to leverage its social media presence to aid customers where they are.

Small businesses are increasingly leveraging social media as an effective growth hacking tool. You can use social media to attract new customers, build relationships with existing customers, and increase brand awareness. It is also an excellent way to engage with the community and build relationships with other businesses.

Data indicates that there are nearly 5 billion social media users worldwide as of October 2022 – this shocking number will only grow as the social media landscape evolves and shifts. An intelligent business recognizes growth opportunities by watching the social media landscape.

The first step in leveraging social media as a growth hack for small businesses is to create an engaging social media presence. This includes setting up accounts on all major social media platforms. Social media accounts should be regularly updated with relevant and exciting content, such as blog posts, product demonstrations, video testimonials, and photos.

While 47 percent of users have social media to keep in touch with friends and family, that doesn’t mean they cannot be marketed to either – there is growth opportunity in appearing on the platforms they are and generating content that they may share with their friends and family.

It is also essential to be active in responding to comments and messages, as this will help to build relationships with customers and other businesses and build customer loyalty. Most users quickly suggest that their social media usage revolves around funny and entertaining content—but they also follow and research brands and products. The more care your brand puts into a social media presence and responsiveness, the better the brand can appeal to these users.

Another effective growth hack for small businesses is using social media to drive traffic to their website. You can create exciting and engaging content and then share it on social media. This will help build links back to the website, increasing website visits and conversions. Additionally, businesses can use social media to advertise their products and services. Creating ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram can help to reach a larger audience and drive more leads and conversions.

Finally, small businesses should use social media to build relationships with other companies. This can be done by following and interacting with related companies and sharing content from those businesses. This will help to create a network of businesses that can support and promote each other, which can be a great way to drive growth. Leveraging strengths across platforms can become an essential tool to uplift entire business sectors—look to what competition does and see how to adapt those strategies to your practice.

3) Optimize your website

As a small business, it’s essential to ensure that your website is optimized for growth. Your website is the first point of contact for potential customers, and it’s critical to ensure that it works correctly and provides a great user experience.

Optimizing your website will help you acquire customers, generate leads, and increase sales. Here are some tips to optimize your website for growth:

  • Improve your website’s loading speed: An optimized website will load quickly and can improve user experience. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify any potential speed issues and take steps to fix them.
  • Improve your website’s navigation: Your website should be easy to navigate and have clear call-to-actions that make it easy for your customers to find what they’re looking for. Make sure that you have a search bar and a straightforward navigation menu.
  • Ensure your website is mobile-friendly: Most people now use mobile devices to access the internet. Ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices and looks good on different screen sizes.
  • Ensure your website is secure: A secure website is vital to building trust with your customers. Ensure that your website uses an SSL certificate and that all your payment forms are secure.
  • Optimize your content: Make sure that your content is up-to-date and relevant to your audience. Also, ensure that your content is optimized for search engines so potential customers can easily find your website online. One optimization strategy is to build around local results—1 in 3 mobile searches are tied to location, so be sure your website reflects that.
  • Use analytics to track your website’s performance: Track your website’s performance using analytics tools like Google Analytics. This will help you identify any potential issues with your website and make changes to improve your website’s performance. If you want in on the over 2 trillion searches Google handles per year, you need to track your analytics.

Optimizing your website for growth and ensuring that it provides an excellent experience for your customers will help you acquire more customers, generate more leads, and increase your sales.

Your website acts as a digital storefront of your business, and it’s essential to ensure that it’s optimized for search engines. Optimizing your website will help it rank higher in SERPs, which can bring in more organic traffic and leads. Make sure you’re using the right keywords, and focus on creating quality content that is informative and engaging. According to Search Engine Journal, studies indicate that about half of all trackable website traffic comes from organic search—this makes search engine optimization an essential element of growth hacking.

4) Utilize email marketing

Email marketing is an excellent tool for small businesses to grow their customer base and increase revenue. It is an effective way to reach new customers, keep current customers engaged, and boost sales. With email marketing, small businesses can reach out to their target audience, provide valuable content, and build relationships that lead to more sales.

Email marketing helps small businesses grow their customer base by providing valuable content to potential customers. It’s been observed that 64 percent of small businesses use email marketing to reach their customers. By creating compelling and informative content, small businesses can engage potential customers and encourage them to take action. They can use email marketing to share helpful tips and advice, inform customers of upcoming sales and promotions, and promote their products and services.

