Small businesses represent a large percentage of business owners overall. And, unlike large corporations, they don’t have a lot of disposable money so every penny they invest must yield dividends. The good news is there are many ways to sustain annual growth. 

Promoting Your Steel Business 

Marketing is one of the key components to achieving a successful business no matter what industry you’re in. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do it. Having a presence on social network platforms like Twitter and Facebook can promote your business for very little out of pocket. Thanks to these sites, expensive venues such as the radio and television, which can cost thousands for a few seconds of air time, are no longer as vital as they once were. They do, however, still serve a purpose as a reinforcement for your business. Other ways can include mass e-mails to cover a large percentage of the local population. Again, the cost is minimal. 

A Presence in the Community 

Along with a smart marketing campaign, having a presence in your community will help to bring a face to an otherwise unknown company. Try pitching a sizeable canopy tent by companies such as ins’TenT Industries, with your name and logo on it at the local fair or host an annual picnic or free music festival in the park. Anyone of these things will help the community connect to you. 

Customer Service 

You can bring in as many new customers as you want, however, if they aren’t satisfied with your work, you’ll never achieve growth. Customer service is as important as marketing. And, if you treat your existing base right you’ll earn their trust. Part of customer service is accepting the good with the bad. Returning calls and e-mails promptly and accepting returns or offering a discount on future services when a customer expresses a problem, are just a few ways to maintain a healthy base. 

Existing Customers Are the Backbone of the Steel Industry

Don’t dismiss the advantages of having a loyal customer base. In many cases, they are a useful tool you can use without any additional cost to you. When a customer is happy with your business and the products or services provided, they often tell others about you. This can bring in new sales leads without having to spend additional monies on advertising. 

In fact, many companies now encourage referrals. As a reward for their referral, they receive either a small monetary payment/gift card or a discount on future products or services. It’s a win across the board. 

Customer Convenience 

Vamping up sales is necessary. However, you also have to maintain a focus on ways to make each customer experience convenient. For instance not everyone is able to be at home between 9 and 4 Monday through Friday. In fact, those are the hours that most of the population works. One way to improve sales is to have hours that extend beyond the normal workday and week. Another way is to offer a variety of payment options.

Trained Staff That Knows Their Steel 

The first point of contact for potential customers is your staff. Highly trained employees will work in your favor. Make sure that every crew member who handles customers understands the company policies and your company goals. Holding monthly meetings will help to keep them in the loop and allow them to ask questions on gray areas. 

Employee Incentives 

Much of the success of your business rests squarely on the shoulders of your employees. As such, your growth is something they helped you achieve. It’s important to provide incentives to your staff to keep them happy so that they continue to work hard to bring in new business. Some companies give their employees an annual bonus, while others give them a cash percentage each month for the number of sales. 

Many factors can contribute to the success or the failure of your steel business, such as the economy and access to a fair price for supplies. For instance, the supply and demand for steel can greatly affect your pricing. However, the good news is that with a successful marketing campaign, a presence in the community and a loyal customer base and staff, you’re company will be well on its way to long-term success.