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It's NOVEMBER And You Have TWO CHOICES!
The year’s almost done. How did it whiz by so fast?
More importantly, what are you and your business going to do with the final weeks of 2023?
You Have Two Choices!
As I see it, you’ve got two choices now. You can either:
Start to wind down for the year. Switch off. Say enough’s enough. Coast into 2024. Finish what you started, but not commit to anything new.
Give yourself and your business that one final BIG PUSH and end the year like the LEGEND you are! And, GET CLEAR on what 2024 will bring!
Set Yourself Up to Win in 2024
How you wind up 2023 will have a HUGE impact on how you perform in 2024.
I don’t know about you, but I want to send 2023 packing with another few wins, a couple more goals kicked, and set the stage for a BRILLIANT 2024!
What Are You Doing To End the Year Strong?
Are you planning out 2024? Are you reviewing and taking stock? Are you asking yourself the tough questions? Are you seaking advice? Growing your skills? Forming alliances? Refining your messaging? Reviewing your brand?
Are you in?
Are you ready to squeeze as much as you can out of the rest of 2023? And, set yourself up for your next best year ever? Are you over not growing as fast as you expected? Overwhelmed with tasks? Unclear on priorities? Not sure where the new opportunities are?
If this even sounds just a little like you, then why not consider our 90-MINUTE JUMP START Growth Accelerator Session as a great end of year final investment in your self and in your business.
You can SECURE YOUR SPOT in one of the 10 limited spots in the 90-MINUTE JUMP START Growth Accelerator Sessions below.
BOOKINGS CLOSE by 01 December, but sessions will be conducted up to 15 December.
What’s Included?
These sessions deliver immediate, actionable, and implementable recommendations that will translate into scalable and sustainable business growth before Christmas…AND BEYOND! You’ll get a strategic roadmap to START YOU'RE 2024 LIKE A BOSS!
You’ll find all the details of how it works HERE - what’s included and how it is going to give you and your business the tools it needs today to amplify and accelerate your business growth tomorrow.
Success Is Often Preceded By Strategy!
You could take the easy way out of the rest of the year. Or, you could invest in one final push, just like the marathoner does when they get eyes on the finish line. Don’t start 2024 in the same position you’re in now! Finish 2023 STRONG. Start 2024 STRONGER!
Book You're 90-Minute Growth Jumpstart Growth Accelerator Session TODAY!
And make Strategic Business Growth the ONE New Year’s Resolution you actually achieve!
We're keen to grow our alliance network.
If you are, too... then request a copy of The Growth Garden Referral Program details, to see if we're a fit!
Forming Strategic Alliances Is Like Planting A Diverse Growth Garden of Benefits!
Forming strategic alliances with your professional peers expands your network of business besties, reduces entrepreneurial isolation, and helps keep things interesting. It also offers other very strategic benefits that you as an SME may be able to realise.
The creation of a solid strategic alliance is a marketing strategy that delivers a plethora of growth benefits, if done right.
A strategic alliance could be as basic as having a referral program in place that pays out a referral fee for newly referred business, or as complex as offering a shared service, combining CRM databases, collaborating on new product/service development, and ongoing communications, to creating a whole new business partnership.
The Benefits Of Strategic Alliances Include
Increased reach and market share. By partnering with other businesses, SME service businesses can gain access to new markets and customers. This can help them to grow their business and increase their market share faster than they can do alone.
Cross-selling and referral opportunities. Strategic alliances can provide SME service businesses with opportunities to cross-sell and refer their services to each other's customers. This can help them to generate more leads and sales while providing their clients with greater service options and an expanded experience
Shared resources and expertise. By pooling their resources and expertise, SME service businesses can offer a wider range of services to their customers and improve the quality of their services and improve customer retention, while maximising customer lifetime value..
Reduced costs. Strategic alliances can help SME service businesses to reduce costs in a number of ways, such as by sharing marketing and sales costs, negotiating better rates with suppliers, and pooling resources for research and development. When budgets are tight, this is a great growth strategy that requires minimal cash outlay.
Improved innovation. By working together, SME service businesses can share ideas and collaborate on new products and services. This can help them to stay ahead of the competition and meet the changing needs of their customers. The shared learning and brainstorming opportunities from a sound alliance are endless.
Increased brand awareness and recognition. By partnering with other well-respected businesses, SME service businesses can increase their brand awareness and recognition. This can help them to attract new customers and build trust with their existing customers. This works especially well with alliances that share ideal client profiles for it’s not just about raising awareness among the masses but among ideal clients that makes for the win!
Improved customer service. By working together, SME service businesses can provide their customers with a more seamless and integrated experience. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. Onboarding a new customer can require a lot of work, if that’s already been done, you can focus on delivery and service.
Reduced risk. Strategic alliances can help SME service businesses to reduce risk by sharing the costs and risks of new ventures. This can make it easier for them to experiment with new products and services and expand into new markets. Not only is the risk shared, so is the responsibility so that it’s easier to experiment and hopefully tap into some fresh potential.
Improved sustainability. Strategic alliances can help SME service businesses to become more sustainable by sharing resources, reducing waste, and improving their environmental impact.
A source of learning. We all learn different things, in different ways at different times. A strategic alliance partnership can provide an opportunity to tap into each other’s expertise, skills and knowledge. You can both teach and learn from each other from your combined experiences.
More fun. As a solo-preneur, it can get lonely working on your own. Alliances provide another source of interaction, learning, and hopefully a few laughs along the way!
The benefits are undeniable. Overall, strategic alliances can provide a number of benefits for SME service businesses. By carefully selecting your partners and structuring the alliance effectively, you as a SME service businesses can reap the rewards of these benefits and grow your businesses more quickly and successfully.
