How To Turn Your Small Business Into A Global Brand

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There is something incredibly exciting about watching your small business grow from strength to strength. It is a testament to your commitment, hard work, and creative vision – all of which deserve to be celebrated. However, once you have conquered the local market, you may wonder what the next logical step is when it comes to growing your brand. One way in which you can do this is by going ‘global’ – by offering your products and services to an international audience. 

With that in mind, here are some top tips you can use to turn your small business into a global brand! 

  • In order to appeal to customers across the globe, you must ensure that you are providing quality products and services. This means that you should focus on developing your business instead of running with one good idea.
  • Focus on building your brand’s reputation by cultivating a strong social media presence. This is usually the most effective way of bringing in new customers, as they can access your content with just a few clicks of their mouse. Be sure that you don’t miss a trick by experimenting with social media trends.  
  • Conduct thorough market research into your target audience, which may vary slightly country by country. You should also ensure that you take your products to the right market – for example, is there a demand for the product you are selling in this country? Is this something that you can garner interest around? 
  • Another way in which you can turn a local business into a global enterprise is by tailoring your content to your audience in each country. For example, you should ensure that you have a multi-language website – so that your content is easily accessible. This will make it easier for clients who speak a different language to access your website and make a purchase. 
  • Research the way in which different countries market and sell their products – this means that you can find the best way to appeal to your customers no matter where they may live in the world. 
  • Once you have a website up and running, you are ready to begin selling your products to a global audience. However, this can be a costly procedure – especially when it comes to international shipping. Thankfully, by working alongside companies such as UniShippers, you can save money on international shipping while simultaneously providing your customers with excellent, speedy services. 
  •  As with any business, communication is key. Therefore, you should ensure that your customers across the globe are able to get in contact with you or a member of your team no matter when they are shopping. Whether this means they talk to you through email, online, or over the phone. 
  • As your company grows, ensure that you are bringing in new staff. This can help you manage your current workload, connect with customers and bring new ideas into the company. For example, if your brand is performing well in a particular country – you could set up an office space there too. 

P.S. Sharing this article that was written by my friend Rafael Rivero: https://cognity.substack.com/p/localization-an-alternative-way-to

4 Aspects Of Business To Work On If You Want To Be A Successful Entrepreneur

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Everyone who begins their adventure into the world of business does so with the hope that they’ll be the biggest success. The fantasies are all around and the idea of creating something from nothing becomes more and more enticing as the plans are worked out. A business can really change your life for the better, and not just in a financial sense. The full autonomy and the creativity together make for a marvelous duo. 

It’s not just a case of being able to set up a small business and heading on your way, though. You need to have a little bit about yourself. Sure, you do see a lot of successful entrepreneurs with very few qualifications and basic skills, but they work hard in the areas that count – and these other abilities put them in great positions. There are many aspects of business that one must learn if they’re to become a successful CEO, but some are a little more imperative than others. Here are four examples of sectors that you must work on if you’re to thrive as an entrepreneur: 

Marketing

Marketing is an extremely vital part of business. If you cannot win people over and make them fall in love with what you have to offer, then you’re not going to get the longevity you crave. Knowing how to attract people and build relationships with them is vital in terms of making your brand stick out from the rest. It’s not just your products that people will want to be attached to – it’s the entire business itself. So, knowing certain digital marketing methods and networking appropriately should be part of your skillset. There will always be little tricks you can do, too. For instance, you can figure out how to lower CPC when it comes to pay-per-click advertising. You could also figure out how best to utilize influencer marketing. The more you know about this stuff, the better off you’ll be. 

Planning And Discipline  

If you cannot lay out your plan and work on them in a systematic way, then you won’t be able to be as productive as you’d like. You need to be a strong and disciplined person if you start up a business because nobody’s going to be around to remind you what needs to be done. You’re the boss. You need to take a look at everything and see if it’s all set up properly. You also need to have contingency plans for when things inevitably go a little awry. 

Finance

You need to make sure that you’re following along closely with the numbers. When things get a little more advanced further on down the line, you’ll bring in finance professionals to help with the taxes and the rest of the books. For now, however, you need to make sure you know what’s happening financially. If you aren’t careful, then you could land yourself in some hot water before you even get off the ground. 

Charisma And Closing 

Being able to deal with other people matters a lot in business. If you can’t talk to people properly, then you should start working on it. Closing sales, networking with potential partners, dealing with complaints, and so many other areas should be smoothly concluded with the right behavior and correct wording. 

Business Potential Behind Your Passion For Home Decor

According to Google Keyword Planner, home decor searches are popular. Keyword phrases “interior designers near me”, “home interior”, and “interior design” gather the majority of the online audience. The pandemic has dramatically increased interest into home decor, as a lot of people find themselves struggling in self-isolation. 

For a creative individual who has a passion for interior decoration, the pandemic provides a unique opportunity for a side hustle business. There’s a huge demand for decor inspiration as people are spending more time at home. Home improvement projects and decor updates are on the rise. For a solo-entrepreneur, it’s a chance to make the most of your passion for design. 

Photo by Manja Vitolic on Unsplash

Treat it like a business

You need to think of your home decor side hustle as a business from day one. As a result, you can’t afford to skip essential business tools that will establish your professional profile. Google Analytics is a free tool that monitors website traffic. You will also need to invest in a CRM solution to capture customer data and keep track of all interactions. Paired with an emailing tool, you can set up your marketing activities and communication. Some email marketing solutions are free for small businesses, such as Mailchimp that’s free to use if you’ve got less than 2,000 contacts. OmniSend is another handy emailing service that sets no limit to your list of contacts. 

Focus on your USP

Your Unique Selling Proposition is the thing that differentiates your business from competitors. It’s a valuable addition that can attract customers. If you are still in the process of launching your side-hustle business, you may want to consider what your competitors are offering. What can you bring to the market that customers don’t already get from someone else? When it comes to home decor businesses, you could consider curating unique items and furniture from vintage markets and places like Etsy and eBay. Keep your costs low and find cheaper alternative to move that eBay bargain to your storage facilities. This would put you in the best position to provide unbeatable furniture offers. 

Build an online network

How do interior decor experts get noticed in a busy and crowded market? The answer: They maximise their social media place. Instagram is a great platform to get noticed and build a huge follower base. You can take inspiration from some of the most popular home decor accounts on Instagram such as US-based @em_henderson and @the_seasoned_home. You can focus a palette of colours or an atmosphere like these accounts do. Alternatively, you can also check trendy hashtags and learn a few tips from their photo captions. 

Streamline some of your services

Working alone, you can’t afford to waste time on activities that are not directly income-generating. That’s where automation can make a huge difference. You can create an emailing workflow to capture new subscribers to your newsletter and share dedicated content with them. It’s a great idea to have unique content that is only accessible to your customers or subscribers, such as online tutorials for furniture painting or choosing the right wall paint colours. 

Photo by Harrison Kugler on Unsplash

Can your home decor passion become a full-time business? There is only one way of knowing! Home design can be a profitable side-hustle business, which you can grow by focusing on your unique selling proposition and creative eye. It is also a rewarding business that encourages you to embrace your creativity and personality.