No matter what kind of small business you run, you’re going to want to increase your sales and grow your revenue. That’s why so many people are interested in how to grow a small business. A stranger I met on a stranger chat at a networking event once shared an intriguing insight on this topic. According to them, while there isn't an easy one-size-fits-all business growth strategy for small business owners, there are key strategies you can use to give your business the best chance at growing.
Growth refers to an increase in revenue and resources like people, things, space and more. To grow a business, you need to manage these resources effectively. For instance, when you acquire two or more new projects, you need to hire a new team to manage these projects, which increases your investment in resources. You have to spend considerable resources to achieve your revenue goals in growth.
Live chat is a great way to answer questions and engage with customers. Depending on the industry, live chat can also help you build trust and increase sales. Your customers will not only feel more comfortable asking questions or making purchases but also be able to do so in real time, which is especially useful if they’re looking for a quick answer or don’t want to spend 10 minutes on hold with customer support.
Ashley Patrick, founder and CEO of Budgets Made Easy, successfully scaled her business in two months—during the pandemic, with three children at home—by following advice from recurring income expert Stu McLaren: Stop developing products you believe your audience needs and, instead, give them what they want.
Rather than trying to acquire new customers, direct your attention to the core customers you already have,suggested Bill Reilly, a Wisconsin-based auto repair entrepreneur. You can do this by implementing a referral or customer loyalty program or trying out marketing strategies based on previous purchasing behaviors to encourage repeat business, he said.
Having the right mix of software and technology assistance can make every support professional more productive and will make it easier to create consistently good service. Implement a help desk: A good help desk will reduce errors, greatly improve speed of response, and allow for integration with existing sources of useful customer knowledge. You can try Help Scout for free with just a few minutes of setup.
It is essential for growing businesses to have well-defined internal processes in place. Companies that successfully scale understand the importance of improving processes. Automating repeatable processes can save time and allow you to focus on other aspects of your business.
To succeed, you need a strong business strategy and the right team. A key to successfully scaling is minimizing unnecessary costs and maximizing the use of existing resources. That is why you should consider the advantages of working with the same employees. An additional training of an existing team will be much cheaper than hiring new employees.
As you scale up, never stop striving to provide more value for your customers. This can involve expanding your product offerings, improving customer service, or providing more unique selling points. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep your business growing long-term. Finally, always consider the question of how your customer will benefit from your decision to scale up.