Written by: Susanne Grant, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
2020 wasn’t an easy year for many of us. Whether your business took a hit or grew, there are always several new avenues to discover. Luckily it is time to put the energy of 2020 behind and plan out what you want to achieve with your business. In my opinion, there isn’t a right way to grow your business. However, you need to find a way that works for you, your family, and your business. All roads lead to Rome, after all! There are various ways to reach a destination, achieve your goal, and many routes to growing your business. Find something that is in alignment with you!
These are the 21 Ways to Grow Your Business In 2021. Enjoy!
Expand Your Network
Networking has gotten a bad rep over the past few years. And I’ve certainly spent hours wondering why on earth I joined an event. However, I’ve found that networking can have a huge benefit to your business. Especially if the network, in particular, is full of your ideal clients.
1. Local and International Networking Groups
Local, as well as international networking groups can rapidly grow your business when you get connected to the right people or get to speak in front of the right audience. According to Andrew Smith of Aberdeen Business Network (my local group), the average person knows a 1000 people whom they can refer to you! So stop hiding and find a group you resonate with to land some new business.
2. Speak on Podcasts
Using someone else’s audience is a great way to grow your own audience. For example, if you speak on a business podcast about your work and the podcast has an average of 40.000 downloads per week, you are seriously spreading your message by leveraging these different audiences. Plus, it is a great way to build authority as a speaker.
3. Join Publishing Sites
Another great way to establish your authority and reach more potential new clients is to join sites to publish your own articles (download the resources guide for my best tips). The written word is not dead, and a lot of articles are being published daily. So if you love to write, it is definitely worth investing your time and energy in such a fantastic way to spread your message via existing media. You can, for example, apply to become a Brainz Magazine Contributor. If you get approved, you could read your very own article right here! How exciting.
4. Co-Author Project
In January 2020, I became an international bestselling author. Joining a co-author project isn’t for everyone, but that being said, it is a great way to leverage your network as well as your fellow authors. It opened doors for me. I didn't even know was possible, and it really helped to build my brand and grow my business in 2020.
5. Join Journalist Websites
Journalists, bloggers, and other media outlets are always looking for new exciting stories to share with their audiences. Websites like “Help A Reporter” are a great way to be “in the know” and pitch your business to be featured. I used this to land an interview series soon to be published in just 4 weeks of joining this major media outlet. And if I can do it, so can you!
6. Social Media Strategy
Having the right social media strategy is key to your success. I work with many clients myself who are overwhelmed because they are spreading themselves way too thin. Pick a platform that works best for you and your audience and apply a strategy to bring in new business. Often, I find my clients are hiding and holding back from posting, so if this is you, consider this the “kick in the you know what” you’ve been waiting for!
7. Pay To Play / Paid Advertising
This ties in with number 6, and I think this is an obvious one, but it does deserve a special mention. Paid advertising, or pay to play, could really help you leverage your business and increase your reach. If done, right! We all know the horror stories, or have experienced it, where you pump in the money without the results. So even though it is an avenue worth exploring, make sure you select partners who know how to get great results and/or have proven track records.
Change Your Business
If 2020 has taught us anything is that we have to be flexible in life and business. I am aware that not all businesses have this luxury, but hopefully, this gives you a few ideas to explore further!
8. Raise your prices
Simple yet effective raise your prices. A slight increase can make a real difference over time.
9. Cut costs
Have you meant to re-negotiate a deal or switch suppliers, but you’ve been putting it off for whatever reason? This would be a great time to reassess and see what you can make happen.
10. Move from “one to one” to “one to many”
Working with coaches and creatives myself, going from a 1:1 business model to one to many, can really help you grow your business rapidly in 2021. Do you have a project you can scale? A service you could teach in groups? This can definitely add on the extra revenue you are looking for.
11. Low ticket to high ticket
As an intuitive business coach and consultant myself, I started out charging per hour for a small fee. A few years back, I switched to customized packages, which turned outsold a lot better than 1-off sessions. If you have been selling your work for the bare minimum, it might be time to raise your prices (drastically)!
12. Repeat customers
Do you have a client base that you could offer a new product to? Or perhaps follow up and reach out to see how they are doing and see if they require your help again? Repeat customers are great for business.
Outsource & Delegate
When growing your business, it is clear that what worked for you in the past doesn’t work for you now. If you want to continue to grow your business, think about the business as a whole and see how you can streamline the process.
13. Eliminate
This is the biggest and most important step of all. Don’t keep putting stuff on your to-do list just because you think it needs to be on there. It is a waste of money, time, people, and resources! Get clear on your goals and eliminate any tasks that are not required to achieve these goals.
14. Automate
Once you’ve done that, I am sure certain tasks need to be done but are rather simplistic. For example, is it time to get a good online admin system or calendar to schedule your appointment automatically? 2021 will be the year for you to figure this one out.
