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3 Things Small Businesses Can Learn From Big Businesses

A small business can learn a great deal from what big companies do and the tools they use. This is simply because the Internet has leveled the playing field. Anyone, for example, can build a website, and it’s often difficult to distinguish whether a website–say, an eCommerce store–is run by a large or small company.

While both a small and large business might be in the same market, a large business has enormous advantages such as capital, resources and manpower. Still, a small company does have a few things going for it. For instance, it has more of a family-like atmosphere, can change quickly due to its lean structure, and can build rapid rapport with the customer.

So if you’re the owner of a small company, you’re unlikely to make millions from your business because you simply don’t have the resources. That said, if you can learn just a few things from a large company that you can incorporate into your own business,  you can still significantly increase your income.

  1. Cloud Computing

Big companies have realized that they don’t need to sink their capital into developing their own on-premise software. They can simply migrate to the cloud. According to some cloud ERP predictions for 2018, large companies will benefit from both artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data. While a small company doesn’t have the capacity to benefit from ERP, AI, or Big Data, it can still benefit from the cloud itself. For instance, it can use the cloud for collaborating with outsourcing companies, scale its business during a holiday season, or make decisions based on real-time data.

  1. Email Marketing

It’s a cliché to say that “the money is in the list,” but it’s still true.

Is there a difference between email marketing done by a large corporation and one done by a small company? Yes and no.

Yes, because a corporate blog usually knows how to capture email addresses. It has all sorts of opt-in forms and landing pages, as well as offers subscribers discounts and other incentives. Consequently, it’ll probably have a large number of subscribers.

No, because the emails themselves are similar. A small company has access to the same features a large business has: professional templates, graphics, and autoresponders.

S,o what can a small company learn from a big company when it comes to email marketing? Perhaps, it can learn to place an emphasis on finding several different ways to convert website visitors into subscribers.

Additionally, copywriting plays a huge role in corporate emails. For instance, the landing pages are written by well-paid copywriters to improve conversions. The email sequence, too, is often carefully thought out, with the first few emails creating rapport while the subsequent emails balance out the content with promotions. It’d be beneficial for a small company to learn how to write persuasive landing page copy, as well as how to strategically roll out its emails.

  1. Blogging

When it comes to blogging, large companies will actually try to develop the intimate quality that a small business blogger has with his or her audience. The Starbucks blog, for instance, isn’t written in a corporate or impersonal way. The concept behind the blog is simple: it’s written in the tone of people who love coffee wanting to help other people fall in love with it, too.

If there is anything a solo blogger can learn from a corporate blog, it is to appreciate that the friendlier, and more approachable a blog, the more readers will resonate with its content. Another thing it might learn is to create a publishing schedule so that it consistently turns out blog posts every month. Sometimes a single blogger can lack consistency in how much blog content is produced every month. In contrast, a large company will use staff writers,  freelance writers, and guest bloggers to consistently turn out fresh content on a predictable schedule.

In summary, a small company may not be able to use the cloud to the same extent as a large company, nor will it be able to capture as many email subscribers and turn out as much blog content, but it can still benefit from the cloud,  attract a large number of email subscribers, and  turn out consistent, high-quality blog posts. What a small company lacks in resources, it can make up for in terms of building intimacy with the target audience. It’d  be beneficial for a small company to notice what a big company is doing well and then mirror it, albeit on a smaller scale.

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