No matter where you are now in business, you can pretty much always up-level it. Of course, there are many factors to consider such as your audience, your products, your services and how you might bring all of those to the next level.
- Know Your Goals
Some people, like Nicole Dean, call this a “big hairy goal.” But whatever you call it, write down your biggest, most fanciful dreams about your business. Then determine where you are in the business now, and where you need to go. You can then map out how you’ll get there.
- Understand Your Personal Value System
It’s very important before you up-level your business to determine your own personal value system and how that affects your business. For example, you want to know these values so that you’re comfortable with anything you do to get to that next level.
- Learn to Craft Your Messaging
Everyone can use training in messaging. You want to ensure that every aspect of your business messaging matches. If you give one message for one product and then another for a different product, that won’t work because it won’t be consistent. It’s important to be consistent across all social media, blog posts, books, and so forth so that people know who you are even before reading your name.
- Know Your Audience
Like with anything, you need to know your audience inside and out. Remember that the research you did at the start of your business needs to be redone in order to keep up with your audience. While demographics may remain the same, other things about an audience change over time. Keep up to date.
- Know Your Clients
Your clients are part of your audience but they have purchased from you already, so it’s important to build your relationship with them. That way you can get more feedback about what works and what doesn’t work in your products. You can then use that information to improve your products.
- Learn to Manage Money Better
One thing that often ruins a business idea is a lack of knowledge of how to handle the money. Once the money is coming in, it’s too easy to just start spending it on your lifestyle instead of reinvesting it into your business. Plus, remember that just because you have revenue doesn’t mean you have a profit. Get your bookkeeping in top-notch condition so you don’t have to miss out on opportunities as they arise.
- Craft a Plan of Action
When you know where you want to go, you can create a map that will give you directions and the steps to get to that next level. For example, if you’re a ghostwriter and you want to get known as a writer, you need to write and publish in your own name. If you want to get involved in public speaking, you may need to enroll in some sort of training to help you get your message down.
- Launch New Offers
One thing that can up-level your business is new launches. Launches are a lot of work, but there is usually a good pay-off when you do them properly. Learn to launch with fineness with a good launch plan, from experts who know how to do it.
- Get Into Video
A great way to up-level your business if you’ve not done it yet is to get into video. Use recorded digital video, live video and more to get your message out to the world. If you already do video then start doing more of it.
- Let Go of Fear
The big problem with fear and allowing fear to get in your way is that it’s not really realistic. Honestly, the worst thing that can happen is that your plans don’t work. You can do a launch and it doesn’t generate revenue. You can do a video and it doesn’t get views. None of that is the end of the world. Try to put any fears into perspective and then keep going.
- Sell More
To really up-level your business, you’re simply going to have to make more money by selling more. If you’ve been afraid in the past to ask for the sale, stop that and start asking. You are a professional that has a lot to offer; don’t be shy about making an offer to a potential client or recommending a product of yours or someone else’s.
Finally, it’s imperative that you seek first to serve your customers. Answer their questions, provide feedback, ask for feedback and be easy to contact.
How you treat the customer is going to help you bring your business to whatever level you want.