How to Build a Thriving Business: A Beginner’s Guide (for People Who Like Shortcuts)

Sherry —The Biz Starter Author

Posted On Apr 02, 2023 |

So, you want to build a thriving business and live your dream life doing what you love—every day?

Starting a business can be tough, but with these expert tips, you'll be on your way to building a strong foundation for your business and setting yourself up for long-term success.

✔️You need a killer business plan. Outline your goals, target market, and unique value proposition. In other words, figure out what you're selling, who you're selling it to, and why people should buy it from you.
✔️Master your brand identity. You must create a unique, memorable, consistent brand across all platforms. Your brand is like your business's personality, so make it one that your target audience will fall in love with.
✔️No money, no business. You need it to sustain your business, so ensure you have enough of it. You should be able to forecast cash flow, monitor expenses, and know where to find funding if needed.
✔️Be adaptable. Market conditions and technology are constantly changing, so you need to be able to pivot when necessary. Stay informed, anticipate change, and be willing to try new things.

Running a business is not as easy as it seems. In fact, most new businesses fail within the first few years. But don't worry; here are some expert tips to help you avoid becoming one of those statistics.

🎯Tip #1: Get Creative to Reach Customers

If you're running an offline business, such as a physical store, it's time to consider expanding your reach through online channels. This can be done by creating an online presence and utilizing different channels to reach your target audience.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to establish an online presence is by signing up for a marketplace platform such as Etsy or Amazon, which can help you reach a larger audience. This approach can also give you a better understanding of the online market and consumer behaviors.

After creating an online store, it's important to promote it to potential customers through various channels such as email, social media, and forums. Using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest can be especially effective for showcasing your products and driving traffic to your online and physical store.

💡For example, if you're selling handmade jewelry, you could create an online store on Etsy or Amazon and use social media platforms to display your products, run promotions, and engage with customers. This will help you reach a wider audience, establish your brand, and build customer loyalty.

The key to success in this approach is to find the most effective channels to reach your target audience and use them consistently. This will require experimentation and a willingness to adapt and change your strategies if needed.

If you're running an offline business, it's time to expand your reach through online channels. Creating an online store and promoting it through various channels, such as social media, can help you reach a larger audience and establish your brand in the online market.

🎯Tip #2: Get Finances In Order

Something crucial for any entrepreneur is financial management. You might think, "I'm not a numbers person; this sounds boring." Analyzing your financial statements can help you identify areas where you're overspending and ultimately help you save money you can use for other important areas of your business, like marketing and sales.

Let's take a restaurant owner as an example. They can analyze their financial statements to see which menu items aren't selling well if they want to reduce expenses. By identifying these items, they can consider removing them from the menu, which would save on food costs. It might seem like a small change, but over time, it can add up to significant savings.

Analyzing financial statements can be overwhelming, especially if you're not a financial expert. But don't worry; there's a solution to eliminate the overwhelm. You can hire a bookkeeper to help you with this task. A bookkeeper can help you make sense of your financial statements and provide you with valuable insights into your business's financial health. They are affordable. They will save you time and help you simplify your business.

So, if you're not already analyzing your financial statements, it's time to start. By doing so, you can identify areas where you're overspending and make changes to help you save money. And if you're not comfortable doing it yourself, hire a bookkeeper. They can be a valuable resource for entrepreneurs looking to improve their financial management.

🎯Tip #3: Retain Customers Like a Boss

Next, tips on customer retention. Retaining existing customers is the most cost-effective way for entrepreneurs to grow quickly. It’s because it costs seven times more to attract new customers than to keep existing ones.

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the many benefits of customer retention. If your customers like your products and services, they will likely share their positive experiences with their friends and family. This, in turn, can bring in more business for you.

So, what can you do to retain customers? One strategy is to offer loyalty programs. Loyalty programs are incentives for customers who repeatedly buy from you. For example, a business coach might offer a coaching session after every 5th session. This motivates customers to continue buying from you and keeps them coming back.

Another strategy is to personalize offers for your customers. By analyzing your customers’ purchase history and preferences, you can create personalized offers to cater to their needs. For example, a clothing store might discount a customer’s favorite jeans brand.

