The Austin Area has been a large tourist magnet, particularly for the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival. SXSW brings together over 2,000 performances, which include international music, film, and interactive conferences.
Austin’s popularity as one of the most eclectic cities in Texas is due to its thriving small businesses community. These small businesses are unique in an environment where more and more chain stores have invaded Austin neighborhoods. The Austin Independent Business Alliance (AIBA) has been working to keep Austin weird since 2006.
Having that said, here are some of the best strategies for small businesses in Austin.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
1. Work With Other Local Businesses In Your Community
AIB’s main goal is to promote small, independently owned businesses by giving those business owners the tools for success they need. By cooperating and working together on a large scale, business owners can increase their exposure and reach a larger audience of customers.
This may include advertising, organizing group discounts, or setting up special events between business partners. Not only does this provide more support to each individual business owner but it also increases each company’s networking opportunities while promoting positive public relations as well. A company that offers Austin billboards, for example, would make for a great collaboration.
2. Stay Updated And Engaged With Your Customer Base
Blogs are an excellent way to keep customers informed about new products or services you offer as well as informing them of any sales or seasonal promotions going on. For example, you could create a blog that offers people information about upcoming events in your local community or simply inform them of the new products on your website. This also creates an interactive experience with customers by allowing them to respond to posts and share their personal experiences with your products and services.
3.promote A Sense Of Social Responsibility
Another way to keep Austin weird is by supporting organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Donating money from each sale helps pay for materials used in building homes in developing countries around the world while supporting over 1,400 families annually here at home in Austin.
There are many ways small businesses can show support for charitable organizations operating in their community; sponsoring annual fundraising walks, donating specific amounts based on customer’s purchases, or hosting an event for a specific organization that is important to you and your business.
4. Choose Local Vendors Whenever Possible
Working with local companies helps create jobs in the community while supporting the economy at the same time. Using local businesses, such as graphic designers or printers also ensures quality workmanship while allowing you to build relationships that can lead to future successful ventures together.
Support other small businesses by using them for office supplies, advertising services, and IT support. This not only gives your customers more exposure to Austin’s unique atmosphere but it also supports the area by keeping money within the community instead of going out of state for products or services.
5. Keep Up With Social Media Trends
Being involved on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Yelp is a great way to keep in touch with your customer base while providing information about products or services you are offering. These sites also help increase traffic to your website and can help drive more customers to your business.
6. Showcase A Personal Side Of The Company
Social media is a great way for small business owners to show their personality and allow customers to get to know them on a more intimate level that they may not be able to achieve at other times. This creates an interactive environment where people feel more comfortable asking questions or sharing their own experiences with one another, which helps create positive public relations for both parties involved.
7. Get Involved With Community Events
Consumer research has shown that while most people will purchase a product because it’s the best quality available, the main reason people choose one store over another is that they believe it offers a better community experience.
Being involved with local special events allows you to interact with friends and neighbors on a regular basis while being able to showcase the products or services your business provides. Not only will this help increase exposure but it may also result in future customers for your company as well.
8. Support Other Local Small Businesses
Like any economy, the more that money circulates within an area, the healthier that economy becomes. To keep Austin weird we need to support each other instead of focusing on trying to take advantage of others or treating them like competitors instead of peers in society. Though competition is an important factor for businesses, successful companies strive for cooperation and mutual respect
With these strategies, not only do we get to keep Austin weird — we can keep its economy booming.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS