Small business management

Managing a business is not easy, which is why there are so many consulting firms and software programs out there to help you. When you are managing a small business you are expected to work on so many different job responsibilities that it can be really difficult for you. Where are the areas within the business that you really need to pay attention to? For most small business managers it comes down to the following areas:

• Marketing strategy
• Efficient production and operation
• Finance and accounting

There are many other areas that you need to focus on as well but these 3 areas will really make or break the company and you really need to pay close attention to them in order to have a successful organization.

Your marketing strategy needs to include your existing customers. There are many businesses out there that don't focus on their existing customers and end up working to gather new ones all the time. According to several small business studies, over 80% of all small business sales come from existing customers. This will tell you how important it is for you to spend your time making sure these people are happy with your company and that you are treating them great. The new marketing strategies should remind your existing customers that your company is still here and is still able to create great products and sales.

How about efficient production and operation? Your customers have set expectations on the company and you need to deliver. You must take the time to look over your production methods and to see how they are working. Are products going out without defects? Do you have hiccups in the process? Streamline your process to eliminate confusion and to produce a smooth-flowing organization. Streamlining will not only help production but it will also aid in helping everyone at the company to gather the information they need as they can simply look at the computer to see where a particular order is in the production process. This will allow employees to have healthier relationships with customers because they have the information they are looking for and they can get it in a few seconds.

Finance and accounting is necessary for small businesses as you need to know exactly where you stand. You cannot afford to have financial mistakes or you could lose your business. You need to have a good financial controller to watch the books and to provide you with updates. Set realistic budgets for your marketing department and other departments as well in order to bring about the right type of results.

Attend regular training sessions in order to see how you can aid in strengthening the company. You need to learn new management techniques and you need to be able to understand how to work with multiple personalities. Stress management is a big part of business management because small business owners are always being pulled in a number of directions. Take time to relax each day so the stress doesn't get to you and cause you to create bad relationships with your employees. If you do allow yourself to get too involved with the stress and tension, your staff will feel it and they will react to it negatively and it can lead to poor office morale.

Take notice of your industry and watch what other companies are doing as this will be able to help you see how you can grow your company and to become stronger. You want to stay competitive and also make sure you are ahead of the competition and offering better products and services to your customers.