How to grow your business | Like It Marketing

Imagine this: You’re lounging poolside in the sunny weather with a cool breeze touching your skin – not a care in the world. You’ve taken off the entire week and you have trusting employees who are managing your business while you’re away. No cell phone, no laptop — just a good book and a drink in your hand.

Dreamy, right?

Unfortunately, you can’t make this dream life your reality without putting in some hard work. Your business has to grow for you to make it here. So, what are the key ingredients to growing your small business and ultimately living your best life? To be honest, I’m still trying to figure this out. But, here’s what I’ve been doing to grow Like It Marketing so far…

#1: Build a name for yourself.

Alright, so I wasn’t the popular kid in school, which is why I may be having a hard time with this one. But, I feel like I’m on the right track with my efforts to make myself known.

Here’s what I’m doing (and what you should be doing, too):

Networking – Whether in-person or online, you better find yourself mingling with as many people as possible. But, not just any people… Find out where your target audience hangs out and start hanging out in those places!

Social media marketing – If you’re not a fan of showing up in-person, show up online (or even better, show up in-person AND online)! Social media is one of the best ways for you to build brand awareness and the great thing is – you can do it in your pajamas. *Digital high five*. Come up with an awesome strategy and get to posting regularly, friends! Here’s an article I wrote about the importance of social media for business, if you need more convincing.

Getting positive client reviews – Let’s face it – when you have ZERO reviews online, your brand looks a little sketch. No one wants to work with a business with no social proof. This is why you should be asking for client reviews regularly. BTW, Google favors companies with a lot of high ratings.

There’s plenty of other ways to build a name for yourself, but these are some of my main areas of focus right now.

#2: Never stop learning.

Learning doesn’t stop the day you graduate high school, trade school, or college.

You should always pursue learning opportunities, regardless of how many degrees/certificates you have. Things are constantly changing, which means you have to keep up with the times and be adaptable.

Here’s some ideas:

Enroll in some community college classes or online courses (like lynda.com).
Listen to podcasts; during your commute, while cooking, in the gym, wherever you can think of.
Read professional development books.
Attend workshops and conferences.
Research competition and see what they’re doing.

The more you learn, the more valuable and irreplaceable you will become.

#3: Build your tribe.

I hate saying “build your tribe” because it sounds so cliche but people say it for good reason!

When you surround yourself with the right people, your business will flourish.

You may be wondering, where do I begin?

First, it’s going to take a lot of support from your family and friends, so you’ll want to start there. Find out who is really there for you and keep them close. They will support you during the ups and downs that come with entrepreneurship.

Next, seek out a mentor (or a few mentors). Find a person who is doing or has done what you do. The more experience they have, the more insights they can give you. Meet with this person regularly to ask them questions and get advice. Also, have them hold you accountable for things you say you are going to do.

Another great way to build your tribe is by attending masterminds. Find a mastermind group you can join and show up regularly. You can learn a lot from other business owners, even if they’re not doing exactly what you do. Plus, these people can relate to you more than most.

Final thoughts

These are just a few things I’ve learned while working for other people and working for myself. As a new business owner, I’m still learning a lot about this topic and would love to hear your thoughts.

What do you do to grow your small business?

Send me an email at Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com

Thanks for reading, y’all! 💙