Small Business Resources Limited? Use What You've Got!

Are you a small business owner with limited resources? Then use what you've got to grow business and be green.

In my professional consulting, business owners oftentimes think the answer to their problem is external to the business. For instance, “If we had this software or this resource, then, we could reach our goals". Business owners looking to build business sustainability or "go green" is another example. Integrating environmental awareness into the core business practices is viewed as something that is in addition to what the business is already doing. Read on, and you'll discover that is not the case!

Small business owners can build business sustainability while leveraging and utilizing the tools and resources currently available within the business.

The Internet: Utilize social media to promote brand reputation, generate inbound sales leads, and engage with prospects and customers. Effective use of social media is an opportunity for your business to engage in conversation by publishing information, promoting others, and engaging with stakeholders. Engaging stakeholders is not only a means of building sustainable business, but it is also a powerful way to harness and drive an effective social media campaign.

Maximize your sales force: Your sales team not only sells your products and services, but also provides feedback as to how a product or service is received in the market. Reciprocal communication between client and your sales force enables stakeholder engagement and ongoing dialog of positive and negative impacts of the company’s products and services.

Manage your energy and water consumption. Benchmarking your current energy and water consumption while employing methods to reducing consumption brings eco awareness to the workplace. Sustainability concepts are introduced to employees, customers, and suppliers that bring value to the organization and also broaden and expands sustainability concepts into the communities and lives of the individuals. Imagine the ripple effect in action here.

These are just three examples of the small business resources currently available to assist business owners in building a sustainable business. As a sustainability consultant, I encourage you to revisit your current resources to see how you can best utilize them to promote your business as well as benefit the environment.