Getting the most out of your small business isn't always easy. When you're wearing many hats and working hard to maximize your limited time, some tasks have an opportunity to slip through the cracks. These tips, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau, can help you run your small business more efficiently, making the most of your investment and your work hours.

Automate As Much As Possible

 With today's technology, it's possible to automate a wide variety of business tasks, letting a computer do the heavy lifting in the background while you focus on the core aspects of your business. For example, according to Software Path, marketing automation software has led to a 14.5% increase in sales productivity, making it possible to save time where it counts.

Target Your Marketing Strategies

 In today's tech-centered environment, it's no longer acceptable to only run ads in the newspaper or on the radio with the hope that the right audience picks up on your message. Instead, targeted marketing can ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck, with benefits like the ability to:

· Speak specifically to a targeted audience

· Attract and convert high-quality leads

· Highlight unique attributes that differentiate you from the competition

· Cultivate customer loyalty

· Improve available products and services

Outsource Where Necessary

 For routine daily tasks, like bookkeeping or managing social media, working with a third party can improve the caliber of service without significantly increasing costs. Outsourcing can add expert input to your business and provide availability on an as-needed basis to help your company grow, all while reducing costs by as much as 30%, according to Harvard Business Review.

Invest In Your Website

 If your website isn't up to par, now is the time to make a change. Upgrading your website using a responsive, mobile-friendly design can increase your position in search engine results pages, improve customer responses, and boost your reputation in the local community. In addition, the more information you make available on your site, the less time you will devote to answering customer queries.

Utilize Tools And Technology

 Are you still distributing to-do lists on paper? Insist on tracking inventory by hand? Inventory management tools can take the burden off manually overseeing inventory, and social media marketing opportunities can improve employee communication. No matter where your business needs to improve, there's a tool to help you save time and increase results.

Encourage Employee Satisfaction

 Happy employees are hardworking employees, which means better results for you and your business. To keep your team content, focus on what employees value most: job security, opportunities to make a difference, and a comfortable, enjoyable workplace. Still not convinced? The Society for Human Research Management estimates the cost of replacing an employee at six to nine months of the position's salary.

Listen To feedback

 When you get customer feedback, it's only natural to smile, nod, and say thank you without really taking the time to put compliments or constructive criticism into practice. However, failing to do this can send your company in the wrong direction.

While you have a vision and purpose for your brand, your customers are the reason you exist, and they know how well you're meeting their needs better than anyone. Take time to listen, process feedback, and leverage customer opinions to make educated decisions that will give your company a leg up.

If you'd like to employ any of these suggestions but don't have the cash on hand, Quikstone Capital Solutions can help. Since 2005, Quikstone has helped thousands of businesses like yours grow and prosper with easy, fast, and flexible working capital for all their business needs. 

A cash advance from Quikstone is not a loan; it's a purchase of a small portion of your future credit card sales. There's a simple one-page application, and no collateral is needed. If you process credit cards, you could qualify for as much as $250,000. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and 80% of our merchants are repeat customers.

Contact us today and get started with a no-cost or obligation consultation.