The One Thing That Can Help Your Business Grow

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we have a vision of where we want our business to be - it’s so big at times it can almost scare us if we’re honest. But how do we get from where we are now to where we see that we could be?

I believe this famous quote from Zig Ziglar sums it up best, “stop selling, start helping”. At first glance, it might seem counterproductive to business growth, but when you look deeper, it really is the only lasting way to grow a business.

Stop selling, start helping. - Zig Ziglar

So what does it mean to stop selling and start helping?

• It means getting to know your customers and the one thing they really want. When you can zero in on a single focus, it helps your message resonate better with the right audience and puts you in a position to deliver on that want/need with precision.
  

• It means looking for ways that your business can make a positive impact by solving real problems that consumers have (that they may not even know they have). What are some of the daily frustrations consumers face that you could solve? What systems or policies could you change in your business that would improve the experience customers have with you?
  

• It means never lose focus of your why… Why are you in business? Why should consumers choose you?
  

• It means what do you stand for? What value do you bring to the market that only you can bring? Use it to really help people and make a difference.

The great thing about helping others is that it teaches us to care, and when we care about the people we serve, we also care about the products and services that we bring to market. Caring is the secret ingredient that makes businesses do better. Growth is inevitable when we care about what we do, why we’re doing it, and who we’re doing it for.

Think for a moment about some of the most popular brands today (Amazon, Apple, Starbucks, Warby Parker, Netflix, Fenty Beauty, etc). They all know their customers and what they want. They solve everyday problems, they innovate. They know their why - it’s ingrained in everything they do and they are actively making a difference.

As Jonathan Lister said, it’s time to “think about changing the mantra from always be closing, to always be helping”. That’s how we can help our businesses grow.