Do
you have a plan for business growth? It really helps to have a long term vision,
and a plan to make each of the small steps you can take to bring closer to that
final goal. First though, you need to be aware of your strengths and
weaknesses.
A Business Review
Take
a good look at how your business has been performing. Ask Office Assistants to help you
identify peaks and dips in profits and work out why. Where and how have you
been most successful? Have you made mistakes in the past? Did you learn from
them and make changes to turn things around? Are there still areas for concern?
So what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?
Overcoming the
Weaknesses
If
your weaknesses will hamper your chances of success, you must find a way to
address them. Perhaps you need to recruit new skills or approach potential
partners. But where will the money come from to attract and reward them?
Now
you must look at your strengths. They are there to be exploited, so you can aim
to build on what you are really good at. What makes your customers choose to
buy from you and return for more? If you don’t know, why not ask them? Issue
feedback forms and offer rewards for those who return them. Better still, make
a few phone calls to the really loyal ones.
When
you know what they think you are best at, find a way to do more of it and grow
your revenue that way. Then you will have more profit to invest in overcoming
your weaknesses and allowing even more growth.
Identifying and
Setting up the Small Steps
Always
remember that your best marketing tool is a good base of loyal customers, and
whatever you plan to do must keep them interested, satisfied and coming back
for more. They can help you find more customers by enthusing about your
products and services among their family, friends and social media networks.
One of your small steps could be to run a campaign in which you ask them for
referrals in return for a discount voucher.
Your
loyal customers can also let you know if they want more of the same and offer
ideas about what else they would like from you. Another small step could be to
decide whether to focus on developing what you already do, or whether to
diversify into new products and services.
Should
you invest in more advertising? Should you target new customer groups? Should
you stay local or expand geographically? What kind of internet presence do you
need? Don’t forget to keep tabs on your competition and how you can be different.
Phase
in the various small steps over time. You can’t do everything all at once. The
plan should remain dynamic, so make a point of reviewing it at regular
intervals to judge the rate of progress and make changes where appropriate.
Taking full advantage of Office Assistants
by involving us means you will always stay on top of your financial situation
and will gain the benefit of our ideas and experience as well.
