Five Tips for Online Small Business Owners

The Internet offers another opportunity for small businesses to make a big splash. With a lot of competition online, however, you’ll want to make sure you do everything you can to stand out.

Great Customer Support

Your customer support staff may well be the first point of interaction customers have with your company. You won’t get a second chance at a first impression, so your customer support needs to be excellent. This is doubly true given the fact that, if a customer is contacting your customer support, they’ve probably already had a problem with or have a question about a product or service. If you don’t answer them quickly and clearly, their frustration will grow, as will your poor reputation via poor reviews. Make sure you have FAQ pages and customer support helplines and emails clearly displayed, and that customers are answered ASAP.

Command Your Niche

While diversification can be good for growing your brand, at its foundation you need to have a mastery of your niche. Whatever your particular specialty or customer base may be, make sure you are one of the industry leaders. Focus on providing top-level service here, and direct traffic to your site with SEO targeting keywords related to your niche.

A Multiplatform Approach

Today, it’s possible and, increasingly, probable to come across different companies on different platforms. Having a good website, solid Facebook page, engaging Instagram account, or active YouTube channel isn’t enough anymore – you need all of them, and they should all link to and post content from one another. That way, no matter where someone learns about and interacts with your company, they are introduced to your content and helpful links to help convert sales.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

“No man is an island,” John Donne tells us, and nowhere is that truer than the online archipelago. Handling all of those platforms yourself and optimizing your SEO and looking after your customer support staff and doing whatever else is necessary to make your company run is simply too much. What’s more, even if you could wear all of these hats, would you do so as well as dedicated experts could? Probably not. Hire specialists to oversee and put all their efforts and talents into these and other specific departments of your business.

Be True to Your Brand

“Sellout” has always been a massive blackmark in the business world, and that’s especially true among younger consumers. Millennials and Gen Z, on average, greatly value authenticity in marketing. YouTubers and other influencers branded as “selling out” can see their fan bases turn on them quickly. Be honest, be authentic, and above all, be true to your brand and your user base.

Heeding these tips can help prime your small business for bigger and better things online.

Carolyn McBeth is an entrepreneur who lives in Iowa and is passionate about farming. She grew up in rural Iowa and studied at the Iowa State University for two years, where she majored in International Agriculture and Agribusiness Management. This education has helped her develop the necessary skills to run a successful agricultural business.

Throughout her college career, Carolyn worked for various ag companies. One of these was Pioneer Hi-Bred International. During her internship, she was able to gain valuable skills in supply forecasting.

After completing her internship, Carolyn worked for John Deere & Company. She started as an Ag Management Solutions Technical Representative, and then transitioned into a role within the marketing department as the coordinator for aftermarket and complete goods.

Carolyn was able to develop her skills in various areas, such as customer service and communicating with suppliers. She then took on additional roles, such as the production planning supply management specialist and the marketing product specialist. Although her time at John Deere was very educational and enjoyable, Carolyn decided to focus on her farm with her husband.

Shortly after graduating from college, Carolyn worked with John Deere & Company. Her late husband, Steve, started McBeth Northfork Farms. After his passing, Carolyn took on the role of the Land Manager and Owner/Operator of McBeth North Farms. Although it was initially a challenging task, she was able to honor her husband's legacy and continue the work that they started together.

Carolyn has been able to improve the day-to-day operations of the farm by handling various tasks, such as buying inputs and managing the land acquisition process.