Small Business Coaching: Essential Strategies for Growth and Success

Starting your own small business is exciting. Growing your small business – well, let’s be honest - it can be overwhelming at times. Managing sales, staff, marketing, and finances while maintaining your own sanity requires successful business strategies. That’s where small business coaching comes in. 

A small business coach shouldn’t hand you a bulleted list of strategies and send you on your way. A good small business coach will get to know you, your personality, your dreams, and your pain points. These discoveries are used along with some of the following growth strategies in order to craft a growth strategy personalized for your goals and challenges.  

Strategies to Promote Growth and Success 

1. Clarify your goals. 

You need to look forward to move forward. Having a clear vision of what success looks like for you is important. A small business coach will help you determine your goals and make them measurable, so you have a clear understanding of accomplishment. Ask yourself: 

• Are your goals income-based?  

• Are you looking to expand services, locations, employees?  

• What are the non-negotiables and standards you will operate under? 

• What is your vision for your business and why is that important to you. 

2. Know your customers. 

If you’re trying to appeal to everyone, chances are you’re missing opportunities to connect with those who matter most. Hone your focus. The better you know your customer the more likely you are to attract them. Ask yourself: 

• Who are they?  

• Where are they?  

• How can my product help them? 

3. Establish your brand. 

According to CapitalOne, each week 91% of Americans shop small and local.  So, what sets you apart from other small businesses? Your brand is your identity and sets you apart. Consistency and personality are key. Ask yourself: 

• How will my customers learn about my brand and my products? 

• Do you have an effective website or social media presence?  

• Do you attend networking groups and/or community events? 

4. Take advantage of technology. 

Time is valuable. Automate everyday tasks in order to focus effort on growth. There are many tools on the market, some of them with free versions, to assist with email automation, social media management, project management, and accounting. Ask yourself:  

• Is my task list growing faster than my technology toolkit? Are you taking advantage of time-saving tools or continually adding to your task list without making progress? 

• What tasks are taking more time than I had planned? How can they be automated? 

• What income generating task could I be working on once I automate? 

5. Establish a scalable business model. 

Some think that the harder you work the more a business grows. While hard work is imperative, smart work is crucial. Doing everything manually or on your own is sure to leave you gasping for air. Ask yourself: 

• Where can I get the learning I need? 

• Am I willing to invest in myself or my team with continual learning? 

• Have I invested in myself with emotional or professional support? 

• How do I focus more on the long term and less on the day–to-day? 

• Who can help me position my business for growth and/or sale?

Final Thoughts 

Success in business is not a one stop shop. Longevity requires a solid, thought-out business strategy, consistency, and the ability to adapt. The strategies above are some of the key areas that a small business coach will incorporate to help you move forward, stay focused, and avoid burnout or even worse, failure. Attaining a cohesive small business strategy is a roadmap for success and growth.

Ready to start your small business coaching journey? Achieve tangible business results as you get a grip on growth, collaborate with curiosity, and enthusiastically innovate with Kalsow Coaching & Consulting, LLC. Experience the winning combination of personal and professional development that will bring clarity to your business strategies.