Some Considerations
There is no reward without risk, but our job as successful entrepreneurs is to minimise the risk wherever possible.
When forming strategic alliances with their peers, SME businesses should consider the following:
Compatibility: It is important to choose partners that are compatible with your business in terms of values, culture, and goals and ideal clients. This will help to ensure that the alliance is successful and maximise its potential benefits..
Complementary skills and resources: Look for partners that have complementary skills and resources to your own. This will allow you to offer a wider range of services to your customers and improve the quality of your services, while giving you a chance to grow your own experience base and learn along the way.
Shared risks and rewards: Make sure that the alliance is structured in a way that shares the risks and rewards fairly. This will help to build trust and avoid conflict between the partners with a balanced approach in place.
Communication and collaboration: It is important to establish clear lines of communication and collaboration with your partners. This will help to ensure that the alliance is running smoothly and that all parties are working towards the same goals. Strategic alliances are not a set and forget growth strategy. They require ongoing commitment.
Exit strategy: It is important to have an exit strategy in place in case the alliance does not work out as planned for whatever reason. This will help to minimise disruption to your business and protect your interests. Your exit strategy doesn’t just affect the partnership. It’s important to build in the exit strategy for your shared clients.
Some Specifics
In addition, SME businesses may also want to consider the following specifics:
Legal implications: It is important to have a lawyer review the alliance agreement before signing it. This will help to ensure that the agreement is fair and enforceable. The bigger and more lucrative the alliance, the greater the need for legal advice.
Intellectual property: Make sure that the alliance agreement addresses ownership and licensing of intellectual property created or used by the partners.
Confidentiality: It is important to have non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in place with your partners to protect confidential information.
Data protection: Make sure that the alliance agreement complies with all applicable data protection laws and regulations.
By carefully considering all of these factors, SME businesses can increase the chances of success and shared growth from their strategic alliances.
Final Tips
Some final tips for SME businesses forming strategic alliances are:
Start small. It is better to start with a small, well-defined alliance than to try to do too much too soon or with too many! Start with one campaign with one partner, learn from the experience and go from there!
Be clear about your goals. What do you hope to achieve with the alliance? Make sure that your partners are aligned on your goals.
Set realistic expectations. Alliances take time and effort to build and maintain. Don't expect to see results overnight.
Be flexible. Things don't always go according to plan. Be prepared to make adjustments to the alliance as needed, especially in the beginning.
Communicate regularly. Communication is key to any successful relationship. Make sure to communicate regularly with your partners and keep them updated on your progress.
SME strategic alliance formation can be a winning strategic growth strategy and increase your opportunities for realising scalable and sustainable growth.
And, isn’t that what we all want?
The Pitch-Back Technique
A clever marketing strategy for responding to those uninvited sales pitches
How many unwanted sales pitches do you receive each day? Count up all those you receive either via email, through social media, DMs, or SMS/text messages. Got your number?
In a brief survey I conducted, respondents shared that they’re receiving somewhere between 2 or 3 and dozens! DAILY!!!
Social media can be a great place to learn and share and to network with potential customers and partners. However, it can also be a breeding ground for sleazy, unwarranted, intrusive sales pitches.
If you're constantly being bombarded with pitches from people who don't seem to be interested in getting to know you or your business, it can be frustrating, not to mention a colossal waste of time.
Enter the pitch-back marketing technique.
This clever strategy involves responding back to sales pitches with your own pitch. But don't worry, it's not as slimy as it sounds.
The key here is to be respectful and professional, and to focus on how your product or service can benefit the other person.
Here are a few of the benefits of using the pitch-back marketing technique:
It shows that you have acknowledged the other person. When you take the time to respond to someone's pitch, it shows that you've acknowledged what they have to offer. It’s far more polite than the usual crickets.
It gives you a chance to educate the other person about your product or service. Many people may not be aware of details of your product or service, or they may not understand all of the benefits it can offer. By pitching back, you have the opportunity to explain your value proposition and show the other person how you can help them.
It can generate leads and sales. If you pitch back effectively, you can convince the other person to learn more about your product or service, or even to make a purchase.
And, it just makes you feel a little bit more in control of the interaction and flips the script to your potential advantage.
Here are some tips for pitching back effectively:
Be respectful and professional. Remember that the other person is still a potential customer or partner. Avoid being too pushy, aggressive or retaliative even if the uninvited interaction frustrates you.
Lead with your benefits. Tell them clearly, but succinctly, how your product or service may help them (or their network) achieve their goals and solve their problems?
Be clear and concise. State your value proposition clearly and concisely. Avoid using jargon or technical terms.
Make it easy for the other person to learn more. Include a link to your website or landing page in your pitch. You can also offer to schedule a call or demo.
I received an uninvited pitch from an absolute stranger who I have no visible connection with. Here is an example of my pitch-back in action:
The Original Uninvited Pitch
"Hey Linda, I'm reaching out to you because I think our new CRM software would be a great fit for your business. It's easy to use and it can help you automate your sales and marketing processes. Many agencies like yours have benefitted from the powerful reporting and automation properties of our CRM software and they are raving about how easy it is to use.Let’s set up a time to chat about your needs."The Pitch-Back
"Thanks [name] for reaching out and letting me know about your CRM software. I'm most interested in learning about CRM solutions that can help my service business clients to automate their sales and marketing processes as a complement to the services I provide..My company, The Growth Garden, is a branding, marketing, and growth agency that helps ambitious service businesses to grow, scale, and thrive.We help clients create a compelling vision for their future and then provide all the growth, marketing, branding, messaging, coaching and consulting tools required to actually achieve it. You can see our full range of services here: https://www.growthgarden.au/homeIf you know of any service organisations that need help getting clear on their goals, clarifying their brand and competitive advantage, or scaling their growth plans, I’d be grateful if you would pass along my details. Here’s a link where potential clients can book in a discovery call to learn more about how we can help them grow!.Thanks again for reaching out!This pitch-back is respectful and professional. It focuses on creating a win-win. It leverages the chance to promote your own business and encourages ongoing dialogue and CTAs on your terms.
