Every business hits a moment where it needs a little bit of a push to go further – you could call it a turning point where growth either really takes off, or where everything just sort of stops. And the difference between those two outcomes is very often down to a few strategic moves and decisions that were made at the right time, and in the end, that basically comes down to focus, clarity, and, in some cases, a bit of nerve. So if you’re feeling like your business could do more and be more, then it might be time to try something different, and with that in mind, here are some smart moves that can help any business grow. 

Focus On What Actually Works

It’s easy to get caught up in trying everything at once, especially when there’s so much to choose from – social media, newsletters, cold calls, podcasts, pop-ups… the list doesn’t ever seem to end. But spreading yourself too thin can dilute your message and your impact, so instead of jumping on every new trend, look closely at where your actual results are coming from. Is it your loyal email list? Your best products or service? Is it referrals from networking? 

Whatever it is – and remember, it might be more than one thing – that’s what you need to focus on and really double down on that particular option. That’s where your growth is happening, so it’s far easier to harness that than to try something new that might not work at all. Once you’ve got a good amount of growth happening, that’s the time to experiment with new things, not before.

Build Systems Before You Need Them

Growth feels great, until you realise you’re not ready for it, at which point it feels stressful – you’ll miss orders and deadlines, there’ll be too many emails to even think about answering, and your to-do list will turn into a monster, not to mention what all that’s doing to your reputation. That’s why it’s so important to set up systems now that will be able to still work when you’re bigger – then you won’t have to worry about growth and you can enjoy it successfully instead. 

And we’re not talking about complicated software or hiring a team overnight to do the work for you – it really could be something as simple as a weekly planning habit, or a better way to track customer requests, or automating small admin tasks that take up a lot of your time, and so on. Then, when the big opportunities come around, everything’s going to be in place and ready for them. 

Invest In The Right Expertise 

There’s a moment in most businesses where doing it all yourself stops being a good idea, and you’re going to feel it – you’ll be exhausted, and you’ll be treading water (or you’ll be moving forward, but you’ll burn out pretty quickly). It’s at this point where you need to think about getting some outside expertise because it can make all the difference. 

Whether you’re outsourcing your finances, redesigning your site, or finally fixing your SEO, it helps to get help from someone who really knows their stuff. If you want to improve visibility online, for example, then a specialist like Matt Bertram SEO consultant can give you plenty of insights you just aren’t going to get from a quick Google search. The key isn’t just to hire experts, but to hire the right ones, and for the right reasons. If you do that, you should see a return on your investment. 

Strengthen Your Brand Story

If someone asks you what you do and you can’t tell them in a simple, quick, focused way, you’ve got a problem. The fact is that every business has a clear, consistent story, and that story isn’t just about what the business offers, but why it matters. And when that story is easy to understand and repeat, people are going to talk about you more, which is definitely what you want. 

That’s why you can’t just come up with a good logo and say you’ve done all your branding – you’ve also got to think about your tone of voice, your core values, and what it is that makes your business different and unique. That way, you can easily spread the message, and people are going to remember it. 

Stop Comparing Yourself To Everyone Else 

This might be the most important and powerful move of all, especially if you spend time on social media. It’s really easy to believe that every business owner has it all worked out and that they’ve got all the customers they need and they’re doing amazingly well. 

The truth is, however, that most people are still figuring it out, the same as you are. So don’t worry about what everyone else is doing and just focus on your own business because the less distracted you are, the further you’ll go.