Owning a small business requires dedication, hard work, and a few juggling skills. The reality is there is so much that goes into successfully running a business that it can be difficult to keep track of everything that needs to get done. Oftentimes, this means less pressing matters get pushed down the list of priorities and may end up getting overlooked or done hastily to move on to more urgent issues. This can in turn cause damage to your productivity, sales, and/or customer service.
It is no secret that small businesses have limited resources in terms of both manpower and budget. However, as a small business owner, it is necessary to delegate work to others in order to improve efficiency and boost productivity. So how can you help accomplish projects on your small business’ to-do list while still focusing your talent and energy on the work that matters most to you?
What Do Project Managers Offer to Small Businesses?
Consider outsourcing a project manager to address specific goals you want to address for your business but that you may just not have the time or knowledge to deal with yourself. A project manager can bring specialized understanding, knowledge, and experience in a variety of different areas of business that can benefit your company.
Project managers do not just know how to do the work but also how to achieve success through planning, budgeting, and setting a timeline that works for you and your needs. Managing projects important to your business takes effort not only to ensure the work is done well but that you do not overspend and under deliver. A project manager can work alongside you to develop and strategize the right plan for your company to reach your desired results.
You are good at what you do. As a small business owner, you provide a product or service to your customers and have a passion for the work you do; but running a successful small business entails a number of other responsibilities that can be overwhelming and burdensome without the right help. You can easily get sidetracked attending to issues and concerns that are not in your wheelhouse leading you to neglect the work that matters most to you and your company. A Project Manager can help you take the reins on projects that may have been placed on the back burner or ignored but could turn out to provide a huge boost for your business and sales.
5 Types of Projects PMs Can Help Small Businesses With
While some business owners may have a firm grip on where they need help, others may just feel weighed down with all of the work that needs to be done. In these cases, a small business owner may have trouble identifying what areas would most benefit from the help of a project manager. There are some common business areas that are best suited for assistance from an outsourced project manager. These are areas that business owners may often overlook, procrastinate, or put little effort into optimizing and updating as their businesses grow and change. However, these five project areas can prove to be essential to the growth and success of your small business now and in the future. With the help of a project manager, these types of projects can yield results quickly for your business which can mean higher brand awareness, more customers, and more sales.
Project Management to Generate Leads
As a small business, it can be difficult to find new and exciting ways to bring attention to your product or service and improve lead generation. A project manager can help you manage a campaign to generate high-quality leads which will ultimately result in conversions and new customers for your company. An experienced project manager can review your current lead generation process and identify and address ways in which you can increase leads for your business.
This could be done by providing updates to your current strategy or a complete overhaul of how you reach potential new customers. You will work alongside the project manager to provide the goals and direction you wish to take when tackling lead generation. A fluid and seamless pipeline to generate leads will allow your business to build and grow. A project manager will help you ensure there are no miscommunications or cracks in the lead generation process which could result in lost sales or connections.
Updates to Your Website & Content By A Project Manager
It is common for many small business owners to consider their website done once it has been published to the internet. This misconception can be detrimental to a business’ attempts to remain relevant and visible among their current and prospective audience. A business website must be constantly updated and added to, in order to keep customers engaged.
A project manager can help you keep your website running smoothly and appealing to your customer base. Through design elements, structure, navigability, and content a project manager can help turn your small business website into an immersive experience for your visitors. By providing them with the most up to date information they are looking for and direct them to the products or services most relevant to them and their needs.
A project manager can help your website with:
- Placement of images or photographs relevant to your products or services
- Creation of content to provide value and interest for your customers
- Simplifying your overall web design for ease of use and navigation
- Improvement of overall user experience
- Address technical concerns or bugs that may be slowing your site
Create or Renovate Your Company Referral Program with a Project Manager
Customers are the backbone of every business; without them, there would be no work to do. Yet, many small businesses do not have a referral program and if they do those programs are often outdated and hard to find. The effectiveness of referral programs is two-fold; on one hand, you will be keeping your current customers happy by providing them a special offer, and on the other hand, you will be gaining new leads and potential clients that can eventually become loyal customers adding to your bottom line.
A dedicated project manager can help you implement an engaging customer referral program to encourage your customers to not only keep doing business with your company but also share their love for your products and services with their family and friends. A project manager can create your referral program from start to finish, allowing you to focus your energy and efforts on converting the new leads and benefits created by the program.
Project Management for Updates to Customer Service Procedures
Customer satisfaction is vital to your reputation and growth as a small business. It is inevitable that over time your business practices, vision, and even services or products will change. It is important that as your company changes and renews itself, that the procedures taken to engage with customers align with your current goals and needs.
A project manager with specialized knowledge in customer service will review with you your current customer service procedures and assist you with updating and implementing the best changes needed to keep up with your current business situation. Through improvements in areas such as technology, software, customer service handbooks and guides used by staff, or the creation of training programs for representatives of your business; there are a number of ways that a project manager can be utilized to help you keep your customers satisfied while taking into account your company’s budget and capabilities.
Revamp Your Advertising & Marketing Strategy With the Help of a Project Manager
If you are feeling like your current advertising or marketing campaigns are falling short a project manager can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to promote your business. Advertising and marketing costs can vary widely from one small business to another; however, you can work with a project manager to set your budget and expectations to create a marketing strategy that has the most potential to bring you increased business and sales without breaking the bank.
Should You Hire a Virtual Project Manager For Your Small Business?
The thought of hiring a project manager for your small business may not even cross your mind and if it does you are likely assuming it is beyond what your company can afford. The truth is that hiring an in-person project manager is cost-prohibitive for the majority of small businesses. It is estimated that project managers earn an average of $110,000 to $120,000 per year. That is well out of the budget for most small business owners who need help tackling specific projects but not enough to justify a full-time addition to their staff.
A Virtual Project Manager can help your business with the specific projects and tasks that you are too busy to address yourself but that need to get done for the betterment of your company. Instead of committing to a full-time staff member, you have the freedom and flexibility with an outsourced project manager to only hire out the work and time needed for the completion of the project. This gives you control over the money spent on a particular project as well as the ability to hire a project manager with the knowledge and expertise required for different areas of your business.
If you are looking for a Project Manager to help your small business build from within and succeed contact us at Zirtual. We will help connect you with one of our professional and experienced virtual project managers that will assist you with your company’s growth and success.