By Henry Brown

Everyone who’s in the small business game knows it’s not easy. And that’s being generous; all too often, it can seem very difficult indeed, always an uphill battle. Yet while it might seem that you’re working your hardest at the moment, it’s also true that you can do a little bit more – not by working harder, but by working smarter. By making a few small changes to how you work, you can inch your small business in the right direction.

Forever in network mode

You’re not going to build a small business all on your own. To reach the level that you want to reach, you need to be willing and able to work with others. But of course, the people who can help you along the way aren’t going to turn up at your office door and beg to do so; to find them, you’ll have to up your networking game. This doesn’t just mean attending trade shows and the like. It’s about always being in networking mode, always willing to talk shop, even if the environment wouldn’t normally call for it. For example, good connections can sometimes be made with the people you sit next to on a plane, so don’t just automatically put on your headphones to discourage conversation when traveling.

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There’s only so much you’re going to achieve if you’re sitting in front of a computer for hours on end. Sometimes, it’s much better to get out of the office, do regular life stuff, and make the most of the creative spark that changing your environment can bring. By putting your company through the process of digital transformation, you’ll have all of your important documents in cloud storage, which means you’ll be able to work wherever you are. If you feel like working when you’re watching the world go by as you sit in a coffee shop, you can simply grab your laptop and get down to business.

Keep a pen and paper handy

Technology is all good and well, but don’t forget that sometimes, the old school methods are the best ways to move your company forward. It’s always handy to have a pen and paper handy – you never know when you’ll have a killer idea for your business. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, thought of something that you’re convinced you’ll remember in the morning, only to find it’s left your mind come daybreak? With a pen and paper by your bed, this problem will be a thing of the past.

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You might be the one in charge, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything, even if you’re the only member of staff. You can work much more efficiently for your business if you’re not worrying about all the small but essential tasks, and instead, are taking care of things that involve your skills. You can do this by outsourcing some of your jobs to third-party companies, leaving you to get on with the things that’ll move your company forward.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.