65 Ways to Make Your ’Small’ Business Big Business

Sole traders and small businesses have stacks of natural advantages. They’re small, agile and adaptable,  enabling them to identify fresh opportunities and adjust to new market trends.

However in the eyes of consumers, smaller businesses often lack the sense of establishment and credibility that emanates from larger business.

So how do you fast-track your small business to make it look bigger?

Before we go any further, we’re not suggesting that you should use smoke and mirrors to fool clients and partners into thinking your business is something it’s not. Rather, these tips can help prepare small firms for growth.

How? Because if you think small, you will continue to be small. If you’re a sole proprietorship with a one-page website and a @gmail email address, you are subconsciously setting the bar. The chances are you will remain that way. But if you think big, and plan for bigger, you’re more likely to get there — and you stand to win some great clients along the way.

Here are some growth tips to get you started:

1. Use a recognized business address. Even if you normally work from home or from the open road, find a business address that you can actually visit and meet professionally with clients as the need arises. The USPS and mailbox centers offer convenient commercial addresses, but lack on-site facilities where you can actually meet and do business.
2. Why stop at one office address? Add another 1 or 2 and start expanding your reach to new markets.
3. Consider converting your sole proprietorship to an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation). It will take a little capital and some time, but that in itself signifies you’re serious about your prospects and you’re planning significant growth.
4. Consider your business name carefully. If it’s your own name, it screams ‘sole trader’.
5. When discussing projects with partners and prospective clients, get into the habit of saying “We” instead of “I”. For example, “when we decided to tackle that project, we…”
6. Picking up calls from home? Know who you’re talking to. Some of your clients expect consummate professionalism. If so, seal yourself into a quiet room. Background noises like dogs barking or children crying certainly don’t give a professional impression to these people.
7. But do remember that the virtual workstyle is now widely accepted, and many people appreciate flexible working practices (especially future employees). If that’s the case, it might work in your favor to take the call from a sunny spot on the veranda — and tell your caller you’re doing it. Heck, some people even choose lifestyle first, then profession to match.
8. Choose a business phone number rather than relying on your cell or home phone. You can choose a toll-free number that doesn’t give away your location, or if you’re targeting a specific regional market, choose a number with a local area code.
9. Use a cloud-based voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) phone system, like the one from Alliance. It allows you to set up multiple extensions for employees along with features like voicemail greetings and messaging. It’s similar to a private branch exchange (PBX) system but since it’s cloud-based, it’s much cheaper to operate.
10. Once your phone system is up and running, set up caller menus like ‘press 1 for sales, 2 for accounts, 3 for marketing’ and so on. Even if it’s just one person working from home at the end of each line, your business will sound much bigger than it is. Plus, callers get straight to the right person without going through a switchboard.
11. Pay attention to your out-of-hours call greetings. Don’t rely on dull automated messages. Instead, record a polite, audible message — it sounds more professional and shows callers that you’ve taken the time to do the job properly.
12. Get real email addresses that contain your domain name. Nothing looks more sloppy than a business reply with a @yahoo, @gmail or @hotmail extension.
13. Have multiple emails for different purposes, such as customerservice@, sales@, returns@ and so on. Even though they may all go to you and your few partners or employees at the beginning, it sets the standard.
14. Invest in smart, good quality business cards. There’s a huge choice of suppliers offering good quality cards at competitive prices, so there’s really no excuse for low-grade paper-thin versions.
15. Use meeting rooms from a professional setting such as a business or coworking center, not a coffee shop.
16. Avoid using a formal title on your business card. If you’re a one-person startup, it’s clear you’re the CEO. But recipients may question why the CEO is handling everything in the business. It may be wise to leave out your official title for now, at least until you have some employees or business partners.
17. Use a Live Receptionist service to handle incoming phone calls. Potentials clients and investors need the VIP treatment, and a Live Receptionist ensures all calls are received graciously and handled to your instructions. This takes the pressure off you and keeps your callers happy.
18. Need an extra pair of hands? Most Live Receptionist services, like the one from Alliance, provide services like managing appointments and calendar scheduling on your behalf. It saves time on admin and lets you crack on with other things.
