How To Scale Your Business

Originally published January 18, 2022

So you have a business, and it’s doing great. You’re gaining many new customers, increasing brand awareness in your local area, and generating more sales. This is where you want to be, right? Sure, if you’re content with staying where you’re at. But, deep down, you want to grow your business even further. Good news! This is the perfect time to capitalize on your momentum through something known as scaling.

Scaling is a business strategy that, when applied correctly, can exponentially grow your company. A common mistake is using growth and scaling interchangeably. Although they may be related, they are not the same thing.

In This Article:

Business Growth vs. Scale

So what’s the difference between growth and scale? It’s all about the relationship between revenue and resources.

Growth is when revenue increases as a result of an increase in resources such as employees, technology, or space. Say you hired three new members to your team and upgraded your office with new tech and computers. Shortly after, you see immediate results, with sales going up significantly. This is an example of business growth.

Scale is when revenue increases even when the resources slightly increase or remain the same. Say that you’re working with the same team you had when you first started. There may be a couple of minor changes to increase productivity. Yet, revenue continues to rise. This is an example of scale.

Here’s another way of looking at it. Scaling means being able to increase revenue without increasing the costs of production and resources, while growth is an increase in revenue at the same rate of increasing costs.

When it comes to scaling a business effectively, it is all about two things: capability and capacity. Are you capable of executing changes in your business operation? Do you have the capacity to meet the increased demand?

But how is it possible to create revenue growth while keeping resources and production costs the same?

7 Steps to Scaling Your Business Effectively

Scaling, when executed effectively, can elevate your small business to new heights. In order to achieve successful scaling, begin with these seven key steps.

1. Evaluate your current situation

   Take a step back and look at your current business model. Note your strengths and weaknesses and see if you are capable of sustainable growth. Nail down your target market. Revisit your branding, messaging, and marketing strategy. Then analyze potential results in sales as a result of scaling. Think carefully if you and your team can handle an increased workload without losing revenue or if it’s reasonable to outsource.

   Doing this step will help you avoid making costly mistakes that are difficult to recover from, especially if you are a small business.

   Related article: 3 Signs It’s Time to Outsource Your Business Writing

2. Begin with the end in mind

   This is a direct quote from Stephen Covey’s book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is essential to establish what you want your business to become and where you want it to go. Setting this precedent will enable you to determine an effective action plan for scalability.

   A plan without an objective will make it hard for you to measure success, and it can even be detrimental to your growth. So have a clear goal in mind when it comes to scaling.

3. Plan a strategy

   Once you’ve determined your present and future business objectives, it’s time to come up with a plan to get you there. Consider which resources will help your scaling strategy. Where should you invest your money and efforts? What can be changed in day-to-day operations and internal processes? How capable is your team in terms of workload?

   These are things to figure into your plans when intending to scale your small business. It’s also critical to share your plan with the entire team to ensure that everyone is on board with the new business strategy.

4. Learn from others

   Study entrepreneurs who successfully created scalable businesses. Take note of the actions they took to get to where they are now. Carefully look into HOW they scaled to give you a better idea of how it can be done.

   Another tip is don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of initiative and ambition. It’s a team effort, and not everyone can do it alone, so reach out to your connections for their wisdom.

5. Establish your team

   Crafting a team of passionate and motivated employees is vital to scaling. You want people on your team who hold the same values and visions as you. If they are in alignment, then the rest will follow.

   But remember to also value your employees as they are carrying out your vision. Invest in them with benefits and perks such as dental and fitness. It lets them know that they are appreciated and will therefore work harder to produce quality output.

6. Focus on quality

   Your company offerings are your bread and butter. If they’re not perfected or properly developed, they can turn customers away. You want to provide your customer base with quality products and services. Fix any problems or issues with your products before scaling. It’s better to remedy any problems now rather than later.

   Remember, the success of your scaling business depends on customer acquisition. Nothing speaks to a customer more than a quality product.

7. Utilize effective processes

   Creating an efficient and repeatable business plan helps to establish a stable workflow and speeds up growth. You want to design a system that your team can follow regularly and easily to ensure operations and tasks run smoothly. Then you should tweak and alter it as your company grows to adapt to any workflow changes. Flexibility and adaptability will be key here.

   The use of technology comes in handy here as there are many tools and programs out there to streamline your internal processes.

   Related article: A Quick Guide To Powering Up Trello

Ready To Scale Your Business? People First Content Can Help!

Business scaling is something that, when done effectively, will catapult your company to new heights. It’s a process that requires you to be deliberate and strategic. Once you do all the hard work, you will begin to see the fruits of your labor.

Thinking about scaling? Don’t go at it alone. Contact us for your content marketing needs. We can help you scale by handling your content writing while you focus on the rest of your business.

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