15. Delegate
Ahh, yes, the to-dos that are a - you know what - but need to be done. I know many of my clients absolutely don’t like doing their admin and taxes resulting in them staying stuck at a certain income level. Or not showing up on social media consistently because they are “too busy” - which is usually fear of being visible btw - which results in them getting new clients inconsistently. Finding great support is crucial if you want to grow your business. Invest in the right support, and it will create the space for new clients and projects!
Upgrade
We humans are funny creatures. We tend to stay stuck for too long, just out of comfort. Is it time for you to upgrade the systems/structures in your business? Perhaps you can relate to the following ways to grow your business in 2021.
16. Software
Are you still booking in your coaching clients by hand? Working out the different time zones as you go? Scheduling your social media by hand? Or strongly disliking your accounting software? Seriously, life is too short to spend your time on things that aren’t working for you. When I first started in business, it took me about 2 days to manually do all my admin, but thanks to simple accounting software, this is now about an hour or 2 per month! If you don’t like the software or are doing things in a way that takes up a lot of your time, have a good look and see if you can upgrade it.
17. Hardware
I am not the person who needs the latest version of the latest phone. If it works, and it works well, I am happy! However, recently my computer started to play up. Just getting ready to work (luckily, I work from my home office) meant I had to turn on my computer 30-40 minutes before my next client just for it to actually work! After I upgraded my PC, this has now been reduced to about 2 minutes. Is it time to invest in new equipment? Trust me, and it is worth it!
18. Support
This one is huge for many of my clients! How do you start outsourcing, delegating, or hiring help? And if you have support, but it doesn’t work out, how do you replace them? Or do you just let the contract continue even though you are really unhappy? Well, I am here to tell you it is time to step up your game for 2021. Get help if you need it and switch to a new provider if it doesn’t work out.
Energy & Mindset Work
Mindset and energy work are among the most important investments you can ever make in yourself and your business. Do you find yourself stuck on a certain income level? Can you only take on 5 clients at the time? And no matter how hard you try, always find yourself stuck on X (fill in yours)? Then 2021 is your invitation to dive deeper into the energetics.
19. Money Mindset
Are you finding yourself stuck on a certain level? It may be time to work on your money mindset. What is that? Well briefly explained, your body is designed to act, think and engage in a certain way when it comes to all things that revolve around money. Your current money design holds the key to removing the obstacles standing between you and the goals. Want to bring in more abundance in 2021? Work on your money mindset! Download the guide for my favorite resources.
20. Time Mindset
Time equals money! Who hasn’t heard this? Are you trading dollars for hours? Do you believe you have to work hard to be successful? Does success only come with sacrifice? You don’t need to work yourself into oblivion to have the success you crave. In fact, rest is a productive activity. Stop wearing “busy” as your badge of honor and start working on your time mindset.
21. Alignment
Your energetic alignment to your 2021 goals is the most important factor of all. Do you believe you can grow your revenue? Double your client base? And take time off on top of this? Or are you reading this rolling your eyes because you feel this is absolutely impossible? Work on the energetics behind your goals, find the alignment, follow your bliss, and the universe will deliver. It’s the law. Need help? Download the guide for my favorite resources.
Are you ready to grow your business in 2021?
Want to implement the 21 Ways to Grow Your Business, but need the resources to do so? Do not fear, download the full list + the links for easy access now >here<.
Even though we are made to believe, otherwise, you can be successful without sacrificing health, wealth, marriage, or YOU. When scaling your business in 2021, please keep in mind there is no need to struggle your way to the top. Life is allowed to be easy! Not sure how to do this? I can help you increase your revenue by decreasing your efforts. Get in touch if this is you. Get ready to have your cake and eat it too (yummy chocolate)!
Connect with Susanne on LinkedIn. You can find out more at grantmethod.com and sign up for her newsletter for her latest tips and tricks to help you grow your business in 2021 without putting in more hours.
Susanne Grant, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Susanne Grant is a Work-Life Balance Expert, Intuitive Business Coach & Consultant, International 1 Bestselling Author, and 2020 Great British Entrepreneur Awards Finalist. She helps business owners - who know they’ve hit the ceiling in their time, energy, and/or income - to implement a personalized strategy. This allows them to move forward to achieve their goals with confidence by finding the perfect work-life mix for them, their families, and their businesses. Susanne has helped hundreds of clients implement their new strategy via the Grant Method, her unique coaching program which allows her clients get clear on what they truly want, on a practical but also an energetic level, figure out how these pieces fit together, and implement these elements back into the business in a way that works for them. She is a strategic, business-minded thinker with the powerful ability to read information from her client's energy; the perfect blend of strategy and spirit to help her clients break through their perceived limitations, upgrade their mindset and take their business to the next level – without the burnout or hustle! Find out more about Susanne Grant and the Grant Method Business Coaching at grantmethod.com
