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E V O R P M I O T S E X EIGHT QUICK FI S S E N I S U B L L A M S R YOU ess benefits oves for instant busin m e pl sim e es th y pl Ap
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mproving your business and boosting your bottom line does not always require a dramatic new strategy. Business experts on the advisory board of SA’s leading small business platform, the annual Small Business Expo, Business Services Expo and #BuyaBusiness Expo recommend these simple moves for instant business benefits:
1. Get modern business tools Nokwazi Mzobe, founder and lead consultant at Matoyana Business Solutions, says creating efficient systems and processes will save small businesses money, and more importantly, make time for them to focus on what’s really important in the business.
“Stop using Excel or Word document invoice templates and invest in systems like Sage, Quickbooks and SMEasy to make your life easier,” she says. “Familiarise yourself with free tools that can add value in different parts of your business, for example Canva for good designs; WeTransfer to send large files and Google forms for surveys. If you’re looking for professional skills, specialist work or part-time resources, consider using platforms such as recruitmymom.co.za and upwork.com to find the people you need.” Marang Marekimane, founder of Business Process Mechanics and managing partner at Lean Business Platform, also believes that free online tools, social media and new apps can make marketing and running a business instantly easier. She suggests that businesses use social media analytics to understand their followers better. “From this, entrepreneurs will know if their followers prefer video/pictures/text content, and learn more about their age, gender and other interests. This information could improve their marketing strategies,” she says.
2. Upgrade your website functions Marekimane also suggests improving your website functionality for long-term business benefits. “For example, to improve efficiency, businesses can allow clients to book appointments and make payments via their websites. This saves time, because there are no back-and-forth emails, and puts the client in control of the invoice and payment,” she says.
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