First of all – well done!
You’ve made your business into something bigger and better, that people want to buy or buy into. It’s what many entrepreneurs and business people dream of, aspire to, and endeavour to achieve, sometimes for their entire working lives.
Anyway, enough of that. You’re a busy person, and you’re probably getting busier all the time – here are a few quick tips for ensuring your growth is as successful as you deserve it to be.
Audit your audience
In a recent survey, nearly 80% of scale-ups said that they had introduced or significantly enhanced a specific product, process or service in the last three years. As you’ve been scaling up, have you kept in touch with your audience and what they need or expect from you?
Your staff will operate more efficiently if they know who they are working with and for, so perform an audit of your target audience to ensure you continue to give your staff and customers what they want.
Automate everywhere
Which areas of your business could be streamlined? We don’t mean in the sense of losing valued employees or outsourcing specific roles – this is about making processes faster and creating a truly scalable business model.
Everything from your data access to your recruitment and payroll processes can be automated by taking advantage of cloud- and app-based technologies – giving your staff the tools and time they need to grow with the business.
Communicate effectively
Have you got the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in place? You may have seen your CRM grow from a simple contact log or spreadsheet to an enviable bank of eager return customers.
Getting the right CRM practices, strategies and technologies in place is essential for continued growth. While everyone knows that this is essential for keeping customers happy, it is often overlooked that investors also view it as a key factor when choosing which companies to back with their money.
Upgrade your telephony system
Is your current setup working for your call volume? Allowing you to not only save money but also communicate more effectively, a SIP solution could help you control your inbound calls.
Switching from a standard ISDN network also allows you to unify all of your inbound and outbound communications through one channel; plus, it is as versatile and scalable a service as you can find in modern communications.
Boost your marketing
It goes without saying, but how can a business keep scaling up if nobody knows about it? Whatever your marketing strategy has been until now, get ready to ramp it up yet again. Create, implement and regularly audit a strategy that your staff will not only be able to follow but also grasp hold of and maintain.
This could require you to audit the tools your business currently utilises, analyse staff skills and capabilities, and switch to tools that will work for your new needs. Work out which social platforms will link you with your target customers, and get to work on engaging them digitally, physically and emotionally.
