Build on Last Year’s Business Results for a Successful 2015

With holiday season wrapped, small business owners should set aside time in the early New Year to reflect on 2014.

What months brought in the most sales last year? Which promotions drew the most customer traffic? When were things slowest and what offer was the biggest flop?

Vicinity merchants have an advantage in looking back. The loyalty program’s analytics tools track customer activity so you can see what works (and doesn’t work) to increase sales.

Three best practices for the New Year

Now is the ideal time to experiment with different ways to engage customers. These proven tactics may help you attract more wallet share in 2015:

  1. Solicit online reviews of your products and services. People care about what other people think. Which is why it’s important to encourage your customers to write online reviews of your business. Whether they wax poetic about your shop on personal blogs, social media channels, or review sites like Yelp, the online exposure will drive more traffic to your door. Vicinity can make it easier by offering extra points to customers who post reviews.
  2. Commit to social media. Make 2015 the year your business finally “joins the conversation”. Tell your shop’s story on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other channels where your customers share information. Vicinity merchants who promote their businesses on social sites should always tag us @VicinityRewards so we can share those stories with our followers
  3. Manage your time better. Running a small business is a balancing act – one where you constantly juggle crucial business decisions with banal daily tasks. Use time management techniques (like the ten tips outlined in this Globe and Mail article) to help you ensure all things, great and small, are handled. Technology like Vicinity’s Autopilot feature can also save you valuable time. Autopilot automates your business’s marketing activities so you can focus on more important things, like sales and customer service.

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