Generating and managing small business growth

When we first set out down the solo business path, growing sales and profits is clearly one of the key drivers. However, business growth can be a double-edged sword.

If things take off more quickly than expected, managing business growth is critical for ensuring our systems and cash flow can cope with demand. Alternatively, in slow times it is critical to understand strategies for driving business growth to maintain profitability.

In this section you’ll find advice and ideas on whether to stay in your home office or move into commercial premises, generating new business, handling growing workloads, assessing whether part-time staff are the right fit for your business and lots more.

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Business growth articles

• Working Smarter

  How to increase revenue using up-selling

  Up-selling and cross-selling is cheap to implement, develops customer relationships and can dramatically increase revenue. Are you taking advantage of it in your business?

  • Published yesterday
  • Louise Gorrie
  • 1 Comment

• Working Smarter

  Solo business growth strategies

  As a soloist, you may love your work but for many there comes a time when you reach the limit of your experience and want to push your business further. Here are the business growth strategies I've implemented to do just that.

  • Published 07 March 08
  • Kate Tribe
  • 11 Comments

• Working Smarter

  Promotional giveaways: How to create a Value Add product

  Why take your depth of knowledge for granted, when you can turn that information into promotional giveaways that add value to your clients? Here's how to create what can become a powerful marketing tool for your business.

  • Published 25 June 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 1 Comment

• Working Smarter

  Business growth: A home office or commercial office space?

  When you experience business growth, is it better to stay in a home office, or move out? Late last year I moved my business out of home and into commercial office space. It's time to update you on what this has meant for me and for the business.

  • Published 16 May 07
  • Melissa Norfolk
  • 10 Comments

• Working Smarter

  Generating new business: Lessons learned from a slow period

  I know the occasional slow period is a normal part of life as a soloist, but when one hit recently, I was unprepared for the anguish I'd feel when not generating new business! Fortunately I now know a short amount of down time is not a disaster.

  • Published 23 April 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 12 Comments

• Working Smarter

  Five reasons to grow your business

  For the soloist, once business starts to take off, there comes a time you need to decide whether to grow your business or keep it simple. Will you take on staff? Will you remain at home or move to bigger premises?

  • Published 03 November 06
  • Melissa Norfolk
  • 8 Comments

• Working Smarter

  Workload management: How to handle growing pains

  How you proceed if you find yourself swamped with work depends largely on your personal goals and the direction you want to take in the future. Three soloists share their workload management experiences.

  • Published 27 October 06
  • Karen Morris
  • 3 Comments

• Working Smarter

  Are part time staff right for your business?

  My recent experience with hiring part time staff has made me appreciate one of the best things about working for myself is the lack of office politics.

  • Published 11 July 05
  • Barb Clews
  • 1 Comment

• Working Smarter

  Managing small business growth: Success is in the bag

  Do you want to know more about managing small business growth? Ethan Nyholm, co-founder of digital luggage specialist STM (Standard Technical Merchandise), describes what it's like going from solo to small business.

  • Published 06 July 05
  • Sam Leader