Branch out to Boost your Business

Often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about growing your business is to open a new location or start a franchise. Both are natural next-steps to expanding your business reach.  However, if you are not ready for investing in brick and mortar there are several ways to boost your business right now.

Branching out is all about being seen and being heard. The best advertisement and endorsement for you and your business is YOU.

Spring into action with one or more of these activities:

1. Get booked as a speaker. Speaking is great way to get the word out about your company, especially for service-based businesses. As a public speaker, you share your expertise, gain credibility, and engage with your audience in a direct, relevant way that often leads to growing your business. Get the word out there that you would like to speak about your business expertise. Advertise on your website and social media sites that you will speak for free.
2. Volunteer.  Get involved with your favorite charities or take a leadership role in a community group that supports your business values. Be seen and let people get to know what you and your company value. Giving back to the community is a powerful statement to one’s commitment and ethics.
3. Networking. Business networking results in word-of-mouth advertising and yields excellent return on investment. Like we mentioned in last week’s post, you can network anywhere, it’s all about being prepared!
4. Advertise. You’ve got to spend money to make money, and the fastest way to grow your business is to advertise effectively. Not sure where to get started? Try a direct-mail postcard-to-website campaign with the help of an online printing company.
5. Engage with Your People. Online forums and groups can be a powerful outlet for finding and engaging with your audience. Pick one or two forums that reach your target audience and make an impact. To stand out, begin by contributing to the conversation. Answer questions, demonstrate your knowledge and become a valued resource. Soon your audience will begin to seek you out.

Branch out by being visible and connected. Some businesses get far more referrals than others because they are out there, visible in the community. Follow their lead! Whether it’s speaking in front of 10 people or 100 people, attending various networking groups, passing out flyers or answering a simple question on your blog, these actions usually create goodwill. Then, when someone has the occasion to refer a business, it is YOU they remember!