8 Ways to Make Your Small Business Look Big Online
Updated April 2022
Most of the businesses I work with are startups or small-medium businesses so if anyone has a soft spot for SMBs, it’s me. And there are tons of reasons why you should actually really lean into the fact that you’re on the smaller side because it is definitely not a weakness. In fact, it can be a real competitive advantage! Small businesses can offer more personalized service than larger businesses and are often much more capable of pivoting to adapt quickly to new trends or changing marketing conditions. All this being said, there are still some things you can do to make sure your SMB looks big - in a good way.
1. Understand that your brand matters more than your logo.
Big companies get this right. To them, the brand ethos - everything the brand stands for, the brand voice, the mission and goals, and all the visual collateral is the grounding force. Many small businesses make the mistake of overthinking their logo and not thinking enough about how they’re going to fulfill the promises they want their brand to make to their customers. Branding is important but when it comes to logo design, think minimal to look big and remember that consistency matters more than anything.
2. Think global.
The beauty of the internet is that it makes almost anyone the world over a potential customer. Unless you also have a brick-and-mortar location you need to promote, being too hyperlocal can really limit your growth potential and alienate potential shoppers from outside your area. This applies to everything from your actual business name to your choice of photos.
3. Add a live chat widget.
Live chat isn’t just a trend, customers have come to expect it as a key way to interact with brands they love. The biggest concern I’ve heard from SMBs is that enabling live chat on their site will somehow chain them to their desk like a customer service agent but so many of them can allow you to set up automations and link to FAQs or help articles based on what people are asking. This leads us to...
4. Use automation to look like a superhero.
By now I think you may know about how much I love Zapier - and one of the biggest reasons why is that I can automate a ton of mundane tasks that make me look like I’m super on it, even if I’m not even at my desk. There are lots of other tools and apps that have automations that you can (and should) be taking advantage of. From email marketing workflows, the automated emails your eCommerce store sends out or your CRM, there are lots of ways to “set it and forget it” in the name of better customer service. (Looking for some new tech tools? Check out this post all about refining your tech stack or my resources page here for links to my recommendations.)
5. Branded email is your friend.
Email addresses are cheap. You have no excuse for using a Gmail email address for your business. Get GSuite for your brand and make sure everyone in your company has an email, plus general addresses for things like returns, shipping, orders, etc. If need be, you can even just use aliases to route those all to your inbox. No one needs to know that you’re the CEO, creative director, returns specialist, customer service agent, and shipping department! 🤣
6. Keep your inventory up to date.
Managing your inventory and keeping everything up to date is super important. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by this, you can always outsource it but it’s actually probably easier than you think to manage inventory or even fulfill orders yourself right from your phone. All of the eCommerce platforms have mobile apps that you can download on your phone or iPad that make it super easy to scan in new inventory as you receive it. Some of them even help you with shipping so that’s a bonus, too!
7. Add a “Buy Now, Pay Later” option to your site.
Not only are "Buy Now, Pay Later" services super popular, but they also make your store look big! Adding one of these payment gateways puts you amongst big name brands which instantly shows everyone that you may be small but you mean business! All of the big providers in this realm (Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna) include merchants who use their services in their own special shopping portals, and having your name on their list is a definite perk!
8. Do what you can to stand out.
Many startups and SMBs fall into the trap of doing exactly what their competitors are doing, not just in terms of how they look and feel but even in their websites, products, and service offerings. Just because everyone else offers a certain package or has a specific feature on their website, does not mean you need to follow suit. Big brands aren’t afraid to be different and know that they will benefit from the courage to stand out. If things are feeling a little stale or too much like everyone else, sometimes something as simple as a website template switch can really give things new life!