Email marketing is also an effective way to connect with customers personally and build relationships that lead to loyalty and repeat purchases. Small businesses can also use email marketing to keep current customers engaged. By sending emails with relevant content, small businesses can keep customers informed about new products and promotions, remind them to purchase, and provide helpful advice and tips. This helps to build trust and loyalty, which leads to more sales. This can be done weekly, as Hubspot shows that 33 percent of marketers send weekly emails, with 26 percent sending multiple emails monthly.

Finally, email marketing is an effective way for small businesses to boost sales. Small businesses can leverage email marketing campaigns, create a sense of urgency, and nudge customers to purchase specific products or services. They can also use email marketing to upsell and cross-sell customers by recommending related products or services.

5) Invest in influencer marketing

One of the most promising marketing strategies is influencer marketing – partnering with influential people in your industry or niche and making them brand ambassadors to promote products, services, or ideas. Influencer marketing is a powerful way for small businesses to expand their reach and increase their visibility. In 2022 alone, influencer marketing soared to $16.4 billion industry.

By leveraging the influence of online influencers, small businesses can establish a greater presence and attract more customers. But why is influencer marketing so effective? The answer is simple—influencers have already built up a large, engaged audience of followers who trust and value their opinion. Influencers can shape public opinion, and their endorsement of a product or service can significantly impact sales.

Another advantage of influencer marketing is that it is relatively cost-effective. Small businesses don’t have to spend much money on advertising campaigns or expensive promotions. Companies can access a large, engaged audience without breaking the bank by partnering with influencers.

But how do small businesses go about leveraging influencers? The first step is to identify potential influencers. Look for people with a large following, a reputable reputation, and a genuine interest in your industry or niche. Once you have identified potential influencers, reach out to them and explain how your product or service can benefit their followers.

Once you have established a partnership, creating content is next. Work with your influencers to create engaging, shareable content that speaks to your target audience. This content can include blog posts and articles, videos, podcasts, or social media posts. Finally, make sure to track your results. Monitor the performance of your content, and use analytics to measure the impact of your influencer marketing campaign. This will help you determine if you are reaching your target audience and if your efforts are paying off.

By leveraging the influence of online influencers, businesses can access a large, engaged audience and increase their profits. With the right strategy, influencer marketing can be a significant growth hack for small businesses. These influencers can also leverage and connect to your existing brand presence – their Instagram audience can be directed to your business’s Instagram profile.

6) Optimize your communication strategy

A communication strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how a small business communicates with its stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the public. A well-developed communication strategy can help a small business to build brand awareness, establish trust, and ultimately drive growth. Here are some key components of an effective communication strategy:

  • Goals and objectives: The first step in developing a communication strategy is to identify the goals and objectives. These goals can be related to building brand awareness, generating leads, improving customer loyalty, or any other objectives that the small business wants to achieve. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
  • Target audience: Once the goals and objectives are identified, the next step is to define the target audience. This includes understanding the demographics, psychographics, and communication preferences of the target audience. Small businesses can use market research, customer feedback, and social media analytics to gain insights into their target audience.
  • Messaging: Messaging is the key to effective communication. Small businesses need to craft messages that resonate with their target audience, highlight their unique value proposition, and align with their brand identity. Messaging should be consistent across all communication channels, and it should be simple, clear, and easy to understand.
  • Tone and style: The tone and style of communication are critical in building brand identity and establishing trust with the target audience. Small businesses should choose a tone and style that reflects their values and resonates with their target audience. The tone and style should be consistent across all communication channels.
  • Evaluation and optimization: An effective communication strategy is an iterative process that requires continuous evaluation and optimization. Small businesses should track their communication metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, engagement rates, and conversion rates, and use the data to improve their communication tactics and achieve their goals.

A well-executed communication strategy can help small businesses to build brand awareness, establish trust, and ultimately drive growth.

These are just a few proven small business growth strategies you should try in 2023. By leveraging the right strategies and tactics, you can give your small business the boost it needs to succeed.

Amrapali Rai
Amrapali Rai is a digital marketing consultant who blogs about business and marketing at Bazaar Expert.

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