What is the #1 step you've taken this year to grow your business?

Great question! You made me stop and think about what HAS created the biggest impact this year.

1. Revisit strategic partners. [Purpose: update on projects (new and completed), share the type of work I most appreciate, and see how I could help them.]
2. I received referrals to three large projects that are both profitable and enjoyable reminding me that I can work smarter by power partnering and serving others.
   

I have one more... 1. Saying NO. I am declining anything that is not fun or easy (or fits within my values) 2. I am finding "margin" in my life. Space to think, dream, and enjoy the rest of the summer and kick off a killer 2009 despite the economy.

Few decisions which have helped me increase my profitability and business:

1. Taking less work but charging a higher fee for my services.

2. Partnering and connecting with well established clients.

3. Constantly updating and keeping abreast with whats new and happening in the field of my interest.

4. Making effective use of various social media avenues to further my business.

Last but not least i have finally learnt to say that golden word NO

-Anita CM

(http://www.vantrix.net)

1. Improve my communication skills and my english.
   
2. Improve managment skills
   

Making the decision to really throw myself into making my business a success is probably the biggest thing.

Networking has become a big part of my life now, and it shows.

Dropping consistent ads on Craigslist has turned out to be a hit for me.

Lastly is hiring crew to get work done so I can focus more on marketing. I still am on the job site, but I can breath a little more now and think farther ahead.

Mine would be strategic relationships, or partnerships. I have several people who have internet businesses, but they need the design and production aspect to their client's web sites.

Boom! So there - #1

Oh yeah, the results. The results have been more paid projects coming my way via these partners. It is one of many streams of word-of-mouth marketing I do.

1. Realizing that working a day job as a designer for someone else is sucking all the energy out of my plan to be an independent designer.
   

2. Left my day job. Now I wait tables at night while I spend days focusing on starting up my own company. Got my LLC registered, met with local manufacturers, starting an accountability group and been sketching up some cool designs!
   

Lief,

Using search feature of Twitter (use of social media i made mention of in my initial reply)search.twitter.com has helped be land up serious business and have helped in finding new clients. It's a treasure trove of info literally if used effectively...

-Anita CM

The number one thing in the past year? Going on a hiring adventure. Despite two bad hires (lovely people, but wrong for the position) and spending a lot of time and money that kept us from getting to things, and that put us behind on our goals, we finally learned enough about hiring to make a great hire.

And she is amazing.

Specific business results? I can't chart those yet- although we did recently do a product launch that grossed $15K in a month, but we might have pulled that off anyway, as we have with previous launches- just with a lot less sanity.

However, I can see what's coming in the next year. We now have the bandwidth to get to four or five major projects that we've never been able to get to, and each one of them has six-figure potential, as well as just being all-out fun and creative.

So, despite the fact that we didn't go ahead as I'd wanted to this year, it's been an extremely worthwhile step taking this year to figure this process out, and to make the mistakes we made.

too true!

Leif: I started believing I could take my business to the next level. I've consistently marketed my business and it's starting to pay dividends. And I'm always willing to try something new as long as it's affordable. Great discussion question. Thanks!

The # 1 step we took to grow our business was to SELL our business. Knowing when to say, Enough!

We realized that the cost of 3-4 more years at the pace we had run would cost us more than a successful sale now. Business was up 20% when we sold in this down economy!

The result was now we both have a long stretch of time off to recharge and refocus our energies. (My wife and I have worked together for over 10 years). And we are both starting independent new projects that follow our passions. We couldn't be happier.

I started a weekly Mastermind meeting with a close friend/business colleague where we make a plan for what feels juicy and important for the week and then set tasks, create affirmations to repeat, and create scheduled time to assist each other in tasks.

The most dramatic result is that I've seen a boom in my incoming clients. Seriously, from no inquiries for a couple months to suddenly four in a week...and regular new bookings coming up every week or two.

I feel more on top of my business; I'm getting more accomplished; and the energy I'm putting in is attracting clients.

I am so grateful.

My #1 is my team i have at the moment ... good professionals i can relay on ... And this brings more flexibility to our activity.

In the last 5 months, I joined three networking groups (BizNik, I Take the Lead, and eWomen). Prior to that, I felt like I was marketing to the same list of people again and again (which I was), with only slow growth.

The networking groups have increased my visibility, given me encouragement, education, and feedback, and are now my main source of new clients (not only people from the groups, but their referrals).

The couple of articles I've written (so far) for BizNik have also increased traffic to my website significantly and increased inquiries.

In addition, I've made new friends and had the opportunity to give as well as receive referrals. I feel I'm building not one, but several support systems that will have personal and professional impact for years to come.

Networking with potential clients. I have spent so much time talking to funeral homes who would be in a position to refer me to grieving families; now I have found ways to introduce myself to the general public, so they say my name before any recommendation needs to be made.

Ironically, the public needs no convincing or validation for what I do. Funeral homes which have been serving traditional, religion-based services have really been a much harder sell.

Redirecting my marketing to the general public has brought on more awareness of a service that is still in its infant stage on the east coast. Offering my services gratis, for civic groups with memorial scholarship programs and speaking about my work at Toastmasters meetings have really paid off in feedback on potential future business. It's my way of giving out samples. (Face it; I can't say, "I'm doing a funeral. Ya'll come.")