Is it time to grow your business? Your business is stagnant. You’re not growing, and yet you don’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done. Your revenues aren’t enough to afford more help, and you can’t take on any more yourself. It’s not that you don’t want to grow—you do. You fear you’ll eventually fail without growth. Your fears are well-founded. It’s time to take on more. Wait—hear me out. I know you don’t have time to take on more, but I have a plan. A plan I’ve seen work.
How to Grow Your Business and Have More Free Time
Not Enough Hours in the Day
How much time do you spend prospecting, selling, and finding new clients, twenty, thirty, or forty percent of your time? What if you could free up some of that time and use it more productively? More time to do the things you love about your work. May I share a story?
I was VP of operations for a remodeling company doing a modest volume of business. In just a few short years, the company doubled in size, then doubled again. When the company was smaller, the owner worked in the business. After it had grown, he worked on the business.
When it was smaller, he worked 12-16 hours every day, except Sunday, but as it grew, he worked less. He eventually worked regular business hours and was able to spend one or two weekends every month in Florida. How did he accomplish this? He added products to serve his satisfied, loyal, and happy customers. Granted, he started by offering one superior product and excellent service to build a loyal customer base, but once established, he looked for other ways to help his customers. He found it was less expensive and less time-consuming to reach out to customers who already trusted his company. Is it time to for you offer additional services and products to your existing customers?
How Else Can You Help YOUR Customers?
What other products or services could you offer your customers? What problems do they share that you could solve? Don’t get me wrong—you can’t do it all yourself, but if the demand is there, you can outsource or hire help. And the beauty is that it takes very little advertising or marketing to make your customers aware of your added services.
Tell them about it – When you talk to customers face-to-face, online, or by phone, let them know what you’ve added. “By the way, Bob, we offer widgets now, so let me know if you ever have the need.”
Add it to your email signature – Keep it simple: “Ask us about our new product—widgets.” Send an email blast. Explain that you’ve added widgets to serve better serve your loyal customers. You could even add an introductory offer. “Order widgets from us before the end of the year, and save 10%.”
Add it to mail and shipping – Add a note or card to anything you ship or mail. “Did you know we now offer widgets?”
If you want to grow your business, start adding products or services that help your existing customers. The more problems you can solve and the more benefits you offer, the more loyal your customer base will become. Have you grown a business? How did you do it?
How Can I Help You?
I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment – I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
Does your business have a management training plan? Businesses and universities use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. I’m also available to conduct training.
