3 things I'm focussing on in 2019 for rapid business growth

If you're reading this you're probably hoping for rapid growth in 2019 and getting in the mindset for it already- wohoo! Today I'm going to share with you the top 3 things I'm going to focus on to get me the results I want next year- and why. So let's kick off!

Number 1- Partnerships

In case you haven't noticed, now is the time to capitalise on partnerships in business. Working with other businesses is an amazing way to grow your audience and establish credibility fast. We're taking a three level  approach to this in 2019:

1. Micro Influencers & Influencers

​Before I get into the whole influencer thing- don't overlook the power of the people! Yes, big followings are trendy on social media right now, but the debate continues as to if businesses are actually getting better results by working with smaller micro influencers rather than the big hitters. This is great news for us ladies because:

- micro influencers have tight knit relationships with their audiences
- they often have higher engagement and conversion rates
- they are often cheaper to work with

aaaand of course- we can work with each other as micro influencers and grow our businesses that way. 

TOP TIP: Choose 3 people from our community who:

- have a product or service you love
- share a common target market to you
- have a larger audience than you or at least similar in size

Start relationship building with them through the Facebook Group and their Instagram accounts (like, comment on their posts, start a conversation etc) and lead up to talking about a social media collab.

If you're looking at working with a bigger influencer depending on their pricing it could be worth discussing a longer term partnership rather than a one off post. We've all heard the glory stories- like the amazing story of how Lyia Lui made 3 million plus after paying Kylie Jenner 300K for one post, but let's face it, that's not an option for all of us!

(Also, if you dig a little deeper you'll find Lyia herself shares it took her more than a month and a lot of hard work to just break even after that post, and a lot of the benefit came from the publicity generated by the partnership. Which makes you wonder if you can get some clever publicity without paying an influencer 300k somehow that could be a good avenue to explore instead).

Anyway I digress- as I was saying in my book a long term partnership with an influencer could come across as a much more authentic way of marketing via an influencers audience but of course- it could be expensive. 

2. Existing Community/ Customers

If you're generating happy customers, there could be a great opportunity for you to set up a referral program so when they talk about your business (which they'll be doing anyway) you can reward them with some love. We've never lived in a better age for taking advantage of this with social media at our fingertips! Any one of your existing happy customers could be a valuable micro influencer for you with friends and followers who value their opinion. Programs like Invitebox and Referral Candy make this easy for you to get started.

3. Brand Partnerships

I don't think there has ever been a better opportunity for small and bigger businesses to work together than there is today! You might think that big businesses won't be interested in your small gig, but it could definitely be time to revisit that mindset. Why?

Consumers are becoming more and more savvy and traditional marketing methods- get myself in front of someone a trillion times and they won't be able to forget me so they'll choose me- just aren't cutting the mustard any more. 

Consumers care about the environment, about community, about creating a better world and having an impact. So bigger businesses are looking for ways to improve their social standing and appeal to consumers. One way they can do that is by partnering with smaller businesses that have strong values, want to make an impact and therefore have an engaged following who believe in what they do. 

By supporting smaller partners like this big brands are:

- showing they support small business
- showing they are taking an interest in their community
- having an authentic presence in that community and with their customer base

So if you think this is avenue you'd like to go down, look to bigger businesses that share your audience
and want to improve their public profile. See if they are already working with other smaller companies. Try and find out what their goals are for the upcoming year. Could a partnership with your business get them closer to achieving any of those goals? What impact is it that your business is making in the world? Is that cause of interest to a larger brand or company? If it is, then there could be a match to explore. 

Number 2- Systems

There comes a time in business when you know what got you here, won't get you there. Investment in good systems can help you multiply results fast and maintain quality along the way. 

So consider this in your business- if money wasn't a factor, what systems or software would you put in place to amplify your results? Because our number one focus is on partnerships in 2019 we are investing in robust software to help us manage those partnerships in an efficient way. 

We're also investing in internal team culture development and processes, so everyone who works with She Owns It understands how to best do what they need to do and feels a core part of our tribe. 

There is no point in driving growth through partnerships, PR- any kind of marketing, if you're business isn't yet ready to handle the results. So, as always, focus on that customer experience and getting systems in place that make delivering on your promises easy. Yes, it can cost money. But if you have a proven product the investment can be well worth it. 

Number 3- Community & Advocacy

I've put this as number three here for a couple of reasons. We all know community building is at the core of what I do (my 'word/ theme' for 2018 was 'Community') but there comes a point in a communities life cycle where it's time for the people at the helm to step back.

The She Owns It Community has a strong beating heart of it's own now. It's time to start shining the light on that and all of the wonderful people within it. Which means my role has shifted from largely driving community engagement (that happens on it's own now) to maintaining that but also being an advocate for She Owns It, getting publicity for it and helping our community share our message and get more support as a result. 

If you are looking to grow your business in 2019 this presents a great opportunity for you. The stronger this community is, the more eyes this community gets, the more eyes your business gets. So this is a win win journey we are on together and I can't wait to share with you!
​

Bonus focuses! #Nourish and #Balance

So, it's clear that 2019 is the year of the 'Partnership' for She Owns It and that is what we're focussing on to help us achieve rapid growth- but sustainable growth too.

There is definitely going to be a huge learning curve for me in 2019 in trying to achieve this but I want to nourish that learning and make the most of this incredible opportunity. 

I also want to tag in here that as always I look to business with an eye on balance and I stubbornly won't compromise on time with my family to reach these results.

I trust they will come in time but I'm also fastening my seatbelt for a bumpy ride!! 

So tell me below, what are YOU going to focus on 2019? Or do you have a key theme or word yet for next year? 

Want rapid growth in 2019?

Join the She Owns It Members Club to learn how to create a social media strategy that gets results

Become a member