Big is Good, but Small is Critical

Did you know that there are 460,000 small businesses in New Zealand, and these businesses contribute to 30% of our annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  This is not only the case for NZ but most other OECD countries, even the USA. (MBIE, 2014)

So whilst it may be small business, it is important!

The Big !

A 2012 report by MYOB identified that Social Media in NZ businesses is on the slide and a case study by Bosna, Evans & Sawyer (2013) of small and medium businesses in Australia also found the step into the technology world has been slow.  When we look at the larger business however they seem to have taken to Social Media like ducks to water.

Take Air New Zealand as an example.  Log-in to Facebook and here are their customers posting pictures from planes showing great locations, they have a mobile app so you can check-in on-line, get updated flight information, updates that your flight is boarding and you can also subscribe to cheap grab-a-seat deals being sent to you daily encouraging you to plan your next trip. The list goes on…..

This is where big is good…..they have the resources to make this successful.  They have people employed to keep up to date with current technology, specific roles that do social media, and money to put into advertising and technology investments.

The Small !

So how can the little fish compete in the Social Media pond?

• Time – Most small businesses have a lack of this, particularly in tough financial times.  Somewhere in your work week you need to assign a window to address your online presence.  How about a team meeting and get staff involved, they may have ideas and things they want to try that you haven’t thought of.

 

• Education – In any profession there is usually a requirement for continued learning.  This now needs to include the world of technology and the internet.  With the evolution of social media there is a limitless amount of information online.  Check out your competitors, look at how other business work successfully and remember most of the country is small business so the potential data mine that exists is huge.

 

• Get involved – Take that plunge into Social Media.  LinkedIn is a successful business social network that has been around since 2002.  It gives you the opportunity to promote your business and yourself, network with like-minded professionals and also access to a large human resources pool.

 

• Look for help –  Here in my home town of Wanganui our local council has established the Whanganui Digital Leaders Forum and one of their objectives is to get the community 100% connected.  They have been awarded the Smart21 Intelligent Community three years in a row and have just been selected for a pilot programme with AboutUs to assist in getting small local businesses online (AboutUs Launches in Whanganui).  They are essentially offering a free on-line toolbox to help your business get connected!

See, you can compete with the big fish! And, because small business is critical to our success there is lots of help out there to ensure you are on the right track to succeed.