What strategies have helped you grow your business?
ByI answered this question about the strategies that have helped me grow my business in a LinkedIn group today. I thought I would post my reply here.
These are five strategies that have helped me focus my time and energy on business growth:
1) Planning my day in advance. I plan the day before and list the top three things I want to accomplish the next day. That way, I know what to start with.
2) Starting each day with my #1 priority. Doing that helps me get the important things done and give me energy for the day.
3) Time blocking. I carve out blocks of time in my calendar for projects and writing. I keep those time commitments to myself. I get a lot more accomplished that way.
4) Limiting time on email and social media. I only check and reply to email twice a day so I don’t have constant interruptions when I’m trying to focus. I log onto social media sites once a day and limit my time to fifteen minutes at most.
5) Setting aside one day each week for marketing and business development activities. I focus on active strategies where I actually connect with people and get my name in front of them – such as networking and phone calls, or writing an article to submit to an article directory – rather than passive strategies – such as working on my website or a brochure.
What strategies have helped you grow your business? I’d love to hear!
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Jan Marie Dore is passionate about empowering women entrepreneurs to get their message out to wider audiences and reach new levels of success, fulfillment and profits in their business. Her clients are women around the world who have a talent, passion, service or expertise they want to share to make a difference in people’s lives. 
Jan Marie, great ideas! If I could add a couple to your list that have helped me:
1. Making networking an integral part of my business – as business owners we should be spending about 10% of our time building and nurturing our networks. But doing it strategically! Whether that’s FTF, online, events, etc.
2. Alliance partners. Creating alliances with people where I can share ideas, refer one another, create a new initiative – priceless.
3. Joining an industry group – and being active in it. We’re bombarded with so many invitations to join groups, both in person and online. Select 1 or 2 that serve your market and that you really want to make a difference in – this has helped me tremendously with building my knowledge and business connections.
Hi Amy,
Thanks for adding to the list. Your suggestions are great!