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With so many consumers shifting toward digital options, many small businesses are still rethinking everything from offerings to operations. But being able to focus on your core purpose — what you do best, what your customers want from you, the unique value you provide to customers — requires leveraging technology. Leaders from Canva, Xero and Lawpath break it down in gif form.

During our Small Business Show, part of Salesforce Live: A&NZ 2021, we were able to get a broader look at shifts in small business. Peter Strong, CEO of the Small Business Council of Australia, explained some of the biggest small business focuses for 2021, including smarter use of technology. 

But we got into specifics when our helpful host Tobi Skovron — entrepreneur and CEO of CreativeCubes.Co — led a panel discussion on how small businesses have adapted and can continue to grow. In the final stretch of the discussion, a major theme was the importance of staying focused on customer needs and what your business does best, while letting technology handle the rest.

Focus on what you’re good at and the customer problems you’re solving

David tells Tobi what he’s learned about business resilience during COVID-19, emphasising throughout the discussion that success often requires a keen understanding of customer problems and the value you’re providing. Watch the full session.
Natasha explains to the panel how Lawpath stays in tune with customer needs by using data to spot trends, especially during unpredictable situations like COVID-19 lockdown. Watch the full session.

Make time for what you’re good at by putting technology at the core of your business

Rachael explains shifts they’ve seen in both consumer behaviour and business, emphasising the importance of small businesses finding digital solutions for consumers who are increasingly online. Watch the full session.
Natasha tells Tobi that it’s crucial to outsource specialist knowledge and use technology to work smarter. Still, you should balance technology-enabled efficiencies with the choices and flourishes that make your business unique. Watch the full session.
Backing up Natasha’s point, Rachael suggests taking advantage of the technology that’s available but to remember that the goal should be making your life easier and your work more efficient. Watch the full session.

Be ready to evolve for your customers – and remember that they want to support you

When asked to give advice to small businesses, David recommends setting aside time to think about what your business should be in the long term and how you can keep responding to changing customer needs. Watch the full session.
Rachael responds to the same question by reminding small businesses that COVID-19 has driven a shift back toward community and relationships, with consumers actively looking for ways to support small businesses. Watch the full session.

In a prescient moment before the panel, Peter Strong makes a point that’s similar to Rachael’s: customers recognise the value of small business and want you to succeed. Making better use of technology can free your business to focus on building the relationships that make small businesses so crucial to our communities, economies and everyday lives.

Ready to take action? Check out the on-demand episodes from Salesforce Live: A&NZ for Small Business Trailblazers to learn how you can put technology at the core of your business.