22 Small Business Tips To Grow Your Business (2027)

This post is for information only. You are responsible for reviewing and using this information appropriately. This content doesn’t contain and isn’t meant to provide legal, tax, or business advice. Requirements are updated frequently and you should make sure to do your own research and reach out to professional legal, tax, and business advisers, as needed. To sell products using the Shopify platform, you must comply with the laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers, the Shopify Terms of Service, the Shopify Acceptable Use Policy, and any other applicable policies.

Running a small business means deciding how much to spend today and how much to set aside for growth. A new marketing campaign or hire has to fit a budget that also covers day-to-day expenses.

In LocaliQ’s 2026 Big Small Business Marketing Trends Report, 66% of respondents expected economic uncertainty to be somewhat or very challenging in 2026. Another 59% expected it would be difficult to attract new leads and customers.

This article contains 22 small business tips, with expert advice from entrepreneurs, to help you make informed spending decisions and find new ways to grow your business.

Sharpen what you sell

Define who you serve, refine your products, and give customers reasons to buy again:

• Narrow your focus
• Build a brand
• Create immersive product experiences
• Consider subscriptions for recurring revenue

1. Narrow your focus

Focus your products and marketing on a vertical market, such as skincare, then identify a customer need within it. Guide product development with that information.

“You absolutely have to understand your niche,” says Simon Donato, founder of oatmeal brand Stoked Oats, in an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. “We had a really strong community straight out of the gate of health-conscious, athletic individuals as early adopters. We’ve since blown it wide open and now it’s just health-conscious consumers, but it certainly gave us our niche to expand from.”

Ask customers what frustrates them about the products they currently use. Short surveys and direct conversations can reveal problems worth addressing. Prioritize recurring complaints, then ask customers to test improvements and share feedback.

Tools like Keywords Everywhere can help you research search interest in products related to those needs.

2. Build a brand

A strong brand conveys your company’s values, mission, and personality, helping it stand out from the competition. Determine what makes your small business unique, then use consistent visuals and messaging across your website, packaging, and marketing.

“Prioritize one thing [about your brand] and repeat that story everywhere: on your website, on social media, email, SMS, in your elevator pitch—repeat that story everywhere you go,” says Claudia Snoh, cofounder of coffee concentrate company Kloo.

If sustainability or ethical sourcing guides how you make your products, make those practices part of your brand story. Explain the specific choices involved, such as using certified materials. Link to the relevant documentation so customers can check your claims.

Shopify has free tools for creating and updating your brand assets:

• Free business name generator
• Free logo maker
• Free slogan maker
• Free business card maker

3. Create immersive product experiences

Customers want to know exactly what they’re buying before they click “Purchase.” Immersive experiences like augmented reality (AR) or 3D-rendered product views let them see or visualize your product in their world.

That might mean letting them “try on” glasses virtually or place a digital version of your furniture in their home. These tools help customers assess a product’s appearance and size before buying. On Shopify, you can add 3D models to product pages using a compatible theme.

4. Consider subscriptions for recurring revenue

One of the biggest struggles small businesses face is maintaining a steady income. Fluctuations in sales can make it hard to predict cash flow.

If this is you, consider implementing a subscription business model to encourage repeat purchases. Think about what types of subscriptions make sense for your business. Options include exclusive access, regular product deliveries, or ongoing services that provide consistent value.

“We actually wanted to create a huge incentive for subscriptions to really increase and encourage higher lifetime value,” says Claudia of Kloo, who implemented a flat-rate discount to encourage conversion.

Manage your money

Check whether your business can cover upcoming expenses before committing more money to growth:

• Line up funding before you need it
• Price for profit, not just for sales
• Find ways to cut costs
• Understand cash flow
• Track the numbers that show if the business is healthy

5. Line up funding before you need it

Explore funding when a cash forecast shows that a planned expense will exceed available funds. For example, arrange financing for seasonal inventory well before the supplier’s deposit is due.

In the Federal Reserve’s 2026 Report on Employer Firms, 42% of financing applicants received the full amount they sought, while 22% received nothing. Researching options early gives the business time to adjust its plans if funding falls short.

In a Shopify survey of store owners conducted in the fourth quarter of 2025,* 79% said they use profits to self-fund growth and 62% said they also draw on outside funding.

Ask banks and credit unions about business loans or lines of credit. If you’re open to exchanging equity for funding, find investors for your business who understand your industry and growth plans.

In the US, SBA Lender Match helps businesses find participating lenders. Compare total borrowing costs, including interest and fees. Check repayment schedules and early-payment charges, then review any collateral or personal-guarantee terms.

