Many things cause us to lose sleep at night, however as an entrepreneur, thoughts, and concerns about growing our business is high on the list. Owning a business is one of the most exciting experiences one can have. However, concerns about it can plague your brain will worry; the kind that will make your heart-pump, eyes fizz and mind go wild as it is consumed with thoughts of so many possibilities – good and bad. This emotional rollercoaster is because growth means more products, more services, more customers, more sales and, best of all, more profits. And yes, it also means more stress.

However, before you leap into the crazy world of business expansion, it’s imperative that you make sure your business is truly ready to grow. If it isn’t, you won’t just be back where you are now; you might be fighting for survival.

Sure, the right place to start is with your recent business success, but that’s not enough to go on – not by a long shot. So, without further ado, here are some of the best ways to determine the answer to the questions:

Are you ready to grow your business? Or should you hold off?

1. A Steady Stable Of Customers

First and foremost, you MUST have customers. Lots of customers. Lots of regular customers. We’re talking about a solid base of customers and a steady stream of new ones. This isn’t just because it shows you have the income, but that you have continued demand for what you offer, whether that be a product or service. What you really want to focus on, though, are repeat customers, which are the best kind of customers out there to have. These guys and girls prove that what you have is worth coming back for, not to mention recurring revenue from this category of customer makes your business more stable.

2. Make Sure You Can Cope With It

Growing isn’t just about having the requests or the customers; it’s about having the foundations in place to make any uptake of interest possible. It means having a website that can handle the increased traffic, it’s about having a blog to give your brand extra value, and it’s about having the IT infrastructure in place to cope with the extra work, something that companies like www.arksolvers.com can help you understand that much better. There is a multitude of things that you want to check off before deciding to expand:
a) Examine your online presence to make sure there are no weak links, and identify ways in which you can strengthen your branding,

b) Review staffing needs and determines whether you have the capability to allow for remote working arrangements where it makes sense,

c) Be active on all the social media platforms possible, not just for the sake of being present, but to allow for better communication.

3. Your Customers Are Begging For Growth

This might be a weird thing to say, but if your customers are asking you to grow, then it might be a sign that the time is just right. That doesn’t mean they will be literally begging you to grow; It will more likely be that they are asking for more products, more services, more extended hours or any number of things that suggest an increase in customer demand. These expectations might mean investing in a new line of products, or it might mean opening another (or your first) brick and mortar store. The important thing is that you take note of what your customers are saying, what they are asking for, look at the patterns and if it’s good business sense to do so – DELIVER!

So, are you ready to grow your business? Or should you hold off? Let us know after giving this some thought. Good luck!
*Collaborative post