If you're looking for a clever way to respond to sales pitches on social media, in your email box, and elsewhere,, the pitch-back marketing technique is a great option. Just be sure to be polite and professional, and to focus on how your product or service can benefit the other person and their network. And, don’t forget to add those all too often forgotten calls to action.
Make sure you’ve got your templated response at the ready so a quick copy and paste gets the job done!
You might even start looking forward to what you once saw as an intrusion, now seeing it, rather, as another tool in your biz dev tool kit!
I’d love to hear your pitch-back stories. Did you strike out or hit a home run? Feel free to share them here!
Hey Service Biz CEOs, How Growth-Ready is Your Service Brand?
So, you want to grow your service business!
You’re the CEO of a ‘successful-so-far’ service business. You have big growth goals for the next few years! You’ve been in business a few years now and you’ve moved confidently from the Start Up Phase to the Survival Phase, and have recently landed in the Success Phase of your business’ growth.
Turn around and give yourself a huge pat on the back because the majority of service businesses don’t make it this far! You’re obviously doing many of the right things!
This is where it gets really interesting! Here in the Success Phase of business is where business growth becomes scalable, and hopefully, sustainable! The trajectory accelerates! And, this growth puts tremendous pressure on your existing business and brand infrastructure.
You want to grow. That's a given. But I’ll ask you, ‘Is your service business REALLY Growth-Ready?’
Do you have the required foundations securely in place? Are they ready for the additional pressure growth will undoubtedly put on them? Or, are there still gaps that need to be filled before you launch your business and all of its resources into full-on GROWTH MODE?
Not quite sure where your business lands on the growth-readiness scale?
Here are some questions that can help to ascertain how ready your service brand is for substantial growth:
Brand Strategy
Have we invested in a full on comprehensive Brand strategy and development exercise that clearly defines all of the key components of our brand?
Do we have a clear and concise brand strategy that is aligned with our overall business goals?
Have we set clear business goals?
Do we have a strong understanding of our target market and their needs? Motivations? Buying habits? Competitive Influences?
Is our brand positioning clear and differentiated from our competitors?
Do we have a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints?
Have we conducted brand experience research to confirm prospect and customer experiences?
Have we used this feedback to refine them?
Brand Awareness
How well-known is our brand among our target market?
What is our brand perception?
What are we best known for? Least? Where are the opportunities for ongoing brand communication?
Do we have a strong brand reputation?
Are we visible in the right channels?
Are we generating leads and sales from our branding efforts?
Brand Loyalty
How loyal are our customers?
Do we have a strong customer retention rate?
Which of our brand pillars are the most important in ensuring continuing loyalty?
Do we have a net promoter score (NPS) above industry benchmarks?
Do we have a strong customer community?
Have we created raving fans who readily become brand ambassadors?
Do we have a good understanding of our customer lifetime value (CLV)?
Have we plotted our customer journey and is it reflected in our customer experience and marketing?
What are we doing/adding/changing/refining to our customer experience to ensure the loyalty continues?
Brand Messaging
Do we have a clear value proposition that communicates why customers should choose us over our competitors?
Have we well articulated our why, our values, our unique brand pillars?
Have we created an inventory of strategic messaging that has been vetted and accurately describes our products/services, competitive advantages, benefits and results?
Has this messaging been reviewed recently to ensure it remains relevant?
Do our various communication channels and customer touchpoints provide consistent messaging and do they work together to reinforce each other?
Do our visual brand components reinforce and work with our messaging or do they detract from it?
Can our people clearly articulate our key brand messaging?
Have we ample brand messaging training in place for new hires and refreshers for any brand message changes?
The Internal Brand
Are our brand values accurately reflected in our internal operations?
Have we made the appropriate links to our brand pillars to our recruitment, training, personal development and performance review processes and practices?
Do we train, engage, and challenge our brand foundations internally so that we can continue to refine them and defend them externally?
Have we created an Ideal Team member profile to guide our recruitment efforts to ensure we’re finding the best hires and aiding in our retention efforts?
How do we engage our team members with the brand to ensure they fully understand our who, what, why, when and how?
Service Delivery
Do we have a clear and comprehensive client onboarding experience in place?
Do we have a consistent and high-quality service delivery experience?
Are our employees empowered to provide excellent customer service?
Do we have a system in place to measure and track customer satisfaction?
Are we constantly innovating and improving our service offerings?
Are we able to scale our service delivery operations to meet the demands of growth?
Do we ask our customers for feedback and ideas on how to improve the level of service delivery?
Do we reward our employees for service excellence?
Financial Performance
Is our business profitable?
What investments will we have to make to scale and sustain profitability levels?
Do we know our profitability by service, by customer, by line of business?
Do we have a healthy cash flow?
Are we continuing to invest in our brand and service delivery?
Are we able to attract and retain top talent?
Do we have a strong financial foundation to support growth?
In addition to these general questions, you may also want to ask more specific questions about your particular industry and business model. For example, if you are a software company, you might ask questions about your product development process, customer support, and user experience. And, remember to involve your customers in the process where possible. Their added perspective can be a game changer!
Growth-Ready, or Not, Here I Come!
If you can answer all of the above questions positively, then your brand is likely to be well-positioned for growth.
However, if there are any areas where you still fall short, it is important to address these issues BEFORE you attempt to scale your business. Otherwise, you’ll be trying to build a soaring skyscraper on uncertain footings and precarious foundations..