Shopify Capital offers loans or merchant cash advances to eligible businesses in supported countries. Merchants can check available offers in the Finance section of Shopify admin and review the funding terms before applying.

6. Price for profit, not just for sales

Calculate the cost of making and selling each product before setting its price. Account for discounts and payment fees, then check how much each sale contributes toward overhead and profit.

In the US Chamber of Commerce’s Q2 2026 Small Business Index, 57% of small business owners named inflation as their biggest challenge. Review prices when supplier or operating costs change so higher sales still produce enough profit.

NYU Stern’s January 2026 US industry data reports gross margins of 26.31% for grocery and food retail, compared with 56.88% for apparel. These public-company figures provide context for how margins vary across industries.

Compare margins with businesses that sell similar products through similar channels. Track performance against previous months, too, using the same margin calculation each time. Gross margin covers product costs and net margin accounts for all business expenses.

7. Find ways to cut costs

Review expense categories in accounting software each month to identify spending worth reducing. Cancel unused software subscriptions and compare supplier quotes for recurring purchases.

Recheck shipping costs whenever carriers change their pricing. USPS’s July 2026 changes put published commercial Ground Advantage ounce tiers at the same price within each zone and revised dimensional-weight calculations. The ounce-tier change excludes negotiated commercial rates. Compare quotes using the package’s actual packed weight and dimensions.

Eligible merchants can buy discounted shipping labels directly in Shopify admin. Available carriers vary by location, and discounts vary by Shopify plan.

For inventory costs, Shopify Collective lets eligible stores sell products from other Shopify brands with no upfront inventory purchase. Suppliers fulfill orders directly, reducing the stock the retailer needs to hold.

Pickle brand Good Girl Snacks reduced spending on influencer fees by gifting products. “It’s created a lot of buzz and allowed for a lot of sales, while still maintaining a zero-dollar [customer acquisition cost], because we just gift, we don’t pay anybody,” says Leah Marcus, a cofounder of the company. When evaluating a gifting program, include the cost of products and shipping in the marketing budget.

8. Understand cash flow

Update the forecast weekly and follow up on overdue invoices. Set a cash reserve based on essential expenses and likely payment delays.

In a 2025 Shopify survey,* store owners cited waiting for consistent cash flow before scaling as their top regret, at 20%. Use a forecast to assess whether expansion leaves enough cash to cover existing commitments.

Keep business income and spending in separate accounts from personal finances. Make monthly account reconciliation part of your small business bookkeeping routine. Compare bank and credit-card statements with accounting records to identify missing or duplicate transactions.

Set aside money for taxes throughout the year, with an accountant helping estimate the amount and payment dates. The IRS provides guidance on estimated tax payments.

Shopify Balance gives eligible merchants a money management account for business payments and transactions. Additional accounts let merchants allocate funds for expenses such as payroll. Eligibility includes a physical residential address in the US or Puerto Rico.

Include debt repayments in the cash forecast and review any personal exposure. Among small employer firms carrying debt in the Federal Reserve’s survey, 59% used a personal guarantee to secure it. Review those obligations with a qualified adviser before taking on additional borrowing.

9. Track the numbers that show if the business is healthy

Review financial results monthly to spot falling margins or growing debt. Investigate changes against the business’s own targets and previous performance.

Use these three figures to assess profitability, available cash, and borrowing:

For example, if sales rise while gross margin falls, check whether heavier discounts or higher product costs reduced the profit earned from each sale.

Use matching calculations for industry comparisons. NYU Stern’s debt data reports debt-to-equity ratios using market-value equity.

Market your business

Evaluate marketing by the customers and sales it brings in. The following tips cover how to reach potential buyers and give existing customers reasons to return:

• Choose where your marketing budget goes first
• Build a community
• Create great content
• Build an email list
• Use social proof to sell

10. Choose where your marketing budget goes first

Prioritize channels that already bring in customers at a cost the business can afford. Reserve a smaller budget to test new approaches against a specific goal, such as first-time purchases.

Compare the costs and purpose of each approach:

• Organic marketing. Search-focused articles and product guides help people discover the business while researching a purchase. Budget for content production and allow time to earn visibility.
• Paid marketing. Advertising buys distribution and lets businesses test offers with a defined audience. Track acquisition costs and the profit generated by resulting orders.
• Social marketing. Posts introduce products and give customers a place to ask questions. Account for the time spent creating content and responding, plus advertising costs for paid promotion.
• Email marketing. Campaigns reach subscribers who have already expressed interest. Budget for software and content that encourages a first or repeat purchase.
• Partnership marketing. Creators and complementary businesses introduce products to their audiences. Costs can include commissions, partnership fees, or gifted products.

