Although times are hard at the moment, as a business owner it’s imperative that you continue to focus on business growth and planning for the future.
Whether you decide to map out your action plan for one year or five is up to you. I work in quarterly chunks (90 days) which makes it easier for me to manage changes that unexpectedly pop up in life and business.
Navigating the business world might seem challenging at the moment but customers are still buying and the world is still turning. Being part of a like-minded community that supports and encourages through tough times is one of the primary reasons I started Woman Who.
What strategies can you put in place to grow your business?
Planning always comes top of the list for me. I enjoy mapping out the learning opportunities I offer to my Academy members as well as finding ways to make the Woman Who Achieves Awards bigger and better each year.
Setting goals or intentions will always have a place in business growth. Your goals allow you to map out action steps and work with timescales so you know when you have succeeded. Intentions, on the other hand, allow you to explore what’s possible for your business.
Here are a few areas where you might want to reflect and review:
Pricing – are you costing your products and services correctly or are you undercharging? It can be tempting in the current financial climate to slash prices or offer discounts but doing this devalues your business. When you value yourself and your business then your customers will value it too.
Promotion – are you being consistent in your marketing or have you dropped off lately? It’s a busy time of year for everyone but allowing your marketing to slide has an impact when you return to it. Building valuable relationships with your customers takes time, dedication, and commitment. If you plan to slow down let your audience know. Send them a newsletter, write a blog post, or schedule a few posts to go out on your social platforms. Rather than disappearing completely and leaving your customers wondering where you are, try reducing your marketing so it drips out over the next month or so but still stays consistent.
Review and refresh – successful entrepreneurs analyse their business from the foundation up so they know they are operating at full strength. You need to focus on what has worked and what might need to be refreshed. Now is the perfect time to be honest with yourself and make any changes necessary to see your business grow.
Professional development – do you actively learn new skills or boost your knowledge through webinars, courses, or books? In the Woman Who Achieves Academy, there are plenty of learning opportunities available to ensure you are looking after your professional development. Staying up to date with your industry news and ensuring your business stays relevant and at the forefront of customers’ minds is vital.
“Since becoming a member of the Woman Who Achieves Academy, I’ve built some fabulous relationships and gained valuable business knowledge and skills through attending the weekly and monthly networking events. I’ve got the opportunity to share my story in the next Woman Who book and became a Finalist in the Solopreneur awards.
None of this would’ve happened had I not made a decision to invest in my personal development.
I can highly recommend the membership which is a one-off lifetime investment that allows you to grow, develop and achieve business success with like-minded women and learn from Sandra’s personal experience which is incredible.” – Claire Cahill, Confidence & Leadership Coach, Accendo Coaching
What else can you focus on for business growth?
Getting new customers might be one of your main goals for growing your business, but don’t underestimate the power of your existing customer list.
- These people are your cheerleaders and can often be overlooked when trying to plan for the future. Spend some time asking your customers for testimonials or referrals.
- It’s also worth checking that your customer journey works – do you nurture them, inspire them, and ensure they have a positive experience?
- Looking after your customers should always be a high priority and they will thank you for being authentic, honest, and personal with them. Remember their orders, know their names, and listen to what they want and need, and they will stay loyal to you and help grow your business.
- Build amazing customer relationships and include confident brand awareness in your business growth strategy.
- When you focus on the positive you will attract a like-minded audience.
Do you want to be part of the Woman Who Community?
The Woman Who Achieves Academy is a fast-track environment of learning and support to help you power up your personal brand and get visible.
There are three levels of subscription:
- Academy Lite– for women in business who are just starting out on their journey and not quite ready or unable to devote the time just yet. This level provides all the learning, networking in the Facebook Group, a Directory entry, and an opportunity feature on the Woman Who Chat Podcast.
- Academy Gold– for women in business who are ready to power up their personal brand and get visible through the opportunities created.
- Academy Platinum– for women in business who want to accelerate their business growth and visibility through public speaking and includes a monthly Mastermind.
“Joining The Woman Who Achieves Academy has been, by far, the best business decision I made for a very long time! The Academy is home to a motivated group of businesswomen, ready to support each other, who bring their particular skills and knowledge to the group for the benefit of the community.
Sandra is everything you’d expect: a wonderful business role model for us all, and a genuinely caring and warm human being, who shares her knowledge and ideas for our betterment.
In short, The Woman Who Achieves Academy is a safe place for the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and even problems, and it also has a social aspect that is much needed right now, in the Autumn of 2020! I’d wholeheartedly recommend you join us!” Andrea de Gabriel, Andrea de Gabriel Portrait Photography