Here are some additional questions that you may want to contemplate:
Do we have a plan for how we will manage growth?
What succession planning is in place or what will we require at various growth stages?
Have we conducted a comprehensive growth audit to identify growth gaps and set future solutions and priorities?
Do we have the necessary infrastructure, systems, processes, and resources in place to support our growth goals? Or are they maybe a bit too aggressive?
Do we have a team of experienced and qualified employees who are able to drive and support these growth goals?
Are we willing to make the necessary investments to support desired growth?
Are we committed to providing our customers with the best possible experience, even as we grow?
Are we evolving our customer experience and their overall journey as we grow so that they can grow along with us ?
The answers to many of these questions do not come fast or without investigation, discussion, and concentrated consideration.
But, by posing, pondering, percolating on, and eventually answering these queries, you can gain a much clearer understanding of your brand's readiness for growth and identify any areas where you need to improve BEFORE you wholeheartedly embrace the Success Phase of your business growth journey.
How to Create a Service Brand That Gets People Talking!
Some may insist that service businesses have a tougher time than product-based businesses in creating consistent, memorable, and recognisable brands.
Whether that assertion is true or false, there are some key fundamentals that service-based businesses need to get right in order to build and maintain meaningful brands that create obvious impact and that resonate with their audiences.
If you’re a service business, here are 10 ways to ensure you’re covering off the basics and building a strong foundation for a sustainable business and brand:
Define your brand identity. What are your core values? What makes your brand unique? What do you want your brand to stand for? Once you have a clear understanding of your brand identity, you can start to communicate it to your audience.
Invest in crafting a visual identity for your brand. Your visual identity is what people will see first, so it's important to make sure it's consistent with your brand identity. This includes your logo, website design, marketing materials, spokespeople, and social media presence.
Establish a visual experience for online customers exclusively. Your website is often the first point of contact for potential customers, so it's important to make sure it's visually appealing and easy to navigate. You can also use online tools like social media, community hubs, and email marketing to create a more personalised experience for your customers.
Become a superhero for your target customers. What are their pain points? What are their goals? How can you help them achieve their goals? When you understand your target customers and their needs, you can create a brand that is relevant and meaningful to them.
Research your competition. What are other businesses in your industry doing? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How can you differentiate your brand from the competition? How can you be superior? Where are the opportunities to ‘own’ a part of your industry?
Find a unique voice for your brand. How do you want your brand to sound? What tone of voice will you use? Is it formal or playful? Does your brand inform, educate, entertain, challenge, develop, reward your audience? Your brand voice should be consistent across all of your communications, marketing materials and throughout your media mix.
Brainstorm your brand story. What is the history of your brand? What are the challenges you've overcome? What are your hopes and dreams for the future for you as CEO, for the company and for those who you service? What is your brand’s ‘Why”? Sharing an authentic brand story can help you to better connect with your audience on a deeper and more sustainable level.
Never take a break from building your brand. Your brand is an ongoing work in progress. You need to be constantly iterating and improving it. Keep listening to your customers, and be willing to change your brand as needed. And don’t overlook the expertise of brand consultants to ensure that you are maximising your brand’s full potential. Sometimes an expert and objective perspective is exactly what’s needed to truly differentiate your brand.
Build and maintain a dedicated community. One of the best ways to create a meaningful brand is to build a community around it. This can be done through social media, online forums, or virtual and in-person events. When you have a strong community of happy client alumni and eager brand ambassadors, your brand will become more valuable and influential.
Ensure that your customers always come first. Put your customers at the heart of everything you do. Customer centricity is key! This means anticipating their needs, actively enlisting and responding to their feedback, resolving their issues quickly, and providing them with excellent customer service. When you put your customers first, they will be more likely to feel understood, have a positive customer experience and become loyal brand ambassadors.
So, if your goal is to build a successful and sustainable service brand that gets people talking, make sure you’re got these key foundational strategies working for you.
You’re on a limited budget, but you still want more clients? Here’s how!
Even when your marketing budgets are tightening, there are still effective strategies that you can employ to help bring in some new clients and continue to grow your business.
Growth doesn’t always have to mean big marketing spends, flashy campaigns, or huge investments, there are a number of lower cost tools that can help you build awareness for your offering, increase interest in what you do, and yes, bring on additional clients.
Sometimes a little creativity coupled with consistency can be the supplement those limited budgets need to get you the results you’re looking for!
Hints, tips, and ideas for attracting new clients on a budget
Here are a few helpful hints, tips, and ideas for attracting new service business clients and maximising the revenues they generate while remaining within your limited marketing budget:
Create a strong online presence. This includes having a well-designed website, active social media accounts with good solid profile descriptions with the right keywords, and positive reviews from happy clients.
Offer free or low-cost trials or consultations. This is a great way to let potential clients experience your services before they make any big commitments. Whether you run a free online webinar, offer a free review or consultation, or offer a low cost limited service, you can gain a lot of traction for your business with a ‘try before you buy’ tool or approach.
Partner with other businesses in your industry, better yet, form strategic alliances with non-competing but complementary service providers. This can help you reach a wider audience by cross-promoting your services to a new audience that already trusts your alliance partner.
Attend industry events and conferences. This is a great way to network with potential clients and partners. You don’t always have to sponsor or exhibit, it’s often those conversations in the halls that lead to the new client relationships. If you can get yourself a speaking gig, even better!
Offer referral bonuses. This is a great way to encourage your current clients, your contacts and even friends and family to become ambassadors for you and talk you up to their respective networks.
Provide excellent customer service and do great work. This is essential for building trust and loyalty with your clients. The absolute best growth strategy out there is to do great work!
