15 Ways To Increase Sales for Your Small Business

Rising costs, tight competition, and shifting consumer habits make one thing clear—small businesses can’t afford to coast. Sales need to grow, not just stay steady. If you’re running a business and wondering how to grow your numbers without throwing money at the problem, you’re in the right place. These 15 ideas aren’t fluff. They're practical business moves that work.

1. Simplify the Purchase Process

If it takes more than a couple clicks to buy something, you’re losing sales. Customers expect speed, clarity, and options. That means clean checkout pages, clear pricing, and no hidden surprises. Make it easy to say yes, and people will.

It’s not just about digital experience. Even brick-and-mortar shops benefit from tighter workflows—shorter lines, faster invoicing, and less friction in the decision-making process.

• Use one-page checkout for online purchases
• Display pricing and features clearly
• Offer mobile payment options or contactless in-store checkout
• Accept multiple payment methods including financing or "buy now, pay later" options

When buyers know what to expect and how to act, they move faster. Simplifying the path to purchase turns intent into action.

2. Rethink Your Best-Selling Products

Your top sellers aren’t just popular—they’re signposts. They tell you what your customers actually want. Use that data to make smarter decisions. Expand those offers. Bundle them. Improve the margin. Build marketing campaigns around what already works.

Don’t just track units sold. Look at profit, repeat purchases, and cross-sell performance. You might find your best-seller isn’t the flashiest item—it’s the one keeping you afloat.

• Create bundles or upsell add-ons for best sellers
• Highlight these products in email and social ads
• Adjust pricing to test for better margins
• Introduce loyalty perks tied to repeat purchases

Understanding why certain products sell gives you leverage. Double down on what works instead of chasing guesses.

3. Improve Your Offer, Not Just the Price

Most small businesses undercut themselves by dropping prices instead of improving the offer. It’s easier—and smarter—to add value than give a discount. Throw in faster shipping, better support, limited-time bonuses, or exclusivity. Price is just one piece of the buying decision.

Customers rarely choose solely on price. They choose based on perceived value. Adjusting the offer sharpens that perception.

• Add free training, setup, or onboarding
• Offer extended warranties or guarantees
• Create limited-edition bundles or member-only perks
• Include a value comparison chart in your sales material

When the offer feels strong and easy to understand, customers don’t need convincing. They just need a reason to act now.

4. Use Scarcity the Right Way

People take action when something’s about to disappear. But fake urgency kills trust. Use real scarcity—limited stock, time-bound offers, or small batch production. And communicate it clearly. Transparency matters more than hype.

Scarcity should support the product’s value, not create false panic. Used well, it helps customers decide faster without feeling pressured.

• Use low-inventory alerts for popular products
• Set real expiration dates on offers or bonuses
• Limit registrations for events or services to keep quality high
• Include a counter of items remaining (only if accurate)

Genuine scarcity encourages quicker decisions. Done right, it drives urgency without undermining trust.

5. Upgrade Your Follow-Up

Most small businesses stop after one email. That’s a waste. A thoughtful follow-up sequence can recover abandoned carts, convert past browsers, and upsell recent customers. Set it, test it, and keep improving it.

The magic is in the second and third touches. Buyers rarely convert on the first one. Keep the tone human. Keep the message short. And focus on one action per message.

• Use automated cart abandonment emails
• Send personalized thank-you and upsell messages
• Re-engage inactive customers with special offers
• Use SMS for fast, direct follow-ups

When follow-up is consistent and useful, it builds momentum. Missed opportunities turn into closed deals.

6. Offer Financing or Flexible Payment Terms

Cash flow is tight for everyone right now. If customers can split payments or get short-term financing, they’re more likely to move forward. Especially for big-ticket services or high-margin products, flexible terms can make the difference.

You don’t need to become a bank. Offer options through third-party platforms or use invoice factoring internally when appropriate. 

• Offer "buy now, pay later" options through trusted partners
• Use net-30 or net-60 terms with vetted B2B clients
• Display monthly payment breakdowns on high-cost products
• Make financing terms clear on your sales page

Flexible payment terms remove the last friction. They turn hesitancy into action without crushing margin.

7. Strengthen Your Referral Engine

Referrals convert better than cold traffic, and they cost less too. Build an actual system around them. Give customers an incentive. Make it easy to share. Track who sends you the most. Then double down on what’s working.

Referral systems should feel rewarding, not spammy. A well-executed referral program turns satisfied customers into salespeople.