Review results before increasing spending. Include staff time and production costs when comparing channels.

11. Build a community

Build a community around an interest customers already share. A running brand, for example, could host a regular group run where participants meet one another and exchange training advice.

Use social posts to invite new participants and email to share event details. Ask members which activities they want, then use their feedback to plan future gatherings. For an online group, give members space to share their own experiences and answer one another’s questions.

“It’s really about tapping into the different communities and making their experience better and not necessarily saying we are the community,” says Nick West, cofounder of running apparel company Bandit. “The community is a lot bigger than Bandit, but how can we lift up that community?”

12. Create great content

Content is the bridge between you and your audience. It’s how they learn about you, build confidence in you, and ultimately decide to buy from you.

But “great content” doesn’t mean cranking out blog posts or videos just for the sake of it. Instead, it’s best to share useful, engaging, and authentic stories that resonate with your audience.

"The best education is education that people don’t know they’re actually learning from," says Aliyah Marandiz, founder of beauty brand Sugardoh. "They’re watching because they’re sucked into that satisfying element … then at the end they’re like, ‘Wait, I just learned how to sugar!’"

13. Build an email list

Email marketing offers one of the highest returns on investment among all small business marketing strategies. Of course, it can only be impactful if you have a list of people to email. So start gathering those addresses from day one. A great place to start is with a sign-up form on your business website.

For beauty brand The Body Deli, a consistent, thoughtful email strategy led to a six-figure subscriber list and became a significant sales driver. “Someone has opted into your business for a reason—they’re into you or they’re into your product,” says David Anton Parker, cofounder of the brand.

“Once they give you that valuable connection, it’s up to the entrepreneur to use it, and to work with them and to cultivate that relationship.”

14. Use social proof to sell

Customer reviews describe how a product performs after purchase. Ask buyers for specific feedback after they’ve had time to use it, and make recurring complaints part of product and service improvements.

Send follow-up emails inviting honest reviews on product pages or relevant platforms such as Google and Trustpilot. Invite feedback from customers regardless of whether their experience was positive or negative. With permission, feature customer photos and testimonials that accurately represent their experience.

Follow the FTC’s rules on reviews and testimonials. Businesses must avoid fake reviews and incentives conditioned on positive or negative opinions. Apply consistent moderation standards across ratings, and avoid suppressing negative feedback to misrepresent customer opinion.

If offering an incentive for an honest review, check the platform’s rules and make the incentive clear to readers. The FTC’s guidance requires disclosing incentives that could affect how people evaluate an endorsement.

Reward repeat purchases through a loyalty program and customer introductions through a referral program. For example, offer a discount to a referring customer after their friend completes a first order. Set rewards that leave enough margin on the resulting sales.

Use Shopify discounts to create percentage-off or free-shipping codes. Add expiration dates and usage limits, then review redemptions in the Sales by discount report.

For creator partnerships, Shopify Collabs helps merchants distribute gifts and discount codes. It also tracks affiliate sales and manages commission payments. Ask creators to clearly disclose gifted products and paid relationships in their endorsements, following FTC disclosure guidance.

Make buying and support effortless

Follow a customer’s path from browsing to checkout, then test how easily they can get help. Look for opportunities to simplify the experience:

• Make it easy to buy from you
• Provide great customer service
• Make sure you look good on mobile
• Build a great website
• Focus on omnichannel experiences

15. Make it easy to buy from you

Consumers are as busy as you are, so do everything you can to simplify your ecommerce checkout process. Sometimes, a great browsing experience is all that’s needed to attract and convert customers.

Reduce your number of form fields, eliminate unnecessary steps, and display the order summary on your checkout page. For payments, offer as many payment processing options as you can to make the checkout process more accessible.

Use a system like Shop Pay, which allows customers to check out with one tap. A study by a Big Three global management consulting company found Shop Pay increases checkout conversions by up to 50% relative to defaulting to a guest checkout process. Plus, it outpaces other accelerated checkout tools by at least 10%.

Make sure your website follows user experience design best practices. For example, your product or service pages should be clear, organized, and easy to navigate. Make your call-to-action buttons visible, add zoom or pan functionality on images, and be upfront about shipping fees on each page’s pricing section.

16. Provide great customer service

Nothing is more effective for customer retention than great customer service. Excellent customer service creates satisfied customers who are more likely to remain loyal to your brand and even refer it to family, friends, and colleagues.

