Running a business in Cheshire can be fantastic since it’s made up of a number of densely populated areas like Warrington, Chester and Crewe, and there is a real sense of community in our county. But it also has close links to Liverpool and Manchester, which are two of the biggest cities in the whole of the United Kingdom, and they are packed with thousands of potential competitors!

Growing your business can be a challenge, but by embracing technology, you can still get your business out there. When it comes to growing your business, there is one place you should focus on standing out from the crowd. Whether you’re based in Ellesmere Port, Northwich, Congleton or anywhere else in this great area, enhancing your presence on the internet is a sure-fire way to grow your brand awareness and sales and streamline your customer service. Here are 7 handy tech tips to help boost your Cheshire business:

Optimise Your Website

Websites that are poorly optimised will cost your business a hefty amount. You need to make sure that it is built with your target audience in mind and loads fast – every second really does count when it comes to loading speed. The slower the load time, the more people will leave your website before it even finishes loading! If you don’t have the technical abilities to optimise and update your website, that is completely fine (many business owners have this issue), but be sure to call upon a website guru to help. Your website is your brand’s shop window in the digital world, and the last thing you want to do is make a poor impression. Getting outside help will ensure your business’s website is more attractive and faster than your competitors, and customers will subsequently opt for your services instead!

Boost Your SEO

Another important aspect of website performance is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). When your website is built with SEO in mind, there is a higher chance of it showing up on search engines like Google or Bing – and customers will be much more likely to choose your business over a competitor who is ranked beneath you.

By researching how your customers act online and what they search for, you develop a strategy that focuses on targeting long and short-tail keywords. It is worth noting that SEO is a long-term strategy, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Typically it takes between 6-9 months to see improvements, depending on your competition and how much time you sink into it. If you spend time regularly optimising your site, tweaking Meta descriptions, writing keyword-heavy blog content and link-building, it will grow quicker than simply having an SEO-focused website.

Invest In Better Security

When it’s done right, cyber security can make it possible for small businesses to innovate and drive revenue, profit and growth. Cybercrime is an issue that all businesses, even those in Cheshire, have to look out for as it can seriously derail your chances of success in the coming years. Nothing shakes consumer trust as quickly as a hacked or broken website or leaked data, and the damage to your brand reputation could last a very long time. Those that invest in better security can worry less about being the victim of a cyber attack and go back to focusing on business matters! 

Look Towards Remote Working

According to recent statistics, around 56% of employees have worked remotely for less than a year, 21% have worked remotely for less than 5 years, 14% have worked remotely for less than 10 years, and 7% have worked remotely for over 10 years. Since the lockdowns, many businesses have been looking for ways to future-proof their businesses, and remote and flexible working has become a growing trend.

In a time when recruitment is even trickier than ever before, retaining employees is key to success. Enabling them to work remotely, even if it’s only for a few days a week, can help to keep them feeling positive and engaged with your business, thanks to the many benefits, such as savings on travel, the extra flexibility and better work/life balance.

Organising technology that helps to support this new flexible approach can make it easier for both you as the employer and for your employees. Think about rolling out business mobile phones to the team members who would like the opportunity to work remotely. This can help keep everyone connected and productive.

Experiment With Social Media

For many, social media can be hard to navigate and seem like an overcrowded, confusing place. But there are many benefits to having an active presence! As mentioned previously, recruitment has become more difficult for many businesses, but social media can help to change this. It gives you the chance to showcase your company culture, advertise positions and become recognised in your local community. Social media is also a brilliant place to market your business. Sharing content that is packed with value can help develop your reputation as an industry leader! Remember to start conversations with your audience, utilise your local knowledge, and always pay attention to current events and trends. Social media can be time-consuming, but it can help boost your business in many ways.

Utilise Smart Tools To Become More Efficient

There are so many different online tools you can use to boost your Cheshire-based business. For example, there are the likes of Zoom, Calendly, Slack, Hubspot, BuzzSumo, Moosend, and so many more, which are all great for improving efficiency for small businesses like yours.

When it comes to web-based tools, there is something for almost every area of your business! From Xero, which makes accounting easier, to Trello, which makes project management a breeze, if you are struggling with a certain area, it’s almost guaranteed that there is an online tool that can help! All you need is a strong internet connection and a laptop, and you can streamline tasks that used to take you hours.

Stay Connected With A B2B Telecoms Provider

As a business owner, you know that your customers have certain expectations. They expect a timely response to emails, someone answering the phone when they call, updates on their orders, etc. In order to meet their expectations, you need to have a reliable Telecoms provider who is on-hand to help if you ever have connectivity issues. As a Cheshire based business ourselves, we are passionate about providing a first-class service. We wanted to revolutionise the telecoms industry and pride ourselves on being accessible, transparent and affordable. Our goal is to help as many businesses in our area grow with the help of reliable broadband, phone systems and IT support.

So, Looking To Give Your Cheshire Business A Boost?

For more information on our products and services, please head to our website and get to know us a bit better. If you are unsure of what you exactly need or want to hear from us directly? Then get in touch, and we are more than happy to help you figure out the best path forward for your business.

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