1. Become Agile
2020 taught us many lessons, but most of all it taught us to prepare for anything. We never truly know what is coming next but being open to new ideas and learning how to deal with change are skills we can use for any situation. The business that can solve new problems in the quickest and most unique ways are the ones that will survive whatever comes their way. If you made it out of 2020 without having to change anything in your business you are extremely lucky, but most likely you have already been learning how to stay agile and creative in today’s market.

2. Push Advertising Campaigns
The worst thing you can do when you see a lull in business is to stop your marketing efforts to save money. Sometimes these marketing efforts are the only thing keeping the business going. It may seem counterintuitive but putting more time and resources into marketing during hard times will help your business survive. Make sure you hire a marketing team that understands what you want to do with your business long term and has your best interests in mind.

3. Find the Right People to Work for You
Having the best people for the job keeps you one step ahead of your competition. As a business owner you want to be able to handle everything yourself, but when you can’t you have to have a staff you can trust to do the job just as well as you would. Hiring the right people is only one half of the puzzle though, the other half is making sure your employees are happy at their job. Creating a positive work environment where your employees feel valued will significantly increase productivity and help your business in the long run.

4. Work to Automate Processes that Waste Time
Another valuable lesson learned in 2020 is that time is extremely precious. There is a tool or resource out there for pretty much anything these days. Whether you are looking for invoicing tools, social media management, or even expense tracking there is a solution for you. Some of these may be apps or software you purchase, and some may come in the form of a group of people to hire for taxes or social media management. Whatever you feel you are losing precious time to, there is a solution to make the process more automated for your business.

5. Diversify Your Markets
We have seen a lot of this in the last year in so many different industries. One of the biggest changes we saw was how many small businesses switch to eCommerce last year. Many businesses didn’t have a website set up for that but had to make it happen to survive. In the restaurant industry we saw actual laws change to be able to sell mixed drinks with to go orders here in Ohio. People got creative and pushed for change that they knew could help them survive. Is there a market you feel you could excel in but haven’t made that jump yet? 2021 could be the year to start taking steps to expand your market.

We hope this list will help you get your business back on track or continue to thrive! If you are looking for someone to help you with advertisements or even a website, you are in the right place! Go to https://www.berrydigitalsolutions.com/contact-us.html to contact a consult from our team and start growing your business today. We are always happy to help.

Written by Chelsea Bray- Elle A. Design

There is no getting around the fact that Google is a big name in the internet search game. Showing up in Googles search results is very important, but have you thought about how well are you showing up on Google Maps? When you Google a phrase like “restaurants near me”, the first things that comes up are the Google Map results. These include photos, addresses, phone numbers and websites to restaurants Google thinks you would like. These come up before the rest of the search results and are the most likely to be clicked. In this article you will see how you can rank higher and why it is important to get your listing to the top of the search results.

Claim your Listing: The first step after getting your business on Google Maps is to make sure you claim an existing listing for your business. This will let you add even more information about your location and is essential keeping your listing accurate. Make sure you are logged into your Google My Business account to complete this step.

Make Sure Your Information is Accurate: There is nothing that will make people more upset than finding unreliable information about your location online. It is essential that you keep your hours, phone number, address, and website info up to date on your listing. You can also list your services and a description to let new clients and customers know what you do. Adding your listing to the proper categories will also make it easier for people to find you.

Embed a Google Map on your Website: Embedding a Google Map on your website will let Google know that your location on the map is accurate. Every visit to your site will count as a visit to your Google My Business page, which will help you rank higher in search results.

Photos: One of the quickest ways to catch attention is with photos. If your Google listing doesn’t have any photos, it likely won’t matter how high you rank, people will quickly move onto the next business. You want to capture not only the products you have at your business, but also what it is like to visit. From a shot of the front door to photos of your staff members in action, everything shows a window into what it is like to visit your business and helps attract the eyes of potential customers.

Reviews: When looking at a list of options all in the same category, the reviews are going to be what set you apart. Getting and maintaining good Google reviews will help get you to the top of the list in your category. You will have to be consistent in asking for reviews and you will also want to respond to reviews on Google. Don’t be afraid of reviews or interacting with customers. It is an essential part of running a business.
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Next time you are Googling a place to visit in a new town or looking for something nearby, make sure you pay attention to the Google Map results. Take clues about what you like and what you think people could be doing better and apply that to your own listing. Google is a powerful tool and when used correctly can help get more eyes on what you have to offer. Set up a meeting today with a member on our team to learn more about how we can help you with your Google My Business account and all it offers www.berrydigitalsolutions.com/contact-us.html.