Advice for Physical Businesses

Online businesses have a lot of advantages, and not least because there is more advice out there freely available for purely digital businesses. I am as guilty as any marketing technology advisor so let me partially make up for that today!

Angela asked if I could offer advice for automation and efficiency in a small businesses with a physical presence.

Running a local business can often feel like pushing a boulder up a hill. You’re doing your best to create a local presence, and you’ve been told time and time again that it’s the best thing for a small business. 

But in reality, you’re always chasing down new customers and hoping word of mouth starts getting around! And this process is leaving you with little time and resources to put toward the things that matter. 

Being a local business is hard, but it doesn’t have to feel like you’re never getting anywhere! Here’s how to be less busy and more successful in the long run. 

More Tools But Not More Complexity

Point of sale systems don’t have to be complicated or expensive anymore. Tools like Square let you start with just a phone or tablet and a small card reader, so there’s no need to invest in bulky hardware or complex software. You can accept payments, track sales, and even manage inventory through a simple app, paying only per transaction rather than large upfront costs.

Cloud-based inventory management lets you track stock levels, reorder when needed, and manage multiple locations, all via browser or mobile app.

Simple CRM, invoicing, and project tools like Insightly, Zoho, or even HubSpot help keep track of customers affordably.

Project management tools such as Trello or Asana help keep tasks, teams, and deadlines in order.

This makes it easy for small businesses to get set up quickly and professionally without heavy investment.

Train All Staff and Train Them Well

Staff training is one of the most essential elements in local business. When your staff are well trained, the customers will feel the benefits of it, but more importantly when staff are not well trained it is really obvious.

How you make customers feel is what generates the most goodwill with your customers, and that’s how positive word of mouth really gets around. A bad experience will spread further and faster.

And your training program doesn’t need to be fancy either. It just needs to be effective enough to let all new people know how to do their job well within your company. 

Get The Tools You Need

What kind of business do you run? What industry and/or niche are you working in? Because efficiency stems from not over-burdening your staff with unnecessary learning curves while using the right software for your specific type of business in particular.

You can’t be efficient on the job when you’re using software that wasn’t made with your industry needs in mind. When you’re running a food business, you need a management suite that makes it easy to take orders, keep important intolerance notes on hand, and keep to the delivery deadline. 

Did you know there is even specific and advanced waste management software to help you track where your garbage trucks are? If you’re going to let an app be the dashboard of your business, it needs to offer efficiency in its makeup. It can’t be something that could work for anyone.  

Focus on Your Local Impact

Unlike an online business, a local business should always have their eye on how they can involve themselves in the geographical area they’re operating in. 

It’s usually a waste of time to set sights on a more national, or even international, client pool. You need to channel your energies into customers nearby and focus on building loyalty there. 

Local focus means getting involved in the community, taking part in events, and even sponsoring local initiatives. Turn up for the community and your customer base will grow. 

Again, technology can help. Find out where the news and, crucially, discussions are taking place and ensure one of your team members is constantly monitoring and engaging. You would be surprised the information shared in “back channels”, and if nothing else you can then not be blindsided when something important locally but not on the radar regionally occurs!

Bottom Line

When you’re a local business owner, efficiency often feels like something you’ll never get the handle of. However, there’s plenty of ways to become more efficient and productive in the way you work. It’s all about focusing on local impact, training staff, and using software tools that are designed for a company like yours.