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What is scaling, even? By definition, scaling your business means that you’re increasing your revenue at a faster rate than costs. Ultimately, scaling comes down to streamlining. When you set out with the intention to scale a service-based business, it is so important to have clarity on where you’re going but also understand that scaling is not a linear process. Scaling takes a lot of thought, it takes courage to make decisions (oftentimes tough ones) and it involves risk. Here are 4 steps to scaling a service-based business.
Highly recommend reading the book ‘build to sell’ → even if you don’t plan on selling your business, this book provides incredible foundational tips for scaling a service-based business without distractions and missteps.
The mapping-out process boils down to:
The biggest mistake business makes is not taking advantage of automation before starting to outsource or bring on a team.
There is a library of GOLD within Client Management Systems such as HoneyBook, Dubsado, and Hubspot.
When it comes to mail marketing platforms we have tools such as Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, and Flodesk.
Project management has never been easier with systems like like Monday.com, ClickUp, and Asana. Finally, there is Zapier to connect them all to work together magically.
It is worth investing your time (and money by outsourcing this as a project) into getting these systems to work for you. Before you go crazy on investing in software, though, document every single thing you do from services to admin, and everything in between. Next time you do something in your business, pull up a Google Doc and step by-step write how you do it from start to finish.
Once this is done you can really start to look into software that can help to automate pieces (if not all) of these processes. Now when it comes to scaling, there are ways to keep it lean but it is also very easy to rack up expenses. Take your time in researching software that helps you with your systems and processes and favor software that does a lot in one.
For example, we love HoneyBook because we can push our entire bottom-of-funnel marketing through to close, and then after closing, we can continue to nurture. Here’s how it works for us:
Having software that handles all of the above can save you HUNDREDS of hours in time. And time = money.
Click here to try HoneyBook for just $1/mo!
Do you think Jenna Kutcher, Amy Porterfield, and Tony Robbins did everything solo in order to scale? They did not.
One thing will always ring true when it comes to scaling a service-based business: you cannot do it without a team.
The logistics of bringing on a team aren’t often talked about which can make the thought daunting. By the way, before you even get to this point, make sure you are first paying yourself. Otherwise, you’re going to resent your team members for ultimately making more than you.
So where do you start? Start with someone who can take some of the most immediate, non-billable tasks off of your plate.
This will do two things:
From here, you can start staffing for more billable tasks within your business allowing you, as the owner, to move into a more desirable place you’d rather be in.
A feedback loop is a process of gathering feedback, analyzing it, and then acting on its insights to implement. This is arguably the most crucial component of scaling a business. If you stop collecting feedback and stop actively seeking to improve your business as a whole with this feedback, you will stall.
Use it to your advantage and you’ll never wonder where your next lead is coming from.
Because they’re equally important, let’s look at this from both a client perspective and a team perspective.
Client feedback drives client experience
The best idea for how to improve your client’s experience is to ask them. As soon as your service is complete with a client or (if a retainer client) after a month or two of implementation, send your client a feedback survey or get on a call with them and ask the same questions. Simple ones, like:
Use this feedback to improve and enhance your service.
If a client felt like they didn’t have much communication with you, figure out how you can include more touchpoints throughout the project.
If a client felt at multiple points through the project that they didn’t understand the process or even what was being done, see how you can provide more education about what you’re doing.
Remember that your clients are paying you for a service and delivering it and a good experience increases the likelihood they’ll be repeat clients and more often than not, refer you out the wazoo to anyone who asks for what you do.
Employee feedback ensures stability a boosts morale
Performance reviews can single-handedly catapult the success of your business. By taking time to set goals with your team members, you’re actively working towards something that impacts your business’s bottom line (or, it should).
One way to do this is by setting OKRs (Objective Key Results). The long and short of OKRs is this:
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. It’s a framework that helps you as an organization tie strategies to hard numbers that then trickle down to the members of your organization. The tactics and goals that you set allow your team to work around achieving those common objectives. Why OKRs are awesome: it allows you to set super clear goals and timelines for your team to complete those goals. You can tie bonuses and promotions to these goals and it pushes the entire business forward.
The best way to get started with OKRs is to implement them in the planning process of your business.
On top of this, actively collect feedback from your team. Once a year is enough for an employee satisfaction survey, but you can do little check-ins throughout.
After reading this, if you decide that scaling a service-based business is not for you, I want to tell you this: IT’S OKAY. If you’re feeling this way but conflicted on if you should scale or not, check out this book recommendation I have for you: Company of One. It’s okay to want to stay small. It’s okay to want to be lean. It’s okay to want to be a freelancer or a solopreneur if that’s what you prefer.
Scaling has become over-glamourized and the truth of it all is that its hard work, and a ton of pressure to keep your team + your clients happy. Be sure to reflect on what you want for your business and your life and the rest will follow suit (with proper planning, of course).
As a marketing strategist and business mentor, I help brands grow, scale and expand passion-driven & impact-led businesses that stand the test of time.
If you enjoy reading this blog, you might also enjoy the She's Busy AF podcast - where I dish tips JUST LIKE THESE, for free, in a listenable format. Head on over to your fave podcast platform and tune in today!
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© 2023 Brand Good Time™️ | Florida Marketing Agency
Privacy Policy |
This website was built by the most fun team ever (ahem, it's us, Brand Good Time™).