PARTNER UP FOR EXTRA FIREPOWER

The ongoing uncertainty around Brexit has created a challenging environment for small businesses. Many have put expansion plans on hold as they focus on the struggle to simply survive.

Small businesses can lack the firepower to compete against the bigger, established brands. But partnering with a bigger platform can be a way to help you grow and compete against household names.

Platforms such as Groupon can be a good marketing tool that lets smaller firms reach a bigger potential client base, which will drive more sales.

We’ve teamed up with Jon Wilson, managing director of Northern Europe at Groupon, for his three top tips for small businesses considering a partnership.

1

Think about what you want to achieve from the partnership. All businesses are looking to achieve different things, whether that is to increase sales, attract a new demographic or boost online presence. Clear, measurable goals are an essential tool for success and means you can track your progress. 2 Identify the tools that will help you achieve your goals. We, for example, can take a lot of the complexity and cost out of essential business tools such as search engine marketing, search engine optimisation and geo-location so that businesses have a partner who is ahead of consumer buying trends and tech, leaving them to focus on what they do best, which is running their business.

3

Be realistic about what you can provide. Set limits on the number of vouchers that can be sold and control how the deals can be used. An influx of customers and increased demand for your services is great but make sure you have the capacity to handle it.