Joana Dockute is a business development specialist and a business coach with a background in running her own direct sales and marketing company for 7 years. When it comes to helping her clients go to the next level Joana perfectly understands their problems, as she had to go through most business development stages herself before she became a business coach.
If you're looking to grow your business without increasing your ad spend, you need to start by strengthening the core of your business. Many businesses hit a plateau because they aren’t aware of what’s currently driving their success–or what's holding them back. That’s where an in-depth business assessment comes in. Whether you hire an outside consultant or take the time to master this skill yourself, it's crucial to step back and evaluate your business from a new perspective. Instead of getting stuck in the daily grind, you need to shift from working in your business to working on it.
Practical strategies to grow your business
As a business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in daily operations–handling tasks, solving problems, and putting out fires. But when you're constantly busy, it's hard to find the time (or energy) to take a step back and evaluate your business growth. Often, the only growth strategies you consider are the ones advertised to you: “Get more customers!” or “Make an extra $100K in 90 days!” Maybe you’ve been approached with offers to raise your profile like, “Get featured on the cover of a prestigious magazine–for just $2,000.” Sound familiar?
Are you in reactive mode?
Sure, generating leads and building brand awareness is important. But if your growth strategy relies solely on waiting to be approached by cold callers, you’re running your business in reactive mode. You’re not fully in control of your growth. This is why so many business owners end up jumping from one strategy to another, always searching for the next big thing. But sometimes, what’s being offered doesn’t fit your business’s specific needs–and it’s not because the strategy isn’t good. It’s because you haven’t taken the time to identify the right strategy for where your business is right now.
Stop chasing magic solutions
Imagine this: you’ve been dealing with ongoing skin issues but haven’t made time to figure out why. Then, you spot an ad on Facebook for a miracle cream that promises to clear your skin and make you look 10 years younger. It’s pricey, but you justify the cost because it’s full of “natural” ingredients. You try it, and it works! But now, you’re stuck using (and paying for) this cream for life. What if you could have fixed the problem by simply changing your diet instead? And you’d save money, improve your energy levels, and feel better overall.
This is exactly how many business owners approach their growth. They think the solution is getting more customers, but what if you could achieve your revenue goals without increasing ad spend? To find out, you must regularly assess your business from different angles—at least once a week.
There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy
Every business is unique, and there’s no single strategy that works for everyone. However, there are foundational practices that can strengthen any business. Here are three simple strategies that have worked great for my clients–without spending a penny on ads.
1. Upsell to existing clients
Upselling is another powerful way to increase revenue without acquiring new customers. I once worked with a dentist who was spending €2,000 a month on Google Ads for dental implants, with very little return on his investment. Once we studied his ideal client we discovered that they already were attending his clinic but were never offered an up-sell. Potential implant clients were existing patients coming in for routine procedures like cleanings or whitening.
The problem? There was no system in place to upsell these existing clients on dental implants. The dentist wasn’t referring patients to the in-house surgeon, nor was he educating them about the need or benefits of implants. By creating an offline sales funnel—essentially a step-by-step process to upsell existing patients–the practice was able to significantly increase implant sales without any additional marketing.
2. Cross-sell to existing clients
Your current customers are your best resource for increasing revenue without additional marketing spend. One of my clients, a butcher, wanted to sell more sauces, spices, and other complementary products in his shop. Instead of launching a new marketing campaign, we trained his staff to upsell and cross-sell these products during customer interactions.
Customers frequently asked for cooking tips, which made the butcher an expert in their eyes. This opened the door for suggesting additional products. With a bit of conscious sales training and tracking these cross-sales, the business saw an extra €200 in revenue per week–that’s €10,000 a year from existing customers, with zero additional marketing spend.
The key to success here was consistency and measurement. Once the cross-selling strategy is optimized, the business could move on to the next opportunity for growth.
3. Restructure your ads budget
Are you spending thousands on ads but not seeing the results you expect? It’s time to restructure your ad budget. A client of mine, a local business owner, was spending over €2,000 a month on Google Ads and seeing almost no returns. After a month of data analysis, we decided to cut the Google Ads budget by 50% and reallocate it to Facebook Ads. In just a few months, Facebook was bringing in €16,000–€20,000 in revenue, while Google continued to underperform.
It took time, but I eventually convinced my client to cut the Google Ads budget even further. Despite resistance from the marketing agency, which ‘promoted’ brand awareness with impressive click-through rates (CTR) and thousands of impressions, the reality was that none of it mattered because it wasn’t leading to conversions. The client’s target audience only searched for his services–legal help–when they needed it (when they had an accident), not because they were shopping around.
This example illustrates a common mistake: businesses focus on secondary metrics like impressions and CTR without prioritizing what really matters—getting clients. If your ads aren’t converting, it’s time to adjust your strategy, not increase your spending.
Taking control of your business growth
There are countless ways to strengthen your business foundation without spending more on advertising. But you won’t know what your business truly needs unless you assess it regularly. It’s easy to chase the latest marketing trends, but what works for one business might not work for yours. Growth doesn’t have to be costly, painful, or overwhelming. In fact, it can be enjoyable.
Think of your business like your favorite clothes. When they get dirty, you don’t throw them away–you wash them, fix them if needed, and keep wearing them. The same principle applies to your business. Instead of constantly chasing new strategies, take time to fix what’s not working and build from there.
Start your weekly business assessment
I challenge you to set aside one hour each week to assess your business. Ask yourself:
What went well last week?
What areas of my business need improvement?
How could I get more business from my existing clients?
By stepping outside of the day-to-day operations and viewing your business as an entrepreneur, not just a business owner, you’ll gain fresh insights and identify opportunities for growth that don’t require extra ad spend. If you need help or guidance, I’d be happy to assist. Reach out to me via JD Marketing Academy. Remember, you are just one step away from the right marketing strategy and you are just one call away from an extra client for your business.
Joana Dockute, Business Development Specialist/ Business Coach
Joana Dockute is a business development specialist and a business coach with a background in running her own direct sales and marketing company for 7 years. When it comes to helping her clients go to the next level Joana perfectly understands their problems, as she had to go through most business development stages herself before she became a business coach. She loves helping business owners 'find their voice', design, and implement customized business systems and processes. Each business is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all. Joana's mission is to help entrepreneurs succeed without having 'to sell their soul'. Meaning, if the strategy doesn't align with your values you shouldn't even consider it.
