How to Scale Your Business with 5 Proven Recommendations

If you’re ready to grow your business, you’re in good company. However, you’ve also got a long road ahead of you. Time and experience definitely have something to do with growth and success in business, but there is more to it than that. You can’t just start selling more and hope that it all falls into place. Along with those increased sales, you’re going to have to make sure that you can deliver the same high-level, high-quality experience to each and every customer that comes your way. 

Too often, people equate the word “scaling” with the word “growth”—they are not one and the same. Scaling is what you do to enable growth in your business. It is creating a structure that allows you to grow without being held back. It takes time, planning, and a commitment to putting in the work. 

To help with that, we’re going to delve into some powerful, proven insights on how to effectively scale your business, no matter where you’re at or what your goals might be. 

Keep processes simple

Apple succeeded largely, in part, to Steve Jobs’ meticulous attention to getting rid of excess and complications. Many other business leaders have built their success on simplifying processes and operations, as well. When it comes to scaling, the biggest issue that businesses face is the complexity of their existing operations. 

Businesses do evolve and become more dynamic and complex over time, by nature. However, CEOs and executives need to be mindful of that and have an ongoing strategy in place for simplifying processes and finding better solutions for complexities within the organization. 

According to Dan Horan, the CEO of Five Acre Farms, “It’s got to be simple, and sometimes to make something simple you have to really, really study everything about it. It might turn out to be complex, but you have to present it simply, particularly when it comes to people: when people buy something, they don’t want a lecture.”

Invest in your people 

Companies that are spending a fortune on high turnover and constant hiring will never have the time or money that they need to scale. Businesses need steady operations, reliable processes, and people who are committed to driving the company’s vision. 

If you invest more money in your employees, you will attract top talent, retain more people, and have a workforce that works harder of their own volition because they share your passion and vision. 

A great example of this is the Ritz Carlton brand of hotels. They give their people carte blanche and encourage them to be proactive about taking care of guests’ needs. Their training and coaching focus on providing an exclusive experience for each guest, as well as how to expect the unexpected. As such, Ritz Carlton is the fastest-growing hotel brand in the world and it has a value of more than $1.1 billion. 

There are no shortcuts to success 

This is a more “Business 101” type of tip, but it bears repeating, no matter how long you’ve been in business. As your business grows, and especially as the availability of technology continues to make things easier, it might seem tempting to cut corners or try to move things along faster. 

Every single action you take now will have a repercussion down the road. Shortcuts are compromises, plain and simple. And the most successful companies never compromise. Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and Shark Tank host, shares his best advice, given to him by his father:

“Do the work,” says Cuban. “Out-work. Out-think. Out-sell your expectations. There are no shortcuts.”

Ask for help

Another big reason businesses struggle to scale appropriately is because they don’t ask for help. Whether it’s an issue of pride, a worry about whether it’s “professional,” or anything else, you need to stop immediately and get rid of all of it. Embrace a learner’s mentality and always be willing to ask. If you don’t ask, you will never know. 

And according to Steve Jobs, asking for help is essential to finding your way to success. He cites his own childhood, when he called Bill Hewlett (yes, that one) and asked for spare parts. Not only did he get the parts, but he was also offered a summer job doing assembly at HP. Jobs says he’s never met anyone who hasn’t been willing to help when he has asked. 

If you want to know how to become successful at scaling, ask those who have come before you. 

Grow based on the reports 

It’s easy to get lofty ideas about growth and expansion. Growth is an exciting time. However, it’s also a time when you need to be more diligent than ever before. Make sure that you take the time to look at your metrics and data so that you can make accurate, sustainable plans for scaling your business. 

Don’t spend blindly trying to build a business. That’s just going to cost a fortune and cause you to burn through all of your cash quickly and without intention. Spend deliberately. Grow deliberately. Pay attention to the data and utilize it to make the right decisions. 

Vincent Mifsud, CEO of ScribbleLive, also suggests making sure that you’re using the proper tools to guarantee data-driven decisions. And as he says, if those tools need to change as you grow, invest in them accordingly. 

Ready, set, grow! 

So, now that you’ve got the insider scoop on how to scale your business effectively, all you need to do is get started. While you’re working on your company, though, do you have a team in place to field all those new leads? Partner with the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai and you’ll immediately have access to a professional 24/7 answering service so you never miss an opportunity. 

Plus, we can assist with lead intake and appointment scheduling, and even help you with outreach campaigns that are part of your scaling efforts. To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai. 

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