Quickfire marketing – Five questions you should be asking

Steve Hasler fires ideas bullets in his regular ‘Try This’ column

Asking questions will help you improve processes and streamline your systems as well as provoke inspiration across your team.

1 CAN WE DO THIS BETTER?
Follow each step of the customer journey and the behind-the-scenes processes. Question every element of your processes and invite your team to ask as many questions or challenge why things are done as they are. Is your team spending too much time on paperwork that could be cut down allowing them to focus on other tasks? Is the right data being collected? Could it be done electronically?

2 ARE OUR CUSTOMERS HAPPY?
Invite feedback from your customers to get their perspective on your business. Use printed feedback forms or send email surveys as a follow-up to their transaction. Keep a regular eye on online reviews. Ask your customers what they’d like to see in your store or how your service could be improved.

3 WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO OUR BUSINESS?
Print the SWOT analysis template at independentretailermarketing.co.uk/assets/swot.pdf and ask the team to list at least five factors for your store’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Many businesses have failed or come close to it because they did not recognise a changing market and adapt in time.

4 ARE WE SUSTAINABLE?
Just because you’re busy now doesn’t mean it will always be that way. Do you feel like you’re firefighting and out of control? Try to ensure you’re working on future business as well as dealing with the current workload. Once you’ve established your weaknesses and threats in the SWOT analysis, address each of these points and make plans to react as necessary.

5 IS MY TEAM HAPPY?
Do your staff enjoy their work? Do they feel like they are making a valid contribution to the business? To the community in general? Staff who feel valued and enjoy their work will build much stronger relationships with your customers and be of far greater benefit to your businesses.

Read more great ideas in full from Steve Hasler at independentretailermarketing.co.uk