19. You can also refer to your ‘assistant’ when discussing admin-related matters such as scheduling a meeting. This makes you sound like you’re in charge of a team and (as per no.16 above) negates the need to ask why the CEO is dealing with admin.
20. If you need dedicated resources but you’re not ready for a full or part-time employee, hire contractors from sites like goLance or Upwork. They might not work for you 40 hours per week, but they can still be your team. Most are open to long-term commitments and once you’ve settled into a routine, you could even consider putting them on your website in the ‘About Us’ section.
21. Invest in a custom website design. In most cases, your online presence is the front door to your business and even technophobes can spot a standard website template from a mile off. Take time to invest in a carefully thought-out website design and structure that looks good and communicates your services clearly.
22. Free stuff is handy when you’re just starting out. But where possible, avoid using openly free versions of software, such as marketing email templates that carry a Mailchimp logo — especially when communicating publicly.
23. Grow your social media presence… just one channel will do for now. Most people turn to online search engines to find out more about a business, which includes your social network.
24. Update your social media regularly (that’s why just one channel will do). Free scheduling tools like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck are a great way to keep posts churning on a frequent basis.
25. If you can’t afford the time to do keep on top of social media, hire a freelancer to keep it updated for you. If a potential customer lands on your Twitter feed and it hasn’t been updated for 12 months, they may assume you’ve gone out of business.
26. Keep abreast of online chatter and feedback about your business. The Perch app is a great way to survey online reviews, social posts and promotions related to you (and your competitors).
27. Use larger invoice numbers — don’t start with 00001, or even 000100. Code your invoice numbers to signify each type of business. For instance, 1504001: the first 3 digits (150) signifies that it’s a new customer, or a customer from a specific vertical.
28. Team up. Work with larger companies, ideally those that are well known in your industry, and brag about it. Post news articles and press releases, mention them on your social media pages and post their logos on your website. You may also have the opportunity to utilize their marketing resources, too.
29. Sponsor an event or a charity. It will demonstrate that your company has positive values and a culture to match; the additional publicity won’t go amiss either.
30. Your nominated charity will, in most cases, be happy to mention you on their social channels or website. This provides ‘proof’ of your relationship and may open up new opportunities with organizations outside your normal reach.
31. “As seen in”: Having a batch of news logos on your website with links to press articles about your product or services is a great way to prove your worth.
32. Attend or, even better, speak at industry forums, seminars and events. It will get your name ‘out there’ as a source of knowledge and authority.
33. For the same reason, work on growing your Linkedin presence. Fill in your profile and add as many industry connections as possible.
34. Focus on the quality of your promotional material. Anyone can produce a video informing people what you do — but whether your clients stick around to watch it will depend on the quality of production and its level of engagement.
35. Be a little hard to get to. When talking to clients or investors, never appear to be immediately available. This may inadvertently give the impression that you’re sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring. Where possible, schedule meetings a little further in the future than is really necessary.
36. Try to avoid picking up calls yourself. Think about the size of company you’re working to emulate — would you expect to get straight through to the CEO on first ring? It’s unlikely. Don’t be afraid to create a few hoops.
37. Don’t launch your company with an empty site or a “coming soon” message. It will give the impression that your business — and your attitude — is half-baked.
38. Look the part, depending on who you’re meeting. If it’s necessary to dress up for an important meeting, it’s worth having a couple of good suits or very smart outfits on standby. A word of warning: try to gauge how the rest of the group will dress. That way you’ll hit the right tone and avoid looking like a clueless outsider.
39. Create authority by sharing (good) knowledge. Write an ebook or offer advice through social media channels, such as Linkedin groups, and gain recognition as an expert in your field.
40. In your email signature, include as much relevant contact information as possible. Beyond your email address and phone number, include your website and professional social networks too.
41. Don’t forget to also include a confidentiality notice in your email signature and company documents along with any required information, such as your company registration number. This will elevate the level of seriousness and shows that you’re playing by the rules.
