10 tips for Utah business owners

Your brilliant idea for a business was just the first step. Now you need to find customers to support you so you can continue to succeed. KSL has 10 tips to show you how to grow your business in Utah. Implement these smart strategies today to start getting ahead.

1. Build local recognition

You need customers. Do customers know they need you? Getting your name in front of potential clients is vital, especially when you’re just starting out. Build awareness by getting involved in local events. You could sponsor a local sports team, support a charity event or even help at a school event. The more people see your name, the more likely they are to remember it.

2. Host an event

People love to learn new things, so teaching a class or workshop in your area of expertise is a clever way to get their attention. As a landscaper, for instance, you could offer a class on choosing the best trees to plant in Utah. Not only will you be building goodwill, you’ll be making contacts and curating relationships.

3. Advertise locally

Utahns are great at supporting friends, neighbors and local companies. Introduce yourself when you advertise your business on KSL Services, our Classifieds category dedicated to professionals like you — from bookkeepers to electricians, fitness instructors to real estate agents. Future customers can find you where they are already shopping, making you a natural pick.

4. Use social media

Build momentum behind your brand on your social media accounts. Use daily or weekly posts to show what you can do. A handyman could show before and after photos of a recent project. A housecleaning company could show its cleaning crew getting ready for work. Be creative! Add music to make your posts more fun and interesting.

5. Provide exceptional service

There are plenty of businesses out there, and many of them have solid plans that should succeed. But if customers aren’t satisfied, it’s an uphill battle. Make exceptional service part of your business plan, aiming for top reviews from every client. Achieve it and you’ll naturally expand your clientele.

6. Offer incentives

Use your customer base to build your reputation and expand your reach. Incentivize clients to spread the word about your good service by offering a reward program. For example, they get a discount on a future service when they refer a friend.

7. Partner with a complementary business

Consider what other types of businesses might naturally suggest your services, and partner with them. Real estate agents may recommend a house cleaning company to their sellers, for instance. There’s no doubt, you get more customers if someone is recommending you.

8. Use targeted display advertising

Sometimes, you just need to get your business in front of as many people as possible to get the ball rolling — or keep it building up speed. Targeted advertising with KSL puts you in front of more than 4.8 million monthly online users. Contact a sales rep to learn what types of advertising will help you find the right audience.

9. Share helpful content

Ask any major corporation and they’ll tell you: Free advertising is worth every penny. Part of your Utah business marketing plan should include ways to organically bring in customers. Similar to the workshop idea, you can do this by providing business adjacent tips or interesting stories via your website. That might include written or video blogs sharing your own story, offering how-to help or showing off successful projects.

10. Know when to scale up

How do you know when you should expand? It can be scary deciding if it’s time to hire more employees or buy another work vehicle. Consider three things: Is your cash flow stable? Are you consistently surpassing goals? Do you have consistent, measurable customer feedback showing you that your business is working? If you can answer yes to all three, you may be ready to scale up.

Try our Utah small business tips today

Owning a business means you have a lot of moving parts: finances, marketing, customer service. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it all alone. KSL Classifieds Services is a long-standing part of the Utah small business community, and we’re here to help your business thrive. Try one of our 10 tips today and see the difference it makes.

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