A great way to provide high-quality customer service is to keep your finger on the pulse of your target audience. Stay on top of your social media DMs, and use tools like Shopify Inbox to let customers chat with you from your online store and in the Shop app. From Shopify Inbox, you can respond to customer messages and send product links, discount codes, and images.

Take time to review customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and make changes that help improve your customer experience. Once you’ve done that, ask customers to review your business on platforms like Google and Trustpilot. Doing this will help you build social proof, which can be a powerful revenue driver for a small business.

17. Make sure you look good on mobile

Mobile devices, excluding tablets, accounted for 51.48% of global website traffic in the second quarter of 2026, according to StatCounter data published by Statista.

Test the store on a phone, from opening a product page to completing checkout. Check that text is readable and buttons are easy to tap. Forms need to work with the mobile keyboard, and shoppers need to see shipping costs before paying.

Compress oversized images and remove pop-ups that cover product information or checkout controls.

18. Build a great website

Your website needs to load quickly and clearly communicate what you offer. Organize navigation around the products customers look for and make the next step clear on each page.

Make sure to:

• Check that visitors can find product details and move from browsing to checkout with minimal effort
• Use consistent fonts, colors, and tone of voice to build recognition
• Add testimonials or relevant certifications to help customers assess the business and its products

Activate two-step authentication for Shopify admin access and require it for staff accounts. Each person sets up their own authentication method, such as an authenticator app or security key. This adds a verification step that helps protect access if a password is stolen.

19. Focus on omnichannel experiences

An omnichannel strategy coordinates shopping across channels so customers can continue a purchase as they move between them. Keep product information and customer-service policies consistent across the online store and physical locations.

Review customer journeys to find where shoppers have to repeat information or lose access to earlier conversations. Give support staff access to the order details they need to answer questions across channels.

An order taken on Shopify POS appears on the same Orders page in Shopify admin as online orders. Shopify POS also syncs inventory across retail locations and the online store. When a customer asks online support about an in-store purchase, staff can retrieve the order from that shared record.

Work smarter as the owner

Handing off routine work gives you more time to assess where the business needs attention. Use these tips to reduce your workload and improve your business:

• Delegate, outsource, and make your first hire
• Automate repetitive tasks
• Keep an eye on your competitors

20. Delegate, outsource, and make your first hire

Outsource specialist work that takes hours away from running the business. Bookkeeping is one example: a bookkeeper can reconcile accounts and prepare monthly reports for the owner to review. Agree on the deliverables and deadlines before handing over the work.

For Shopify projects, the Shopify Partner Directory lists specialists in services such as store design and technical troubleshooting. Compare relevant work samples and customer reviews, then agree on the project scope and price.

About 35% of small businesses expected to add staff in the next year, according to the US Chamber of Commerce’s Q2 2026 Small Business Index.

For a first hire, define the responsibilities and expected results during the first month. Set a simple organizational structure so each employee knows who they report to and which decisions they can make. Calculate wages plus employer taxes and benefits. Budget for equipment and training, and set up payroll before the employee begins work.

Confirm worker classification before hiring. For US federal employment taxes, the IRS considers control over how work is performed, the financial arrangements, and the nature of the working relationship. Employment laws can apply additional tests.

21. Automate repetitive tasks

Automate routine updates and alerts that otherwise need manual checks. Choose a task with clear rules so the software can identify when to act and what to do.

Shopify Flow lets store events trigger automatic actions. For example, its low-stock notification workflow can send an email when inventory reaches a chosen threshold. Check the conditions and recipients before activating a workflow, then review its activity for missed or repeated actions.

AI business tools can also answer routine customer questions or draft content. For example, Shopify Sidekick can generate product descriptions from details supplied by the merchant. Check product facts and edit the wording before publishing.

“AI is an amazing tool that can be leveraged to facilitate certain things,” says Jeremiah Curvers, cofounder and CEO of mattress company Polysleep. “Really spend the time to ensure it makes sense for the user. Because it’s easy to pump gibberish that will not bring value to the user, and ultimately that will not help your brand.”

22. Keep an eye on your competitors

Compare businesses selling similar products to similar customers. Review their prices and delivery terms, then read customer reviews for recurring praise or complaints.

Use the findings to identify specific improvements to your own offer. For example, repeated complaints about confusing sizing information could prompt a review of your product measurements and size guides.

Record what changed and when, so a temporary promotion stays separate from a permanent price reduction. Revisit the research quarterly and after major competitor launches. Prioritize changes that address customer needs and fit the business’s budget.

*Based on a 2025 survey of 500 Shopify merchants conducted in English across Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States. Respondents were established merchants with two or more years on the platform. Results reflect the experiences of this specific sample and may not be representative of all merchants.