42. Improve your ‘About Us’ page. Even if you don’t yet have any full-time employees,  include any freelance connections or virtual assistants (with their permission). That way, you can say that you’re a company with a team of 5 or 10, which assures customers you’re not a “fly-by-night” operation. It makes your page more readable too, particularly if you include funny or interesting stories about your team.
43. Contract a professional designer or agency to create a logo and brand it for you. Ask for a company logo plus a 1-2 page PDF brand guideline, specifying the colors and how to use them. Have the designer provide a grayscale version of the logo for black and white, too.
44. Once you have branding guidelines, stick rigidly to it. Use the same colors, tones and logo everywhere — on emails, documents, business cards, letterheads, the lot.
45. Don’t allow logos or graphics to be stretched or distorted. There’s no point investing in a beautiful logo only for it to be disrespected and squeezed out of proportion.
46. Create ‘media usage’ guidelines or a media pack for visitors. This stipulates when and how your branding can be used, and has the added bonus of showing the outside world just how serious you are about your company representation.
47. Collect testimonials and reviews for your website and marketing material. Now more than ever, people expect some sort of endorsement to check your credibility.
48. Encourage happy clients to leave positive reviews on external sites like Yelp or Google+.
49. Better yet, record video testimonials and put them on your website. Plain old text only goes so far; engage customers from the get-go with a professional video showing your own clients talking happily about you.
50. While we’re on the subject, utilize video more. From instructional guides to employee biographies, video is a fantastic form of communication that, if produced professionally, can engage clients and provide a massive conversion boost.
51. Spelling really matters. Why spend all that time and money making your business look amazing, only to dash your chances with a third grade spelling or grammatical blunder? Take the time to proofread your work. Then have someone else look things over, too.
52. Part of any associations or a Chamber of Commerce? Do you have a certification or relevant qualification? Use these to your advantage. Put the badges on your website — they will provide another seal of approval.
53. Blog as often as you can. Ideally, aim for one good blog post per week — if that’s out of the question, hire a professional writer to help (you can’t be expected to spin ALL the plates). Blogging enables you to showcase your experience and knowledge, and it also helps catch valuable longtail traffic from search engines.
54. While you’re at it, blog for others too. Once per month or so, offer to write guest posts for industry news sources. It’ll help cement your authority and get your voice out there.
55. A picture is worth a thousand words. Get a selection of good, up-to-date head shots for use on your ‘About’ page, social media profiles, and for media requests. Ensure the photos are clean cut and professional (not cropped from a group).
56. Take things further. Have you spoken at a seminar or an event? Professional photos of you speaking to a crowd or networking show that you’re respected within your market. Add these to your social profiles too.
57. You need the right imagery on your website. Forget cheesy stock photos — they say nothing credible about your organization.
58. Utilize the technology available to you. For instance, websites like Join.me allow you to give virtual presentations, Asana helps you manage projects online, Slack is a handy tool when working with remote workers… the list goes on. Backed by the right technology, remote team management is a tried and tested strategy that really does work. Speak to other small business owners and find out what tools they recommend.
59. On video calls, consider your background. If you’re working from home, don’t let your caller see untidy kitchen paraphernalia. Turn your back to a wall of books or artwork. Oh, and be sure your Internet is up to the task; there’s nothing more disruptive than patchy audio and broken connections.
60. Do you accept payment online? If so, add the supplier logo — such as Paypal or the relevant credit card logos — onto your site. Yet again, it provides social proof.
61. Use press releases. If you have a newsworthy story, try a service like PRWeb. It costs, but it can increase visibility and raise your chances of getting featured on other news sites.
62. Get interviewed. Do podcasts, offer comments or advice for articles, and work on your ‘outreach’. It throws your name out there and also gives you content for your own marketing channels.
63. Be seen and heard. Choose relevant networking business events and go meet people, armed with your top quality business cards (see no.14 above).
64. Being seen and associating yourself with other notable experts has a significant impact on the perception of yourself and/or your company.
65. Lastly, be confident! This is YOUR business and your time to shine. Believe in yourself and your capabilities, and let your positive attitude do the talking.

Got more to add? Send your comments to us via Twitter or Facebook for inclusion in this list.