Are Your Members Small Business Owners? 10 Tips to Help Them Grow

This month at Allwork, we’re all about community–and what better way to show your workspace members that you care about them and their businesses than by helping them grow and succeed?

Alliance Virtual Offices recently shared a blog post titled “65 Ways to Make Your ‘Small’ Business Big Business”.  As a flexible workspace operator, you might think there’s not much for you there, but there is. Not only will you find useful tips to expand your own workspace business (especially if you’re just starting out), but more importantly, these 65 tips will help your own members grow and develop their businesses. That’s good news for them and good news for you, too.

From using virtual offices and live receptionists services, to small details like an email address that has the business’ domain name and a well designed business card, coworking and flexible workspace users will find the post offers a plethora of ways through which they – and their members – can improve their professional image.

You or your workspace members can read all 65 ways to make a small business look like a big business here. But to get you started, here are 10 of our favorites that we feel you should share with your workspace community.

– Consider your business name carefully. If it’s your own name, it screams ‘sole trader’. On this same note, when discussing projects with partners and prospective clients, get into the habit of saying ‘we’ instead of ‘I’.

– Get real email addresses that contain your domain name–an email from [email protected] will never be taken seriously. Also, make sure you include all the relevant contact information — website, phone number, cell number, buttons to social media, etc.

– Invest in smart, good quality business cards. One that won’t tear up or crumple a lot when put into a wallet or a handbag.

– Use meeting rooms from a professional setting. (Here is where you, operators, could not only help your members’ business, but also your own. Share with members the benefits of using a professional meeting room; it’s available for them, but are they really using it?)

– Invest in custom web design. Online presence is the front door to most businesses today, and the last thing any business owner wants is to scare off potential clients by having an average-looking, standard website. Take time to invest in a carefully thought-out website design and structure that looks good and communicates your services clearly.

– Update your social media regularly. This is a big one; if the last tweet or Facebook posts is from a month or more ago most people will think you’ve gone out of business. Be consistent and post often.  

– Team up with larger companies, especially those that are big in your industry or in your local market. Team up and brag about it on social media, blogs, newsletters, and your website.

– Attend or speak at industry forums, workshops, seminars, and events. Workspace operators: give your members the opportunity to share their knowledge during some of your events.

– Get photographed. A picture is worth a thousand words, so get a selection of good, up-to-date professional headshots for you to use on your website, LinkedIn, and media releases.

– Have a blog. It’s a great way to showcase your knowledge and position your services, products, and offerings. While you’re at it, remember that spelling really matters, so if you need help, hire a professional.

If you have any other tips you or your workspace members would  like to share, feel free to share them with us here or through our social media.