Growing a business is not for the faint of heart.  Sometimes you feel like everything is in flow and that you’re cruising along successfully.  And sometimes you feel like you’re pushing a huge boulder up a mountain.  There are often things that we try to control as business owners that we can’t control.  But there are also things that we CAN control, that we don’t!  Here are 10 things that YOU CAN DO TODAY to take more control over your business, over your revenue, and over your life!

1.  Become crystal clear on your ideal client.  So many business owners don’t have ANY idea who their ideal client is.  They believe that they should be marketing to everyone!  But the more focused on a specific type of client you become, the more clearly you can speak to them – showing them the true benefits of your services!
2. Ensure your brand is in complete alignment with your goals for the year.  When your branding is crystal clear and consistent, it becomes recognizable.  When it becomes recognizable, it becomes actionable.
3. Identify and evaluate current streams of income.  What can you do to increase your revenue from your current revenue streams?  Raise prices?  Bring on more clients?  Retain clients longer?   The more you can make from each offer, each income stream, each repeat customer – the more income you make as a whole!  What can you do to increase current streams of revenue without having to create new programs, services, or offers?
4. Identify and evaluate additional streams of income.  Can you offer an upsell to existing clients to increase their current lifetime value of a client?  Do you have an additional  service that you can offer to new clients?  Are you doing one on one services that you can package as a group program?  Do you teach something one on one that you can offer as an online program?
5. Create a marketing plan and promotional calendar!  So often, business owners just make offers, but they don’t plan how they’re going to bring in new clients, what services they are going to offer, or what promotions they will run throughout the year.  A truly successful launch of a product or service may include webinars, sales pages, email funnels.  By planning out your promotions, you are less likely to fatigue your list – and more likely to increase sales!
6. Build your email list – your list is one of the most valuable assets of your business!  Once someone has expressed interest in your services – you can continue to email them, you can run ads to them, you can remarket to them.  Many business owners look at their social media numbers.  Their social media is valuable.  But we saw a number of years ago with Facebook how things can change.  When we all first started fan pages/business pages, we ran ads to get people to like our pages.  But then a couple of years later, facebook changed their algorithms (multiple times) so even people who liked your page, didn’t see its content unless you paid to advertise that content.  Your email list is YOURS.  You built it.  You can come back to it with other offers!  Take the time to build your list!
7. Create sales funnels and sales automation. People who express interest in your product or service may not be ready to buy right away!  They may not be ready for a month, a year, or even MORE!  Out of site is often out of mind.  When they get ready to buy, you want them to think of you.  Continue nurturing those prospects. Provide them with value.  Remind them who you are, what you do, and how you can help them so when they get ready to buy, they think of you!
8. Create relevant and valuable content!  We do business with people we know like and trust.  The best way to build trust is to show your expertise – and share something for nothing!  When I first launched my first coaching program, I built it ALL through Youtube videos.  People saw how much I knew about the topic and reached out to me.  Today I do the Turning Lemons Into Lemonade Podcast. I film videos for Youtube.  I write blog posts.  I write guest posts.  And this year I’m planning an educational summit.  Create a content calendar and start creating the content – WITH an opt in to build your email list.
9. Ask for testimonials.  Clients want to see social proof.  They want to see the results that other clients got from working with you.  They want an idea of what they can expect from working with you.  Make a point of asking your current and past clients for testimonials!  Ask them where they were before working with you.  Ask them why they chose to work with you.  Ask them what changed in working with you!
10. Get support!  Often, you get so busy working IN your business that you stop working ON your business!  It is imperative to be looking at your business with a critical eye to see what’s working and what’s not working.  A third party – such as a coach or a mastermind partner can often help you see things in your business that you are missing!  Don’t go it alone!  There are reasons that top athletes and top business people have coaches!  Get the support you need to grow your business this year!