The 5 Things I Did To Grow My Business Over Three Years

Building a successful business takes time, a sickening amount of caffeine, and deliberate effort. Over the past three years, I've implemented key strategies to the drive growth of The Climb Collaborative. Here's a breakdown of what I focused on each year so maybe you don’t need to order as many cappuccinos as me. 

Year One: Establishing Credibility and Feedback

Gather Testimonials:

I prioritised gathering testimonials from satisfied customers. These testimonials served as social proof, building credibility and trust with potential clients. 

It’s no secret that people are struggling to trust businesses these days. 

What’s the first thing you do before making a purchase or booking a service? I bet it’s check the reviews. 

It’s also important to note that Google has made lots of updates to their algorithm lately which is now causing more forums such as Reddit to show up in search results, this is because people want answers to their questions from other people. 

A large part of our growth came down to providing a quality service and asking for feedback.

Year Two: Brand Refresh

Branding and Website Redesign:

After a year or so in business, I realised that my brand and business had evolved as I figured out what my true values were as a business owner. My mission had also pivoted as I grew with my business and I needed our brand to reflect that.

So, I doubled down on branding efforts by refining my visual identity and messaging.

I also invested time in redesigning my website to enhance user experience and reflect a more professional image. I had spent so much of my time focusing on client websites up till this point that mine was left behind - not a good look for a website designer. 

This was a massive process to fit in around client work and my hat goes off to anyone DIYing their own website around working in their business, it is no easy feat! 

But in the end, the hype around the new brand and website that truly reflected our business was worth it and we tripled our monthly income in 3 months. 

Got clear on my services and packages:

I started to realise that we offered SO MUCH value in our packages and service but it wasn’t clear to our customers until they actually worked with us. I set to work on clarifying and streamlining my services to better meet customer needs and improve sales conversions.

To do this I first wrote out the exact step-by-step process I go through when building a website or brand from a client, from getting the lead and onboarding to the design and development then offboarding, including all touch points and follow-ups. I then set up Dubsado to automate some of this process to ensure no touch points were ever missed and I could maintain a high level of service while bringing on more work. 

I then wrote out my packages, and I didn’t just write “Custom website package with 7 pages” I listed every little detail that is involved in this package, including integrating Instagram, all of the SEO inclusions, 1:1 calls and design features and put all of this information into our proposal documents. 

Year Three: Strategic Focus and Growth

Investment in Coaching:

Recognising the value of continuous learning, I invested in business coaching to gain fresh insights and strategies for scaling my business. Sometimes it takes an outsider's perspective to see what you’re missing and what you could be doing better.

Being so busy and stuck in the day-to-day of running my business, I didn’t think I had the time to also commit to business coaching, but I can tell you it has been a game changer in finding the gaps in my business and what I could do better. Hiring a mentor and coach has also kept me accountable to work ON my business not just in it. 

Conclusion: The Evolution of Business Growth

Reflecting on these three years, I've learned the importance of strategic planning and adaptability in business.

Each year brought new challenges and opportunities, but by staying focused on key objectives and continuously improving, I've been able to steadily grow my business. And by taking some of these strategies and implementing them yourself, you can do the same.

Did you find this breakdown of my growth journey helpful?

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