Finally, exceptional customer service is critical for customer retention. Build a strong relationship and trust and get repeat customers with a strategic customer onboarding process. When customers feel valued and heard, they are more likely to return. Be sure to listen to your customers’ feedback, address their concerns promptly, and make them feel appreciated.

So there you have some simple but effective strategies for customer retention. Happy retaining!

🎯Tip #4: Hire People Open to Learn

If you have a new business or startup, you may need employees or freelancers who are motivated, adaptable, and willing to take on new challenges. Hiring people who love to learn is one way to ensure your business stays competitive and can adapt to changing market conditions. Employees or freelancers who are always looking for new ways to improve their skills and learn new things are more likely to take on multiple tasks and get things done efficiently.

Creating a continuous learning and development culture is essential for your businesses to stay ahead of the competition. By providing opportunities for your employees to learn and grow, you can improve their satisfaction, retention, and willingness to stay with you. Offering training programs, mentorship, and educational resources can help your employees or freelancers stay engaged and motivated.

Additionally, when you hire people who love learning, you build a team to help your business evolve and adapt to new challenges. They will likely be creative problem-solvers who can help your business find new and innovative growing methods. So, if you want your business to be successful, consider hiring people who love to learn and believe in your products and services.

🎯Tip #5: The Power of Networking

Attending networking events can be a valuable experience for entrepreneurs. It's an opportunity to meet new people, build relationships, and explore new business opportunities. By connecting with others in your industry, you can gain valuable insights and knowledge to help you grow and succeed. This includes both online and in-person.

Networking events are useful for new business owners who are looking to establish themselves in their industry. These events provide a platform for you to showcase your brand and meet potential clients, customers, and partners. They can also help you gain feedback on your business idea and learn about the resources available to new businesses in your community.

But networking events can be intimidating for some people, especially if you're not used to putting yourself out there. The key is to be prepared and clearly understand your goals. Research the event beforehand and plan who you want to connect with and what you want to learn. This will help you feel more confident and focused when you arrive. Here are five brilliant secrets to building your business network for success.

Remember, networking is not just about handing out business cards and making small talk. It's about building genuine relationships and finding ways to add value to others. So, be prepared to listen and learn from others, share your knowledge and expertise, and look for ways to collaborate and support each other.

Attending networking events can be valuable for building relationships, gaining insights, and exploring new business opportunities. With the right mindset and preparation, you can make the most of these events and achieve your goals.

🎯Tip #6: Don’t Go It Alone—Build Partnerships

Building partnerships is a great strategy for entrepreneurs who are looking to grow and expand their reach. By working together, businesses can leverage each other's strengths and resources to achieve mutual benefits.

Partnerships can lead to faster growth and increased brand recognition. By teaming up with another business, you reach a wider audience and gain access to new markets that you may not have been able to reach otherwise. This helps you expand your customer base and grow your revenue. Partnering with another business creates more opportunities for success. 

💡For example, you could collaborate on a new product or service neither of you could have created alone. Combining your resources and expertise allows you to develop something unique and valuable to set you apart from your competitors.

When choosing a partner, looking for businesses that complement your strengths and mission is important. This will help ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial and both parties are working towards a common goal.

💡For example, a local coffee shop could partner with a bakery to offer fresh pastries and baked goods in its store. This would allow the coffee shop to offer its customers a wider variety of products while giving the bakery access to a new customer base. The two businesses could also collaborate on marketing efforts, such as joint social media campaigns or flyers promoting their partnership. Here are some do’s and don’ts of joint venture partnerships.

Overall, building partnerships can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurs looking to grow and succeed. By working together, entrepreneurs achieve more than they could on their own and create new opportunities for growth and success.

🎯Tip #7: Make Google Maps Work For You

Do you have a business with a physical location? Google My Business is a free tool offered by Google enabling businesses to manage their online presence and appear on Google search results and maps. By creating a Google My Business account, entrepreneurs can enhance their visibility online and attract more customers to their physical locations.