• Offer gift cards, cash, or account credit for referrals
• Include referral links in post-purchase emails
• Reward top referrers with exclusive perks or recognition
• Use a simple dashboard or system to track referrals

When the referral experience is smooth and rewarding, customers sell for you—and feel good doing it.

8. Refresh Your Website

Your website doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to sell. Is it fast? Mobile-friendly? Easy to navigate? If it’s cluttered or confusing, you’re leaking sales. Test it like a customer would. You’ll spot the friction points fast.

Modern buyers expect clean design, clear value, and no roadblocks. Removing just one layer of friction can lift conversion rates fast.

• Use clear CTAs on every page
• Improve product imagery and descriptions
• Compress images to speed up load times
• Use real customer testimonials and reviews strategically

9. Build a Real Email List

Social media reach comes and goes. Email is yours. Use it to connect, sell, and educate—on your terms. If you’re not collecting emails and sending regular messages, you’re missing the highest-ROI marketing channel available to you.

Don’t just collect addresses. Deliver value. Give people a reason to stay subscribed and open every email.

• Use pop-ups or embedded forms on your website
• Send value-first emails with tips, insights, or offers
• Segment lists by customer type or activity
• Automate follow-up sequences for new subscribers

When the list is engaged and segmented, email turns into a personal sales engine—not just a newsletter.

10. Sell to Past Buyers First

The fastest way to increase sales is to sell more to the people already buying. That means better upsells, smarter product suggestions, and strong post-sale support. Don’t ignore your best source of revenue—your steady cash flow customers. 

Retention costs less than acquisition. And a happy customer is far more likely to buy again if you offer something relevant and helpful.

• Use purchase history to offer targeted upgrades
• Send reactivation offers to lapsed customers
• Bundle complementary products for added value
• Offer loyalty rewards or early access to new products

When you invest in current customers, you get higher returns with less marketing spend.

11. Train Your Team to Sell

Whether it’s on the floor, on the phone, or through email, your team should know how to spot buying signals and guide customers toward a solution. You don’t need hard sales tactics. Just real listening, clear explanations, and confident recommendations.

Even basic product knowledge and better communication can turn browsers into buyers faster.

• Teach staff to ask open-ended questions
• Run mock sales scenarios monthly
• Review common objections and how to answer them
• Track and reward individual sales performance

A confident, prepared team closes more deals. Training is a revenue driver, not a nice-to-have.

12. Partner With Complementary Businesses

You don’t have to do it all alone. Look for brands or businesses that serve the same audience without competing. Co-market a product, cross-promote, or create bundled services. Smart partnerships can get you in front of warm leads fast.

The right partnerships extend your reach without adding marketing overhead.

• Bundle products/services with nearby businesses
• Co-host webinars or in-person events
• Share email lists for coordinated campaigns (ethically)
• Trade guest posts or social spotlights

Collaboration brings exposure, credibility, and momentum—without a big budget.

13. Use Social Proof Where It Matters

People trust people more than brands. Show the reviews. Highlight real customers. Use photos and video when you can. If you’ve got testimonials gathering dust, move them front and center. Don’t expect people to dig for trust signals—put them where decisions happen.

Good social proof addresses objections before customers even voice them. Use it like a pre-emptive sales tool.

• Display reviews near pricing or checkout areas
• Use before-and-after photos or success stories
• Highlight media mentions or third-party ratings
• Feature customer-generated content on social and site

When customers see proof that others succeeded, they picture themselves succeeding too. That’s what drives conversions.

14. Test One New Offer Each Quarter

Don’t guess what will work—test it. That might mean a new service tier, bundled pricing, or seasonal promotion. Small changes often drive big results. Just don’t change everything at once. Keep the experiments clean and track results carefully.

Iterating regularly keeps your offer fresh and responsive to market shifts.

• Run A/B tests on email subject lines or landing pages
• Test new bundles or limited-time promos
• Survey top customers about what they’d pay more for
• Evaluate results quarterly and scale what works

Consistent testing prevents stagnation. One win per quarter adds up fast.

15. Secure Working Capital to Execute

All these strategies take energy—and often, a bit of cash. Whether you need to increase inventory, hire support, or fund marketing, having access to flexible credit lines lets you move fast. Don’t wait until you’re boxed in. Move early.

BusinessCapital.com helps small businesses secure funding that matches their pace. If you’re looking to act on one of these ideas, apply online here or call 877-400-0297.