by Brian McKay
Pxhere Image Source Credit: Photo of a chart determining the expansion of a business
Every entrepreneur hopes for the day where they have to expand, because in that moment, they know that they have made it, they are selling, they are being successful, and they need to be even bigger in order to cater to everyone. But it's not as simple as making a decent amount of sales and then simply expanding, there are many things that will come into play, and this can take a lot of time. Months, years, if not decades. With the help of technology though, and having all of these amazing features that help you get the exposure that you need, it has become a lot easier. Not to say it can be done overnight, as there is a lot of competition out there, but things aren't as impossible as they may have been before. If you're ready to put in a lot of hard work, time, and of course effort, then you can achieve pretty much anything you want to.
You need to know that there will be plenty of hurdles and obstacles that will be standing in your way, and you may well take many falls, but that doesn't mean that you're not cut out for running a business, or that you're a failure - they're merely tests to see if you're strong enough to make it through. It's not about how hard you fall - it's about how you pick yourself up, brush yourself down, and carry on. Remember that any mistakes you make, or challenges you face, can all be a lesson for the future, so never come away with negativity and disappointment held in your heart - it's an experience and you will know how to handle it better in the future if and when something like that happens again.
Once you've figured out the best way to keep going and reach the top, you will be able to start thinking more about other options in terms of where you want to take your business. If you have the opportunity to be able to expand, then there are certain areas that you will need to focus on more than others.
Here are some of the most important to get on the right track.
Finding some employees
There is only so much that you will be able to do on your own until you need some helping hands. For a lot of entrepreneurs, they are opposed to the idea of bringing in new help because they have done so much on their own, and they are afraid of having someone else come in and mess things up. Now of course, when looking for help, it isn't something that you're going to rush, so there's no reason that you should end up with employees that are incompetent and unpleasant to work with. It's so important that you take your time through the hiring process and do everything you can to get a real impression of the individuals before you just hand them the job. Think about the roles that you need filling first. It may start out as just bringing in someone to take over the marketing side of things so you can focus on other areas without being overwhelmed. Or an accountant so you have all of your finances taken care of by a professional. Whatever it may be, ensure that you do the necessary background checks and always contact the references on the resumes.
Finding an office
When you first start out, you will most likely be working from home as that is the simplest and cheapest option for you. When doing this, you can manage everything and oversee what you need to, but when things start changing and you have more responsibilities on your hands, you may need to have to move out of your home and have a more professional environment to get your jobs done in. There are a lot of things that come into consideration when looking for your first startup office space. You need to think about how much you can afford, as that will determine the kind of place you get. You don't want anywhere too big as you will be spending more money than you need to, essentially flushing it down the drain. Remember an office is similar to a home - there are bills to keep on top of. You also don't want anything too small, as you may find it's not as big as you need and then have to move again anyway, so try and weigh out the options and then meet in the middle.
Finding more customers
You can never have too many customers as long as you have the tools to cater to them all in an efficient and timely manner. So you should always be looking for new ways to reach out and get as much exposure as you can. If you haven't already guessed it, then social media will be one of your best friends here. Not only is it a platform where you can be in contact with hundreds and thousands of like-minded individuals, but it's entirely free. You need to put the work in and stay active online posting exciting content for people to indulge in, and it may take a while to build up the followers that you need to hold a substantial amount of influence, but you can get there. Sometimes if you're lucky, you will be featured by someone with a lot of social media power, and that can do wonders for you as essentially it's just sending more people your way. You can also contact other businesses online and team up by promoting one another that way. Online word of mouth is such a useful tool that can give you overnight success, so make sure that you're a frequent user.
Finding the contacts
You have surely heard the phrase that says, "It's not what you know, it's who you know", and while you certainly need to know a lot about the industry that you're getting into, it very much helps to know a few names. If you don't already know contacts though, you will need to put yourself out there so that you are able to mix with them, and in time, become a possible acquaintance of theirs. This means going to as many networking events as you can. A lot of people find the idea of this rather intimidating, and it can be, but if you want to make a name for yourself, then you're going to have to get used to being a social butterfly and being in situations that are out of your comfort zone. So have a look at local events, and get yourself down there. Even if the event itself isn't necessarily the same industry that you're in, you never know when knowing a certain business or individual can come in handy. So dress sharp, bring business cards, wear a smile, and shake as many hands as you can - you never know what will come out of it later down the line.
Finding the communication
So much of a business's success relies on communication, and although it may be such a cliche thing to say - it's true. You need to have brilliant communication between yourself and your employees, your clients, your customers, and your general target audience. You also need to realize that your language of conversation may have to change depending on the situation that you're in. For example, when conversing with a customer over email, you will be formal and polite, while ensuring the service you provide is up to standard. There is always a need for this throughout, but if you have an inquiry over Instagram for example, your style of language may change to fit the circumstances of the person you're talking to so that you're seen as current and on trend, and so certain slang may be appropriate. This isn't always the case, but it's certainly something you will want to think about, as with just a slight change in words, you are able to either draw someone in and sell them the world, or turn someone off completely and push them into the arms of your competition.
So as you can see, you have a lot of things to think about, and the sooner you do this, the more prepared you will be when the day does come that you're ready to expand. It's completely normal to feel overwhelmed and nervous about growing your business, because it puts you in the light and you're required to perform on the spot and make everyone happy - but there is no reason that you aren't capable of doing this. The first thing that you need to do above all else, is believe in yourself. If you're able to do this, and mute that voice of self-doubt in your mind, then you're able to achieve whatever you set your mind to, as that is the most powerful tool of all.