Get creative with your marketing. There are many ways to raise awareness around your services and your zone of genius without spending a lot of money. For example, you could create a blog, write articles, or guest blog on other websites, create a podcast or pitch yourself as a podcast guest. You could even write a book or get yourself on the speaking circuit
How many of these have you tried?
What are those simple one or two actions you could add to your current marketing efforts from this list to help build your client base?
But, wait, there’s more!
Maybe it’s time to take stock and see where you might amp up your existing efforts. Here are some additional ideas. Ask yourself, “Have I…”
Hosted workshops or webinars?. This is a great way to showcase your expertise, take prospects to the next stage in the funnel and build relationships with potential clients.
Networked my butt off? There are so many groups that speak to just about every niche imaginable - do a search on the socials and get involved in a couple of new ones to expand your reach.
Written e-books or white papers? This is another way to share your expertise and position yourself as an expert in your field.
Launched a podcast? Become a self-proclaimed expert in your field and then invite in your community to discuss the trends, issues, challenges and solutions.
Created infographics or videos? This is a great way to visually communicate your message and make it more appealing to potential clients. Create your own YouTube channel and ensure the videos are added to your website for some extra SEO juice.
Developed a research study? Annual research studies are great ways to keep track of trends, build your reputation as a thought leader on a specific topic or in a specific industry and this gives you a genuine, non-spammy reason to approach potential prospects and by conducting the research, you’ll probably learn a few things about your ideal client.
Gotten involved in my community? Volunteering and community involvement is a great way to expand your usual network, to build relationships with potential clients and referral sources. Plus, it’s just the right thing to do.
Exercised patience and persistence? It takes time to build a successful business. Don't get discouraged if you don't see results immediately. Just keep working hard, stay focused on your goals, try new things and keep adding to your marketing tool kit and it’ll happen.
Have you maximised your revenues from your existing client base?
Maximising revenues doesn't always mean adding more clients. Sometimes it’s about doing more for your existing client base. There are many ways to maximise your revenues from your current clients without spending any money. Here are a few ideas:
Improve your customer service: Happy customers are more likely to do business with you again and to refer their friends and family to you. Make sure that you are responsive to their needs and that you go the extra mile to make them happy.
Upsell and cross-sell: When a customer is already doing business with you, it's a great opportunity to sell them additional products or services.
Offer member or current client discounts and promotions: Discounts and promotions can help you attract new customers and encourage existing customers to spend more money. You could offer a percentage off, a free gift, or a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Periodic VIP offerings are a great way to add value and revenue while rewarding existing clients.
Get creative with your marketing: There are many ways to market your business with little or no marketing spend. You could create a blog, write articles, or guest blog on other websites. You could also create infographics or videos to visually communicate your message that are packed full of value and shareable. Better yet, involve your existing clients in the process - this increases their loyalty making them more likely to remain clients for longer.
Partner with other businesses: Partnering with other businesses can help you reach a wider audience and cross-promote your services. When you each bring your existing client base to the table, you’ve expanded the prospect base immediately.
Attend industry events and conferences: Attending industry events and conferences is a great way to network with potential clients and partners. But, an even better way to leverage an existing client relationship is to partner with them to give a talk, share their experience as a case study and put the proof right on stage for prospects to see.
Maintain a growth mindset!
Growth can sometimes be more about us and our mindset than it is about our marketing activities Here are some insights to consider for establishing and maintaining a positive growth mindset:
Focus on your strengths: What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? What are you most passionate about? Both inside your business and outside in your community, if you focus on these areas, you'll be more likely to succeed.
Don't be afraid to ask for help: It takes a confident person to admit when they’re overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid to let people know what you don’t know. We all have lots of learning still to do. There are lots of people in your network who are willing to help you succeed. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, guidance, or support. And, even pay for it because it most likely will give you great ROI.
Keep learning: A growth mindset is open to lifelong learning. The world is constantly changing, technology keeps moving the goalposts, so it's important to keep learning. Read books, attend workshops, listen to audio books, podcasts and take courses, seminars and workshops to stay up-to-date on the latest trends.
Believe in yourself: The most important thing you can do to enhance your growth journey is to believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, it shows. And, the best bit is, others will too.
So if you want growth on a budget, there are lots of ways to make that a reality. Whether you are implementing low cost ways to bring in more prospects, or your strategy is to do more with your existing customers or keeping that growth mindset sharp, so that you can spot those new opportunities, each approach can help you move forward on your growth goals.
But, the absolute best and most effective way to grow your business is to do them all, to do everything, everywhere, all at once!
What’s the most powerful EOFY Growth Tool for Your Business?
A review and reflection on this past year holds incredible strategic insight that you can apply to the upcoming financial year!
Your Own Strategic Growth Reflection
If you’re like most business owners, the fiscal year in all of its busy-ness can pass so quickly that it all becomes a bit of a business BLUR!
We begin the year with boatloads of great intentions, aggressive growth goals, ideas for improvements, and we’re armed with the sincere belief that this is the year that we make BIG GROWTH happen. Then there's the reality!
So, how did you and your business do this past year?
EOFY is the Perfect Time to Reflect
The financial year end is the perfect time to pause, think, review, assess and consider the year that was!
What did you accomplish? What were your big wins? What did you struggle with? Where could you have done more/better/more efficiently? Did your year meet the expectations you set for yourself at the beginning? Did you exceed them? Worse yet, did you not have any goals or expectations to start with?
If you smashed it beyond your wildest dreams - CONGRATULATIONS! Well done you. The reality is that most of us didn’t achieve all that we wanted. So we need to look at why.
How were your numbers? Did you smash your sales goals? Or come up short? Did you make the connections you planned on? Did you clarify your messaging and get your brand polished so that it clearly articulates you, your genius and the unique difference you make for your clients? Did you launch that new product, service or bundled offering? Did you hire that staff member? Did you automate your AR, your testimonial requests and referral programs? Did you really dig into your numbers and what they're telling you?
