Lessons learnt are a gift! How to grow your business in 2022.

I’ve worked closely with around 100 startup businesses this year, and the thing I’ve realised again (that I’ve known for the last 30 years) is that there’s no rocket science in starting, and building a successful business. It’s all fundamentals, but, if you don’t know what they are, or just don’t do them, businesses struggle. Yes, anyone can make one sale, but scale that so you have real business that grows is another thing altogether.

Because of the lifestyle?changes people are making over the 12 months, more people than ever have decided to relocate and more than ever have decided to start their own business.

There are opportunities galore in this country, we still import far too much of some of the most basic items including produce, coffee, beer, clothing and mass produced items, that it’s simply a matter of taking one and start doing it. But there are factors that decide who buys what based around price, value, convenience and quality that will get people buying from you or not. The ease of buying anything, a product or a service online, makes it simple, regardless of where it comes from. Buying local should be a priority for everyone, and supporting local businesses is not just a must do, but it’s critical to start to grow our economy fast.

The simple way for any business to start and grow, is to just acknowledge that there are fundamental principles in business that work. They’ve worked for decades and although we live a very technology and communication driven world, they are the same. Here are just some of the not so secrets, that I’ve picked as the key top 10 lessons that I’ve re-learnt again, in 2021:

1. Planning is paramount: Know where you’re going and how you’ll get there. But the really important part is review that plan monthly. Are we on track?
2. Speed: Once you’ve made the decision to start, or build a business, do it fast. Get the things that need to be done quick. Don’t take months to build a website, you can always refine it later.
3. Proof: The online and offline profile of the business. Get that website, socials, print including business cards, signs and more done, so you have something to talk about. Proof that the business exists, it’s live. People research everything first, so make sure there’s something to research there.
4. Get a good name: Make your business easily found. Coming up with a creative, quirky business name (like Meta) is great if you’ve got a billion dollar marketing budget, but if you haven’t, make it simple, make the domain and the socials, easy to find, and spell. Try and make the search criteria, something to do with the business name.
5. Lead funnels: Don’t rely on one lead source, if that stops working, you’re done! Have as many a possible. Web, socials, networking, cold calling etc. Most will probably come from one area, but keep building others. Sales is a numbers game. Find out what works and scale.
6. Sales is a process: When those leads come in, handle them right. Know how to talk to people, use an elevator pitch as the basis for your sales process. It’s a script, stick to it, review it, and improve it. Not everyone says yes, so just know the conversion number.
7. Followup: Don’t let anything fall through the net! Every enquiry, every call in or out, every message, email and sales you’ve ever made, needs followup up again and again. Statistics tell us that on average, it takes 7 contacts at some point of the business, to make a buying decision. Most people stop at two.
8. Service experience: Service is the key with every client, but especially the major accounts, the top 20% that buy more than the rest. Service experience is about the entire process in dealing with your business, but it’s about relationships. Build it so they only deal with you, regardless of price.
9. Data: Know the numbers on everything. Product, sales, leads, conversion. Understand what works, what doesn’t, and where the best profit and sales come from and just do more.
10. Standout! What is the unique point of difference in your business, why would someone buy from you, and not the other guy? And it’s not service or price. If you don’t know what that is find out now and once you know, that becomes the key in the message. What’s the gap you fill, what makes you, your business and your product, unique.

There are more, but these are the top ten. Focus attention on those things and businesses grow, faster.

2022, probably even more so than 2021, will be a year of massive opportunities, just grab one, but do it well.

If you’d like more of the lessons learnt in 2021, follow our socials (ReThinkBusinessGrowth on Facebook) or just jump onto the website to learn more at?www.mybusinessnow.com.au

Business isn’t complicated, just get the fundamentals right.