| Ask any business owner if they have a
| |
| | very carefully of course, considering the
|
| growth objective for next year and you're
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| | classic and valid argument that you can't
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| sure to receive a resounding "yes!"
| |
| | be all things to all people. However,
|
| Revenue and profitability, of course, are
| |
| | customer needs and wants are constantly
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| the primary growth factors on the minds
| |
| | changing and so are attitudes toward
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| of most business owners as well they
| |
| | change, with an increasing willingness
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| should be if you want your business to
| |
| | among customers to try something new. You
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| survive and prosper into the future.
| |
| | too can capitalize on change and this
|
| However, when planning for growth, for
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| | willingness to try new things if you are
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| example, deciding exactly what to do to
| |
| | willing to experiment with a few new
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| achieve your growth goals, I would
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| | things. A couple ways to grow your
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| suggest expanding those factors beyond
| |
| | expertise and experience include:
|
| revenue and profitability to include
| |
| | --- Offer a product or service to a new
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| Reputation, Expertise and Perspective,
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| | target market for free or at a
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| and here's why.
| |
| | significant discount.
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| REPUTATION - When you strip away the
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| | --- Offer a scaled down product or
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| assets of your company, either inventory
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| | service to your target customers pro
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| or intellectual capital, all you really
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| | bono.
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| have left is your reputation. Customers
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| | --- Create a new distribution channel.
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| and clients buy your products and
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| | For example, convert a training seminar
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| services because of your reputation, i.e.
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| | to a book or perhaps convert a book to a
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| your ability to either create a solution
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| | training seminar.
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| for your customers or lead them to one.
| |
| | Keep in mind that expertise is about
|
| So if perception is reality, or if at
| |
| | quality and creating more value. A
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| least it has something to do with it,
| |
| | little creativity and a willingness to
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| business growth must include growing your
| |
| | try something new can go a long way!
|
| reputation. A few excellent ways to do
| |
| | PERSPECTIVE
|
| this include:
| |
| | Growth and perspective is much more about
|
| --- Conducting surveys that will interest
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| | you than it is about your business - it's
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| your customers and ideally present new
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| | all about learning. Developing strong
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| and valuable information to them.
| |
| | and valid points of view are invaluable
|
| --- Writing letters to the editors of
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| | to a business leader and are easily
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| trade publications and periodicals that
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| | sparked by getting away from the routine.
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| your target customers read (and don't
| |
| | Some ways to broaden your perspective
|
| forget on-line publications).
| |
| | include:
|
| --- Preparing and publishing "White
| |
| | --- Attending seminars and workshops.
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| Papers" that research and analyze
| |
| | --- Enrolling in college courses
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| important topics for your target
| |
| | (anything you like).
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| customers - keeping your writing
| |
| | --- Reading at least one non-fiction book
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| objective fact-filled and devoid of any
| |
| | per month.
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| marketing hype.
| |
| | --- Joining mastermind groups.
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| --- Joining a business association that
| |
| | --- Joining collaborative strategy
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| clearly adds value for its constituents
| |
| | groups.
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| and taking on a leadership role, e.g.
| |
| | Again, there are numerous opportunities
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| association officer, director or
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| | to grow perspective. Just be sure to
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| committee chair.
| |
| | choose carefully and be willing to
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| Reputation is about demonstrating
| |
| | contribute in order to receive.
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| leadership, creativity and results in
| |
| | Growth is a requirement for business, and
|
| your market niche and these tactics will
| |
| | we all want to grow our revenue and
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| help you do so. They also help position
| |
| | profitability. However, projecting
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| you and your company as "experts."
| |
| | growth just by extrapolating last year's
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| EXPERTISE
| |
| | numbers, or by choosing a revenue goal of
|
| Business growth should also include
| |
| | where you really want to be, won't
|
| expanding your products and services or
| |
| | necessarily get you there.
|
| expanding your target markets, or some
| |
| | Growing your reputation, expertise and
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| combination of each. This must be done
| |
| | perspective will.
|