Did you develop yourself? Get your mindset right? Learn new skills? Give yourself a well deserved break? What were your personal highlights? Lowlights? What are you proudest of this year? What dreams did you accomplish?
The Truth Is, Many of Us Never Stop and Take Stock
We continue to play catch up, we get sucked into constantly working 'in' the business rather than 'on' it, we get caught up in the busy-ness of business and don't take the time to review, assess, understand, seek mentorship and required expertise and we end up playing small and staying small as a result. If that's not what you want, the good news is that with a few hours of strategic review and reflection, you could change your direction and help us to chart a new course with an expanded growth trajectory.
It Pays to Identify Your Growth Gaps
The following list is designed to help you celebrate all that you have accomplished this year and identify future opportunities. It can also help you to set some goals for the coming year AND get a glimpse into activities you may not have even considered that can help maximise your growth potential.
The most powerful bit of all is that your answers to these questions help you to identify you're GROWTH GAPS, so that you can set some key priorities for filling these gaps for the upcoming financial year/ This exercise gives you a powerful start to this brand shiny new fiscal year, so that you can start F2023/24 from a powerful and strategically focused perspective that will undoubtedly drive great growth over the next 12 months!
Review and Reflect to Refine - Ask Yourself,
“In the past fiscal year have I…”
Created a marketing plan?
Clarified my VISION for what it is I’m building, what I want your business to become?
Stuck to it?
Reviewed it quarterly? And, updated it as required?
Recorded campaign and activity metrics?
Determined what worked and what didn’t? And why?
Set measurable GROWTH GOALS for my business?
Set these goals in other areas other than sales and marketing - like business and resource planning, and the creation of sound foundational growth strategies?
Reviewed my PROCESSES and made some refinements to make them more efficient?
Defined in detail MY IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE? Or PROFILES?
Leveraged the power of AUTOMATION to scale my efforts?
Implemented strong SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES to ensure efficiency, consistency and integration?
Revisited my BRAND ensuring that my messaging, visuals, brand components and strategies all align and create a consistent brand promise?
Reviewed my MESSAGING, updating it, ensuring it’s client focused, and clearly communicates the benefits you provide for you clients?
Implemented the core FOUNDATIONAL STRATEGIES that every business should have to create consistent and sustainable growth?
Added a systematic TESTIMONIAL PROCESS?
Created an automated REFERRAL PROGRAM?
Calendarised my PLANNING activities?
Aligned external and internal brand manifestos?
Built a solidly established digital footprint of SOCIAL PROFILES?
Created an engaging WEBSITE?
Built focused SALES PAGES?
Installed a comprehensive CRM?
Used ongoing PROSPECTING/SALES FUNNELS?
Implemented replicable and scalable CAMPAIGN PROCESSES?
Developed a rich REPORTING SYSTEM that enables you to make decisions based on facts and data rather than ‘gut’ instinct?
Created a thriving and expanding supporting STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY?
Identified and implemented key GROWTH STRATEGIES to maximise both revenue and profitability?
Ensured that I have a clear service/product offering?
Launched new products/services/bundles to drive new sales?
Used the channels that are right for my brand and my customer?
Examined my current geographical focus with a goal of expansion?
Created ongoing NURTURE SEQUENCES to keep prospects moving toward conversion?
Implemented INNOVATIVE CAMPAIGNS to maintain my visibility and maximise sales opportunities?
Created and clearly documented understanding of the CUSTOMER JOURNEY?
Challenged myself and my team to think beyond the current status quo?
Participated in ideation and brainstorming with my clients?
Leveraged my existing customers’ ambassador and referral powers?
Created a truly unique and competitive offering?
Got crystal clear on my USPS and BRAND PILLARS and have a full understanding of what makes me/my business different/better?
Created a channel to get ongoing client feedback on the delivery of your USPs?
Employed the strategic power of, ‘no’ in not doing those things that do not reinforce my brand and my goals?
Looked at my growth and gained a sound FINANCIAL UNDERSTANDING?
Paid yourself first?
Paid myself a salary and a share of the profits?
Understood the relationship between income vs profit?
A clear understanding of my overall profitability? And, by product/service?
Created a cash flow that is as consistent as possible?
Do I have cash reserves? Business investments? Insurance?
Grown my LEADERSHIP & MINDSET mastery?
Determined where I am in my mindset mastery journey?
Identified self-sabotaging behaviours?
Made commitments to PD, education, networking, support systems?
Discovered my leadership style? Enhanced my leadership skills?
Worked with a leadership coach.mentor to identify my strengths and challenges?
Committed to my own personal growth and development?
Surrounded myself with the necessary skills, people, and resources to be my best?
Strategic Review and Reflection is A Powerful Growth Investment in You, Your Business and Your Future
WHEW! That’s a lot of reflection! But, it’s also one of the most powerful strategic investments you can make in the sustainable GROWTH of your business.
As one year draws to a close and the next is set to start, make the strategic investment in yourself, your business and your future. Take that look back, learn from what was, celebrate what you did well, identify the opportunities for future growth, and fill the gaps that exist within all of your growth pillars.
This practice will set you up to clearly see your growth potential, realise it and ensure it remains a sustainable trajectory. We’ve seen it work time and time again, which is why we’ve replicated it in our GROWTH AUDIT service to help clients to leverage its substantial power at any time during the year, not just at the financial year’s end!
As a new year begins, The Growth Garden wishes you the greatest success for the coming year. Not only do we hope to see you GROW, our wish for you is that you experience SUSTAINABLE GROWTH that ensures you continue to THRIVE for years to come!
