Outsource your business development and other tips for serious scale-ups
A report by the Financial Times at the end of last year showed that small business numbers surged during 2020. Many embraced a new opportunity life had thrown at them, starting up the business they’d always wanted to run. We know what it’s like to be a start-up, and the Get Ahead team are thrilled to be providing outsourced services for some of the pandemic’s newest entrepreneurs. Our services include admin, marketing and business development, all of which are crucial for any growing business.
For many new business owners, the time will come when you have to start taking your business processes seriously. You’ve stopped being a start-up; now you’re a scale-up. Usually this happens because your business has achieved a size where carrying information on a basic spreadsheet no longer works. Sometimes you have to change your processes in response to a problem, or you might be trying to look more professional in order to attract the right clients or finance.
Here are four things you can put in place that will streamline your systems and support business growth:
1. Write a business growth plan
Your business is growing, but are you ready? A business growth plan can be both proactive and reactive – look at how you will market your business and reach out to new leads, but also consider what will happen if sales increase beyond your expectations. It’s also important to consider what you will do if your business takes a hit – if your business provides solutions for a locked-down world, will you need to branch out as the UK gradually reopens?
2. Invest in the right CRM software for your business
When you’ve only got five clients, you can probably remember who comes to you for what service and when you said you’d follow up with them. But when your client base starts to increase, you’ll need a more robust system to keep track. A strong CRM system can help you grow your business further, by giving you analytics to help you understand the client journey and make sure you connect with those who are most likely to convert.
3. Identify your skills gaps
We’re all good at something but no one’s good at everything. You may have strong skills picked up in the corporate world before you started your own business, like finance or marketing. Maybe you’re a keen photographer and your website is full of product photos you’ve taken yourself. But there are bound to be other areas where you don’t know where to start, or which take ages because you only do them once a month. Fortunately, skills gaps can be easily addressed, either by training, taking on new team members or outsourcing.
4. Outsourcing
Outsourcing is a great solution when your business is growing. After you’ve identified areas where you need support, you can contact an outsourcing agency like Get Ahead and harness the expertise you need. It’s a flexible service, so you can increase the amount of work you outsource as your business grows. You stay in control of your budget, choosing how many hours you will use each month, guided by one of our success managers to ensure the time and money are used in the most effective way.
Outsource your business development
There are many ways to grow your business, including cold calling and appointment making. We know many people hate cold calling – fortunately, our business development experts love it! Visit our business development page to find out more. Whether your business is already growing, or feel the time has come when it should be, our virtual assistants can help. Get in touch today on 01483 332 220 – we’d love to hear from you.
