6 Top Business Strategies for 2014

6 Top Small Business Strategies for 2014 Small business must have the ability to constantly adapt to survive. In a world where your competition may be anywhere from down the street to around the world, finding new ways to out-serve, out-price, and out-hustle your rivals is critical. Small businesses are continually finding new ways to do this, whether it’s keeping track of Google local business reviews, or using guerilla marketing to scare up new business.

Getting on the mobile bandwagon has been an important small business trend for 2014. A growing number of consumers are using their smartphones and tablets to shop online.

According to CNBC, the top 20 retailers saw an increase in sales via mobile devices of about 55 percent during the 2013 holiday shopping season. This jump in mobile device sales is filtering down to small business, as businesses with good mobile sites have better access to consumers.

In an era of shoestring marketing budgets, getting creative by using guerilla marketing is also key to small business success. Clever and inexpensive campaigns that get customers to do the legwork, hire sign-wavers, offer unorthodox promotions, and which institute other promotional tools that rely on imagination and sweat (instead of fancy commercials and graphics) are helping small businesses to get their word out.

More and more small businesses are pooling resources together to be able to afford needs like advertising, printing, clerical services, and more. By sharing costs, small businesses can afford more and better services than they could on their own.

Cloud-based computer applications are also gaining ground among small businesses. The benefits of the cloud -- security, portability, cost-effectiveness and accessibility -- are finding favor with entrepreneurs who need applications they can use on the go. According to SMB Group Research, cloud application use by small and medium-sized businesses will grow from 33 percent of those businesses, to 44 percent during 2014.

Crowdfunding is also an important small business trend. A growing number of small businesses are using crowdfunding to get start-up capital and funds for business expansions. With business loans tough to come by, crowdfunding can play an important financial role in small business growth and establishment.

Monitoring and reacting to online chatter about your business is also becoming a key small business need these days. Because most people are using Google searches to find the shops and stores for their needs, how these businesses are reviewed online is critical to whether customers will patronize them. Google local business reviews have an outsized influence on how customers view businesses, based on Google’s dominance of the online search industry. More and more small businesses are using services that help them keep track of what’s being said about their businesses online and make it easy for them to share and promote positive reviews.

These services also provide business owners with immediate notification of negative reviews, and a means to respond to these reviews to satisfy unhappy customers. Review Inc. provides an easy and accessible way to stay on top of what’s being said about your business online.

Business is ever-changing and ever-competitive. By staying abreast of recent trends, entrepreneurs can ensure they stay one step ahead of their rivals, both large and small.