The Sage Group has proffered some solutions for top-five
challenges confronting small business and entrepreneurs on the continent,
reports ITRealms.
According to ITRealms
reports, Sage Advisors listed some of the challenges to include “collecting
customer emails; Admin management; Finding the marketing avenue that works best
for my business; Finding and winning clients who pay a premium; and Keeping up
to date on best practices and new technology.
In response, the Sage Advisors said that first
challenge is on collecting customers emails, that entrepreneurs could grow
their database of customers or potential customers by providing great way to
keep their business on front of mind.
Quality, they told ITRealms,
is key, which paves the way through well-crafted e-Newsletters.
“Practice these simple tips and you’ll be able to build
a list of highly engaged, and welcoming, customers,” official said.
They also divided the businesses into offline and
online by offering solutions to suit each.
For brick and mortar entrepreneurs, Sage Advisor, said, it is
“likely you have a sign-up sheet already sitting on the counter, so customers
can opt-in when they pay for their items. Instead, catch your browsers at an
earlier stage of their decision-making process. They’ll be looking around your
store, so position your email sign-up sheets around the aisles. A catchy
headline works a treat, and you can choose to include an incentive for their
email, which will both encourage them to sign-up, and also to buy that item
they have in their hands,“ suggesting a phrase “Join our mailing list for 10 per cent off your purchase today.”
For the online inclined entrepreneurs, Sage Advisor said
they could optimise their website with an embed newsletter sign-up box on the
homepage, or as a pop-up.
“However, online business specialist Ramsay of Blog Tyrant
suggests you move your email collection invite to your ‘About’ page. He saw a
huge increase in his sign-up rate when he moved his, it seems, according to
Ramsay, that people want to subscribe to you while they are reading about your
business."
On social media, they enjoined that “If social media is part
of your marketing strategy, make sure you post a call-to-action and link to
your online sign-up form, pin it so it always features at the top of your
profile, and doesn’t get lost in daily posts.”
Noting that Facebook have created a specific advert format
called Lead Ads which allows users to collect email addresses. Read up on what
works well, and invest a small test budget to trial some contests. You can
include an incentive for customer emails, such as a free quote, or a discount
code.
Entrepreneurs, they advised should make out time to do
admin jobs, saying time is better spent whilst making money.
For keeping up with new technologies, Sage Advisors pointed
out that in one corner there's Artificial Intelligence (AI), on the other hand,
there's personalisation, coupled with need to keep a tab on new social media
platform popping up every few weeks.
Nonye Dom/GEE
