The thought of starting a business is exciting to some. Then, during the next growth stage, the adrenaline really starts to pump.
Of course, there are risks to this approach that are well documented. Growing fast is exciting, and it can be lucrative – but you can grow too fast if you’re not careful.
Today isn’t about telling you what not to do in this regard. Instead, we’re here to provide you with some hard and fast tips to supercharge your business growth.
Get your finances in order
It should go without saying that one of the most important aspects of growing your business is ensuring that you have your finances in order. This means having a good understanding of your costs, income, and cash flow.
It’s also essential to have a good credit rating. This is something that a lot of businesses don’t appreciate. As they start to grow, there is a high probability that they will need to have larger lines of credit to ensure they can keep up with the increased strain on their finances that this growth prompts. Good credit can help with this and allow a much easier growth journey.
Make sure you have the right team in place for the future
You may have the right team for now, but what about when your growth plans come to fruition? Can you confidently say that your existing team is the right one to take this on?
For some businesses, this will be a pure numbers game. They need more people to deal with the increased plan. For others, it’s about going more granular, though, and getting a higher-skilled workforce to deal with a larger sized business.
Let’s not forget that this isn’t just about paying for new salaries – you’ll have to consider your new pension obligations and any additional indemnity insurance requirements that might be placed upon you.
Don’t neglect your existing customer base
As your business grows, it’s easy to get caught up in the new opportunities and new customers that you’re acquiring. However, it’s important not to neglect your existing customer base in the process. Let’s not forget that this group has stabilised your company and provided you with the platform you currently find yourself on.
As such, while a large proportion of your budget should be based on new customer acquisition, make sure that you have the means to cater for those who are already with you. If you have to invest more in customer service staff, do it. If you need more telephone lines, go for it. The worst thing you can do is place your entire focus on new customers; otherwise, that positive reputation you have amassed so far will evaporate.
Understand what marketing channels are working for you
A big part of growing a business is understanding which marketing channels work for you and which ones are not. To do this, you need to be tracking the results of all of your marketing activities.
Once upon a time, this would have been a daunting task. Now that many channels are digital, it’s much more straightforward.
