As a startup entrepreneur, it’s not uncommon to look at the big players in your industry and imagine one day being in their shoes. Maybe you visualize yourself working in the environment they’ve created, having help with their expanded their number of employees…and saving or spending the money in their supersized bank account.
Better yet, picture your company growing big enough to surpass theirs, leaving them to wonder what you did to create such amazing levels of business growth. Sounds great, right? But how do you get yourself from where you are now to that sweet pinnacle of your success?
According to Russ Ruffino, the founder of Clients on Demand, growing a business to the point where it is uber successful involves following a process. And though there are likely many micro-steps involved, Ruffino does share that there are three major steps that entrepreneurs can take if their goal is to elevate their companies to higher levels.
Step 1: Consistent and Right
The first step to business success, according to Ruffino, involves creating a marketing plan which uses “a consistent method that targets the right audience.” Though this looks like a rather simple statement, his choice of working is actually telling us a number of things.
For example, the fact that he uses the word ‘consistent’ means that this is something you should be doing repeatedly over time versus considering it a one-off event. Taking this approach not only increases the odds that you’ll reach your market due to having increased exposure, but consistency is also extremely important when it comes to building a stronger brand. A brand that the consumer begins to fall in love with.
In this step, Ruffino also talks about connecting with the ‘right audience.’This means that you need to be in front of the people who are most likely to buy your products and services. If you’re not, then it’s time to adjust your marketing efforts.
If you’re unsure who that target market is, Marketing Donut suggests that you think about what niche market you serve, that you seek to fully understand what problems you solve and unique expertise you offer your clients (what you do better than your competitors), and also that you create a crystal clear picture of your what your ideal customer looks like, or who they are. Once you do that, you’re in a better position to reach out in a more effective manner.
Step 2: Developing Your Online Charisma
Ruffino’s second step involves boosting your company’s online personality so you become a social influencer. CompuKol Communications explains that having social influence is important because it puts you in a perfect position to “create buzz, drive sales and increase traffic.” In other words, as a social influencer, you have enough credibility to cause others to act.
What can you do to establish yourself as an expert in your field? What help can you offer your clients via webinars, blogs, and online videos? How can you get them to see you as the company that knows it all?
Step 3: Consolidate the lead
Ruffino’s third and final step to growing a business is to consolidate the lead. This involves talking directly to your target customer so you’re able to provide value to them specifically. So, what are the biggest issues they face? What are their greatest fears? Additionally, what are the hurdles in their path and, perhaps most importantly, how can you help them face—and resolve—all of these things?
To be successful in this step requires being genuine and taking the time to really understand your target market. It involves nurturing your relationship with each individual person, so they know that you’re more than just a business.
Not all companies are destined to be big players, but that doesn’t mean that you have to resign yourself to be one of the little ones. Instead, if you consistently reach out to the audience most likely to buy your products and services, help them fall in love with your business’s personality, and take the time to offer your market a personal touch, your company can really start to grow. And that’s when the real fun begins.
