Running a small business in the LGBTQ+ community is challenging, even for experienced business owners. And no matter what industry you’re in, you probably share many goals in common with other entrepreneurs. Better customer satisfaction, a streamlined business, and greater engagement are key of these. When you are looking to improve in any of these areas, you have to find tools and services that allow you to do just that.
Today, Pink Media shares a few of these tools and insight on how they can help you save money, make money, and keep your customers happy.
Time Is Money
The first rule that you’ll learn in business is that time is money. In this vein of thought, you have to look for ways to save time so that you can utilize your most valuable asset (your knowledge and expertise) where it’s needed most. A few ways to save time in your business include:
- Forming an LLC. As an LLC business owner, you won’t spend hours each week doing paperwork all for the sake of red tape. Instead, you’ll have a flexible business structure that you can form on your own without paying an attorney. Look for an online formation service that has all of your state-specific information in one convenient place.
- Using AI to respond to customer inquiries. Artificial intelligence will never replace human conversation. However, there are many AI chat programs that you can use to help respond to common customer inquiries. AI (including IBMs popular virtual agent) can answer everything from your hours of operation to the types of materials you use in raw production.
Using a Customer Data Platform
A customer data platform is a type of software that gathers information according to your customers’ online activities so that you can tailor your marketing campaigns to them. CDP – customer data platform offerings – give you a broad and comprehensive view of what your customers want based on who they are. Your CDP should offer up-to-the-minute insight and continually update customer profiles so that you never miss an opportune marketing moment.
Where’s Your Reach?
Even if you utilize a customer data platform, don’t count out services that help you reach your specific audience. Pink Media’s entry-level program can help you attract more of the LGBTQ community with a Pride message that lives online all the time. Remember, not everyone is your customer, and the more targeted you are with your marketing, the more meaningful your message will be.
You can also look into paid advertising services, such as Google Ads, that allow you to be found easier on Google and other websites. Google ads allows you to target specific keywords, demographics, and even locations. This type of advertising is an effective way to quickly increase online engagement while driving more traffic to your website.
Which Services Should I Consider First?
There is a virtually endless list of apps and services that can help enhance your business. But how do you know which to implement and when? Start by asking yourself, your employees, and your customers about their problems so that you can find a solution. Enterprise content management software company LaserFiche also recommends analyzing the information you gather so that you get hard numbers that show where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
At the end of the day, your goal is to reach your audience in the most effective and cost efficient way possible. To do this, you may have to juggle the way you do business. From forming an LLC to free up your time to using a customer data platform to best tailor your message to your target audience, everything you do with your business today affects your future for tomorrow. But, remember, you have to evaluate your business first and then implement the tools that make the most sense and that will have the biggest immediate impact.
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