Nobody wants their business to crash and burn by taking on too much, too quickly. But equally, ideally your small business won’t be small forever. That’s why scalability is so important to long term business success.
Scalability describes a business’s ability to grow without being restricted by their structure or available resources. In other words, you need just enough resources to support your growth, without spending money on things you don’t need yet or finding yourself falling short.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure that your business model is a scalable one. From outsourcing to bespoke software development, here are our top five tips to make your business more scalable.
Hire the right people at the right time
Hiring the right people will allow you to focus on your core business goals without worrying that the daily tasks aren’t getting done. Stick to a hiring strategy that will build a strong team for your business both for today and for the future you envision for your brand.
Start-ups should hire people as they need them, while still looking ahead to how things are likely to change in the coming weeks, months and years. Have a clear future vision and hire people with expertise in making the changes you want to make. Once your team is in place, it’s up to you to keep them motivated and focused by practising your leadership skills.
Web app development
Bespoke software development is a great solution for businesses planning for both the long term and the short term. We rely more and more on digital platforms and applications these days, especially as business owners, so it’s important to have software that meets your needs whatever they are.
Off the shelf software solutions are easy to outgrow, while bespoke solutions are tailor-made to your needs, and can develop and grow with your business. Hiring a software development company is a great way to save time, costs and headaches in the long run.
Build trusted partnerships
Networking is a great way to make friends in high and useful places, and it’s never too early to start. Try to build tactical and healthy relationships by reaching out to existing market players via events, social media and direct contact. Associating your brand with another brand whose customer base is similar to yours can be hugely rewarding, helping you form mutually beneficial goals. It opens up a whole world of potential, including co-hosting events, guest blogging, social media takeovers and more.
Put effort into your marketing
Growth can only happen if more people hear about your business, and that’s why marketing is so important. Take the time early on to create a clear marketing strategy that involves social media, email, and generally reaching out to potential customers. You can spread the word about your services while also establishing yourself as an expert in your field. And if the thought of managing your marketing gives you a headache, you can always outsource…
Outsourcing
You may dream of having a huge team of in-house experts as part of your business, but chances are this isn’t feasible early on. As you grow, outsourcing provides you with the opportunity to get experts on board without committing to multiple full-time staff members.
From marketing to IT security, third parties are well equipped to serve you better results, thanks to their own expertise and their access to the right equipment, staff and systems to handle a function efficiently.
Do your research and hunt around online for the best outsourcing partners for the services you need.
