Change of Pace

Hey there, Community! Thanks for joining me again in another Business Discussion. In my area, the transition to the fall season is happening quicker than I expected. The temperature was in the low 40s when I woke up this morning! As the season changes, now may be a good opportunity to make some small changes to your business. Focusing on several smaller changes can help you and your customers both feel refreshed. Here are a few ideas to consider...

Community Outreach
If you aren't already, one small (yet very impactful) change to make is to participate in some form of Community outreach, and then make it a habit. There's plenty of room for creativity here. One way to help in your Community would be to rally your employees after work or on a weekend and do a park clean-up project. You could advertise the event in your store and on social media and invite customers to participate with you. Another idea is to hold a food drive with all of your employees bringing in non-perishable food items for a specified month. You could even offer 10% off your customer's purchase if they bring in food as well. The items would then of course be donated to your local food bank for those in need. These simple acts of kindness will make you feel great and also show others that you and your business care about the community.

Customer Focus
We all know that customers are important, but take a step back and think about how you can really learn from them. Making the change to focus on your customer's needs can help you keep them happy, and even bring in new ones. You can gain a better understanding of customer wants, needs, likes, and dislikes by distributing a simple survey. Surveys can measure your performance, prices, convenience, functionality, support, and so much more. I personally don't think every customer needs to complete a survey after every purchase, but a lot can be learned from quarterly or bi-annual questionnaires.

Employee Appreciation
One last idea for a small change to make for your business is to include extra ways to show employee appreciation. I love the idea of an Employee of the Month, with a corny picture hanging on the wall and designated parking space. With the the holiday seasons approaching, consider planning a "Friendsgiving" meal or small gift exchange. Just a little something to help your workers know their hard work doesn't go unnoticed.

These are just a few small changes you could implement if you aren't doing them already. I fully believe doing these things will promote positivity by boosting both your mood and growth of your business. What ideas of small changes would you add to the list? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have a great rest of the week!