GROWTH STRATEGIES

1 ~ Direct Targeting

Identify and personally contact target groups that can benefit from and spread the message about your offering.

E.g. if you landscape indigenous bird-friendly gardens, then birdwatching groups, and game lodges may benefit from your personal approach. If you run a transport business, connect with complexes where the landlord can give you a headsup on tenants giving notice.

This also includes professional organisations that govern or support your industry, your competitors and complimentary services.

With a plan, Google and a Telephone there is a LOT you can do.

1. Understand your Target Market

2 ~ Social Media

Facebook, Instagram etc. are how social groups communicate now. Good & bad news can go viral in minutes, it's a source of social proof.

You build an audience if you post relevant information regularly, follow the protocol of supporting other small businesses in your area, and reposting information congruent with your brand.

Social Media must be used in an integrative way (supporting the brand, looping between website & media, and continually building a follower base).

Using the Facebook Pixel (or Adwords re-marketing) can also increase your audience and your conversion rate. Also see our Facebook blog articles.

1. See our Facebook Page here

3 ~ Blog & E-mail Campaigns

Help your target market even if no immediate sale is on the cards, else your small business will stagnate. You know a LOT about what you offer and about your target market. Educate, share resources or solve problems experienced by your market via newsletters sent to your Database, or via Blog posts (or both).

Apart from building an audience who'll benefit, your personal style will naturally select more of your ideal clients. Newsletters must be sent consistently, follow privacy & unsubscribe protocols and use a program to track the performance of each newsletter.

Articles and newsletters should include links to the relevant pages on your website, which will help build traffic.

1. Learn about our Newsletter

4 ~ Complex Growth Strategies

And then there are the big gun strategies, not for the faint-hearted:

Diversify your offering, open another branch, franchise it, license it where appropriate, buy out a competitor, integrate with your supply chain, target new markets or go into cooptition alliances with other businesses.

Target large corporate or governmental clients if you can stomach it.

But before you start thinking of such complex growth strategies (and especially if they make your head hurt at this stage!), make sure you've aced the first 3 steps and that you are crystal clear about your distinguishing factors.

1. Learn about USPs & Niches

ASK YOURSELF...

• What do you resist delegating?
• Does your website bring in money?
• Do you connect with your market via social media & newsletters?
• Do you use complaint sites (e.g. HelloPeter, Tripadvisor) to your advantage?

READY, STEADY, GROW

To ensure your business' best chances of survival, have a solid foundation in place before you embark on growth projects.

In our experience, the key shift required before businesses can seriously grow, is the owner's willingness to delegate and outsource - without this, real growth will harm you.

Take stock and take action. Start off by ensuring you have a top class photo portfolio for your business. We also find that most clients who approach us for help with advanced growth strategies still need to get their operational systems and processes bedded down - use our general business consulting services to help you, or use our administrative support services to help you eradicate an admin backlog to remained focused and flexible throughout the growing pains.

If you want real growth, learn to outsource and delegate - try it right now ;)