Saturday Growth Series

What is business growth?

A year ago, I started a Saturday morning business series focused on starting a business -- Saturday Startup Series (SSS). I shared each week's post on my Crosscutter Enterprises website on the publications page.

Last week, this series came to an end with the successful launch of your business. Once a business launches, the focus transitions to three things: growing, scaling, and improving the business.

Much like starting a new business, these three areas are equally broad and detailed -- perhaps more so.

Do you have a business growth mindset?

If a growth mindset, in people, is a belief in oneself that your abilities can be developed, then a business growth mindset is focused on the business’s abilities and not a person’s.

A business growth mindset is the belief of a business that it's fully capable of growing and is fully responsible for its own growth.

Sales practices have come a long way, haven't they? Or have they?

Sales, in the beginning, was done through markets and bazaars, where vendors would set up "stalls" to sell their wares.

Over time, established shops became a norm, and some peddlers took to the road with their wares in carts. Then, catalog selling started to take hold.

The first invasive form of sales was door-to-door (D2D) sales, selling vacuum cleaners, cooking utensils, books and bibles, and other household necessities. Over time, all manner of products entered the D2D sales market.

Can cold calling be used as an effective sales method anymore?

In August 2008, I was retiring from the Air Force. I was approached by an oil and gas broker to come work for them. I had invested in working interests in oil and gas and had an understanding of the market. So, I joined the firm.

After two weeks of study and testing, I was certified. I went to work in the bullpen. It was a small company -- only about eight to ten people.

My first warning was when the President told me to watch Boiler Room to understand what they did. IYKYK.

You can't grow customers if you're still chasing ghosts!

Most businesses waste time, effort, and money chasing the wrong people. But the sales team is busy, so they often don't realize how important conversion actually is.

They boost posts to “everyone.”

They try to serve “anyone.”

They end up attracting “no one.”

Have you ever played the game where you try not to attract other magnets?

Attracting leads for your business is one of the most challenging aspects of business.

Are you treating your prospects like a pipeline or a lottery ticket?

Today, let’s break down what actually happens between attracting potential customers and closing a deal.

From Attraction to Close (and beyond)

Who has the customers you want, and how could you work together?

That’s what this Saturday Growth Series is all about: finding practical ways to grow your business.

One of these ways to grow quickly is by building strategic partnerships and alliances.

Who’s talking about your business when you’re not in the room?

That’s why I'm doing this series -- to give you practical ways to grow your business beyond cold calls and wishful thinking. And there’s no strategy more valuable than a referral!

Referrals aren’t just another lead.

They’re gold.

How do you start building your marketing funnel and sales pipeline?

When you start out with your new business (as a solopreneur, partnership, or micro business) you often don't have a dedicated marketing and sales team. This means that the role falls to you and the few team members you might have.

Often, business owners end up hiring marketing consultants to little effect other than filling you with leads that never convert -- basically a waste of your time.

This (below) is a simple tool I’ve shared with many new business owner clients. It's a way to easily track your marketing and sales efforts every week. No fancy software; just a simple sheet of paper.

How are you leveraging online systems, platforms, and tools to grow business?

Today, there are many different online venues that you can use to market and grow your new business. Most of them are ignored by small businesses. Most of those who use them use them poorly.

The digital marketing space has a wide range of various tools. These include the obvious, like websites, blogs, podcasts, social media, and search tools. But they also include less-known things like membership platforms, apps, streaming television, and review sites.

Want to learn about "Beyond the Booth Marketing?"

I'm sure, at some event, you've seen a marketing booth. Whether it be a single table at a networking event, or a full blown exhibition hall during a conference, you've probably seen this and maybe even participated in the marketing.

Obviously, setting up a "table" at an event can be a good way to conduct some face-to-face marketing activities, and even a little selling, where possible.

What if your website closed the deal for you, without involving a salesperson?

That’s the goal, isn’t it?

Build a business that attracts the right people, earns their trust, and gives them everything they need to confidently buy -- without ever needing a live demo, a phone call, or a pitch deck.

And today, that’s more possible than ever.

How do you continue to grow after you've gained new customers?

But what happens next?

More customers are great, but they're not the only path to revenue growth, just the first.

Are you making money off of everything possible in your company?

To monetize something means to earn revenue from something.

In your business, you could be sitting on not just one, but several gold mines, and you just weren't aware of it.

How do you capture more wallet share from existing customers?

Are you leaving money on the table with customers who already trust you?

When we think about business growth -- more revenue -- we often jump straight to new customers. Hence, why I focused the first part of this Saturday Growth Series on growing customers.

However, once you've established several customers, there's an easier, often more profitable path to revenue generation -- offering more to the customers you already serve.

What if the next product you launch brings in a whole new audience?

... and that leads them right back to what you already sell?

Are you building a business that solves a one-time problem, or one that grows with your customers over time?

When you think about adding new products or services, it's easy to focus on what's flashy or different. But one of the most powerful reasons to expand your offerings is much simpler -- it helps you stay relevant longer.

What happens if your best (or only) product suddenly stops selling?

That's a question most businesses don't ask until it's too late.