If you want our help in doing just that, please reach out!
Creating a Growth Mindset for Growing Your Small Business
In today's competitive business environment, it's more important than ever to have a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that your intelligence and abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication. This mindset is essential for entrepreneurs who want to grow themselves and their sustainable businesses.
There are a number of benefits to having a growth mindset. First, it can help you overcome challenges and setbacks. When you believe that your abilities can be developed, you're more likely to keep trying when things get tough. Second, a growth mindset can help you learn and grow. When you're open to new ideas and challenges, you're more likely to develop the new skills and knowledge you need to amplify your growth. Third, a growth mindset can help you build better relationships. When you believe in yourself and your abilities, you're more likely to be confident and positive, which can make it easier to build relationships with others.
If you want to grow your small business, it's important to develop a growth mindset. Here are a few tips:
Focus on your strengths. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. When you focus on your strengths, you're more likely to feel confident and capable. This can help you take on new challenges and achieve your goals.
Keep adding new skills, knowledge, experiences to build up the variety of strengths you bring to the growth table.
Be open to feedback. Feedback can be a valuable tool for growth. When you're open to feedback, you're more likely to learn and grow.
Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone…a lot! That’s where all the growth is.
Let your challenges and failures be your greatest teachers. Examine them, learn from them, and move on!
Set challenging goals. Setting challenging goals can help you stretch yourself and reach your full potential.
Look to others for inspiration. Learn from their successes.
Don't give up. Everyone experiences setbacks and failures. When you don't give up, you're more likely to achieve your goals.
Developing a growth mindset takes time and effort. But it's worth it. A growth mindset can help you overcome challenges, learn and grow, and build relationships. These are all essential qualities for entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses.
Here are a few additional tips for creating a growth mindset for growing your small business:
Read books and articles about growth mindset and from those who exhibit one. There are a number of great resources available to help you learn more about growth mindset. Reading about growth mindset can help you understand the benefits of this mindset and how to develop it.
Interact with other entrepreneurs who have a growth mindset. Talking to other entrepreneurs who have a growth mindset can be a great way to learn more about this mindset and how to develop it. These entrepreneurs can share their stories and offer advice on how to overcome challenges and achieve your goals.
Join a growth mindset community. There are a number of online and offline communities that are dedicated to helping people develop a growth mindset. Joining a growth mindset community can provide you with support and motivation as you work to develop this mindset.
Creating a growth mindset is an important step for entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses.
If there is one absolutely foundational imperative for growth it is the development of a growth mindset because without it, you will not create sustainable growth. What we want to do is create an amenable environment for growth, that acts like a healthy soil for our businesses to flourish. Our growth mindset acts as the growth garden where we learn and improve from others, from taking action, from being comfortable making mistakes and learning from them, from embracing challenges, taking on constructive feedback, not feeling threatened by the success of others but rather taking inspiration in it, all the while remaining resilient and embracing the growth opportunities as they come to us day after day.
Ever Wonder Why Some Entrepreneurs Experience Explosive Growth and Others Just Can’t Seem to Get Growing?
Starting a business is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do. But even with the best of intentions, many entrepreneurs struggle to grow their businesses quickly enough.
There are a number of reasons why entrepreneurs don't grow fast enough. Some of the most common reasons include:
Lack of a clear vision or strategy. Many entrepreneurs don't have a clear vision for their business or a strategic plan for how they plan to achieve their goals. Without a clear roadmap, it's difficult to stay on track and make progress.
Lack of focus. It's easy for entrepreneurs to get sidetracked by shiny new objects and new ideas. But if you want to grow your business quickly, you need to focus on your core goals and priorities.
Lack of resources. Growing a business requires resources, including time, money, and people. If you don't have the resources you need, it will be difficult to grow your business quickly.
Lack of experience. Many entrepreneurs are new to the business world and don't have the experience they need to grow a business quickly. This can lead to mistakes and delays.
Lack of perseverance. Growing a business is a long and challenging journey. There will be setbacks and challenges along the way. If you don't have the perseverance to keep going, you'll never achieve your goals.
If you're an entrepreneur who is struggling to grow your business quickly, it's important to identify the reasons why you're not growing as fast as you want. Once you know the reasons, you can start to develop strategies to overcome them.
Here are a few tips for growing your business quickly:
Develop a clear vision and strategy. What do you want your business to achieve? How do you plan to achieve it? Having a clear vision and strategy will help you stay on track and make progress.
Focus on your core goals and priorities. It's easy to get sidetracked by shiny new objects and new ideas. But if you want to grow your business quickly, you need to focus on your core goals and priorities.
Get the resources you need. If you don't have the resources you need, it will be difficult to grow your business quickly. This includes time, money, and people.
Get experience. The more experience you have, the better equipped you'll be to grow your business quickly. There are a number of ways to get experience, including working for a startup, taking online courses, and reading books and articles about entrepreneurship.
Don't give up. Growing a business is a long and challenging journey. There will be setbacks and challenges along the way. If you don't have the perseverance to keep going, you'll never achieve your goals.
Growing a business quickly is not easy. But it is possible with the requisite hard work, dedication, and perseverance. If you're an entrepreneur who is ready to take your business to the next level, start by identifying the reasons why you're not growing as fast as you want. Once you know your reasons, start tackling them one at a time,
Better yet, reach out. We can help you to expedite your growth trajectory.
The Inaugural Episode of Meaningful Musings from a Marketing Mind
In this new Growth Garden VLOG, we unpack real life marketing examples from the wild and learn from them!
These short videos will provide you with some tips, hints, examples, aha’s, even some scratch your head examples of real life contemporary marketing in action.
Hopefully they will help you become far more aware of what to do and what NOT to do in your marketing efforts.