For instance, let's say you own a local bakery and want to promote your business to people searching for bakeries in your area. Creating a Google My Business account and updating your profile with relevant information such as your business hours, address, phone number, and website increases the chances of appearing in Google search results and maps when someone searches for "bakery near me."

The key benefit of using Google My Business is it allows your business to stand out from the competition and reach a wider audience. As a result, you can drive more foot traffic to your store, generate leads, and ultimately boost your sales.

More importantly, Google My Business lets you interact with your customers and respond to their reviews and feedback. This helps build trust and credibility with your audience and shows you care about their experience.

If you run an offline business, such as a store or restaurant, having a Google My Business account can be a game-changer for your business. It's an easy and effective way to attract new customers, increase your visibility online, and engage with your audience.

🎯Tip #8: Focus On Quick Wins

Setting achievable goals that align with your overall business objectives and long-term success is important. Short-term goals can help you track your progress and adjust your strategy as needed. Here are some examples of short-term goals you can set for your business:

One short-term goal could be to talk to two new leads every week. This helps you expand your customer base and generate new business opportunities.

Another short-term goal could be to add a new feature to your product every month. This can help you improve your product and stay competitive in the market.

Posting on social media five times a week is another short-term goal helps you increase your online presence and reach a wider audience. This can help you attract new customers and generate more leads. By setting these short-term goals, you can focus on specific actions to help you achieve your long-term objectives.

It’s important to set metrics for tracking your progress toward these goals. For example, you could track the number of leads generated from your conversations, the number of features added to your product, and the engagement on your social media posts. This will help you evaluate your progress and adjust your strategy as needed. I use Hypefury [aff.]and BlackMagic to evaluate my social media posts.

Remember, short-term goals are just one piece of the puzzle. It’s important to have a long-term plan and ensure that your short-term goals align with your overall business objectives. By setting achievable short-term goals and tracking your progress, you can stay on track toward achieving long-term success.

🎯Tip #9: No Risk - No Reward

Taking calculated risks is often necessary for business growth and innovation. Calculated risks involve thoroughly analyzing the pros and cons of an idea and evaluating potential benefits and risks before making a decision. For example, a software developer will test a new feature with beta testers before rolling it out to all customers.

It’s important to be prepared for failure because every successful business fails multiple times along the way. The key is to learn from the failures and keep moving forward. According to Investopedia, around 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of opening, 45% during the first five years, and 65% during the first ten years. Only 25% of new businesses make it to 15 years or more.

Successful entrepreneurs who take risks should also have a plan in place if things go wrong. For example, if a new product launch doesn’t go as planned, a business may have a backup plan in place to minimize losses and pivot the company’s direction.

Risk-taking can also lead to growth and innovation. Trying out new ideas can help businesses find new opportunities and expand their customer base. However, it’s important to keep in mind not all risks will pay off, so it’s essential to have a backup plan in place.

Taking calculated risks is essential to business growth and innovation. However, be sure to evaluate potential benefits and risks before making a decision and be prepared to learn from failures along the way.

🎯Tip #10: Leverage Social Media

Social media has the potential to be a powerful tool for business growth, but entrepreneurs often fail to use it strategically. Instead of simply promoting products, educating your target audience about how your products can solve their challenges or problems is important. This builds engagement and trust, leading to more direct promotions of your products or services.

For example, podcasters can educate their audience about the benefits of using specific microphones and recording equipment. Social media platforms such as Instagram can be used to showcase video snippets of your podcast and offer tutorials on how to use the products they endorse. This approach helps to build engagement and trust before promoting their products.

However, starting a business can be challenging, and setbacks are inevitable. But, staying focused on your goals and being open to new ideas can help you achieve your entrepreneurial dreams. It is important to stay flexible and adapt to changes, as customer needs will evolve with time.

This blog discussed the challenges of starting a successful business, how most new businesses fail within the first few years, and how you can overcome these challenges. The ten expert tips for building a thriving business included setting short-term goals, taking calculated risks, using social media strategically, and creating partnerships. By following these tips, entrepreneurs can build a strong business foundation and grow quickly. Let's talk if you need help monetizing, positioning, and funnels to help your business thrive.

Categories: Biz Growth, Entrepreneur Tips