Episode #1 - Why I Unsubscribed and Why You Should Too!
What it Lacks in Sex Appeal, it makes up for with Strategic Strength
Meet The Growth Audit, Your Super Tool for Driving Sustainable Growth
Some other marketing agencies will attempt to dazzle with promises of viral video fame, amassing huge follower numbers and overnight marketing successes. When the others are making all kinds of noise yet delivering little strategic substance, we, at The Growth Garden, are offering clients highly functional, data driven tools that actually help them achieve their growth goals.
The most powerful of these is by far, The Growth Audit.
You can't change what you don't acknowledge. A Growth Audit, will detail your current state, identify what's working and make recommendations for what's still required to create the growth you want.
What is it?
Simply put, it’s a holistic review of your entire business operations. It includes a deep dive into marketing, messaging, brand and strategy, yet goes further to include an audit of company goals and resourcing, operations, systems, processes and planning. It uses hard metrics to find ways to save time, errors, and money and it identifies ways to increase productivity, return on investment, efficiency, accuracy, and market share. It aligns and integrates and it’s like a full service tune up for your business, setting it up to support and sustain future growth.
Why Invest in a Growth Audit?
To set your business up for sustainable success!
Conducting a growth audit is one of the most powerful investments you can make in the long term sustainable growth of your business.
You may already be aware of its power, but here’s a reminder of the key benefits generated from a Comprehensive Growth Audit.
It will:
Uncover problems and inefficiencies
Identify what’s working well
Determine what isn't
Increase return on marketing investment (ROMI)
Extend and increase customer lifetime value
Reduce customer acquisition costs
Decrease customer churn
Maximise brand recognition
Explore better ideas and improved strategies
Provide objective advice and input
Clarify your future goals
Ensure that you have metrics in place that have meaning
Save team time and reduce project costs
Maximise your revenue and profitability potential
Ensure proper resourcing
Increase operational efficiency
Decrease errors and inconsistencies
Increase market share
Identify your most urgent priorities
Give you an actionable roadmap for your growth journey
Set a benchmark for future reviews/audits
How Does It Work?
Some standard audit methods employed include:
Reviewing company documents and outputs – financial reports, marketing plans, customer data, job descriptions, policies, procedures.
Surveying customers and team members – via interviews, focus groups, or surveys.
Monitoring online activity and digital footprint – website analytics, social media metrics, etc.
Comparing with the competition – studying their marketing strategies and tactics.
Analysing financials – revenue growth, profit margins, fees, team remuneration, bonus structures, and various operational costs, etc.
A Growth Audit is much more than either a digital audit or a marketing audit. It looks beyond that and includes a review of your systems, processes, operations, resourcing, pricing, and communications, including the following broad sections:
Marketing & Communications Audit
Operations and Planning Review
Team Skills & Resources Audit
Financial Review - things like pricing, profitability, resource costs, etc.
Systems & Processes Audit
Twelve Telling HINTS the Time is Right for a Growth Audit
How do you know if a Growth Audit is right for you? Or, when the time might be right?
There are a few telling signs that a Growth Audit is exactly what you need. They include:
You’re determined to set yourself and your business up for the ultimate growth.
You need a stronger infrastructure so that not so much of the doing is reliant on you.
You’re keen to expand the greatness of your business, your team and yourself.
You’re struggling to find time to work ON the business rather than IN it.
It’s time you amped up the impact you and your business are making on the world.
You know that doing more is not enough. You also want to do better!
You’ve identified some repetitive tasks and are keen to automate them.
You’ve spotted some small cracks in your business foundations and know they need to be addressed before they expand.
Your business/marketing planning is either short term, inconsistent or non-existent.
Your profit margin is falling but you’re not sure as to WHY, WHERE, or HOW.
You haven’t reviewed or assessed your systems or processes since you introduced them.
In your heart you know it’s time to do more than just succeed. IT'S TIME TO THRIVE!
How many of these resonate with you?
(If it’s more than 3, we should talk!)
So, when you’re thinking about how you want to approach your company’s future growth, do you want lots of noise, empty promises, and short term gain at the expense of long term growth? Or do you want the benefits of a solid strategic business tool that generates sustainable growth over the long term?
When it comes to the growth and success of your business, what’s your choice?, Sexy or Strong?
Growth Garden Opens Gold Coast Office
The Growth Garden is excited to be opening our brand new GOLD COAST office IN BROADBEACH in January 2023.
While our home base has changed, we continue to service clients and their growth needs throughout Australia, Canada and the United States, just with a better view! We continue to maintain our alliance partners in Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, and San Francisco and look forward to expanding this network.
THE GROWTH GARDEN helps ambitious service companies to achieve their BIG growth goals.
We’re a branding, marketing, messaging and strategic growth agency that helps service providers to get clear on their desired vision, uncover and communicate their unique DNA, find their ideal clients, and fall in love with their businesses all over again as we plant the seeds required to bring that BIG VISION to life!
If you’re a service business that is done with playing small and growth is what you’re after, we can help you to start thinking bigger and get you ready to thrive!
Thinking BIG means embracing :
Detailed Present State Benchmarking
Asking (and Answering) Powerful Strategic Questions
Extensive Business Vision Creation
Comprehensive Growth Planning
Detailed Client Profiling
Brand DNA Mapping and Profiling
Foundational Strategy Creation
Growth Strategy Creation
Ongoing Reviews, Audits and Adjustments
Mentoring,Coaching and Consulting to Expand You're Growth Skillset
So, if BIG GROWTH is top of your 2023 business goal list, then let’s connect and make this your best year yet!
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Linda Johannesson is a Featured Member of HerBusiness Network
I'm honoured to be a featured member of this fabulous network of inspirational and ambitious women that is HerBusiness Network!