5 Reasons You’re Experiencing Slow Business Growth… and How to Fix It
Have you heard of the summertime slump?
It’s pretty common for businesses across the board (except for tourism-related businesses!) to slow down in the summer.
It can feel scary at first, but there’s typically a seasonality for most businesses.
But what about when your business is slow all the time?
Maybe you were crushing your sales… but now they’ve crawled to a halt.
Or maybe you just haven’t gotten the traction you thought you would have by now.
While there are an endless number of reasons your business may be experiencing slow growth or low sales – there are 5 brand and design-related issues that can seriously hold you back.
So if you’ve been doing the marketing and all the other things right and you’re still feeling a slowdown… it’s probably a good idea to check for these 5 issues!
#1: An outdated or DIY brand that has gone untouched can cause slow business growth
Looks matter. There’s no way around it when it comes to marketing your business, standing out in the crowded marketplace, and making more sales.
It’s not unusual to DIY your branding when you’re first getting started, so no judgment or shame here
But if you’re not growing, it could be because you don’t look like a professional business. And when you don’t look professional, it’s hard for clients or customers to trust you and want to invest in your offers or services.
If you invested in professional branding more than 5 years ago, there’s also a chance that while your brand is professional, it’s outdated.
Things move fast in the online world. And if you have a brand that was super trendy, it can start looking dated after just a few years.
Buyers are more discerning than ever, so it’s crucial that your brand communicates your level of professionalism and attracts your ideal client.
A few questions you can ask yourself to determine if your branding is holding back your business growth:
Do I have a professional brand or am I still relying on a DIY logo and a few random colors I picked because I like them?
When I look at my brand – what adjectives or descriptions first come to mind?
Do I use consistent fonts and colors or is my branding really all over the place?
Would I hire someone if their brand looked like mine?
#2: If you’re not growing your email list, it’s hard to grow your business
Are you consistently adding targeted leads to your email list?
If not, it’s hard to continue building momentum!
If you’re thinking, “Umm… Janel, I don’t even have an email list!” then keep reading, because you can use this advice to get started, too.
The number one reason my clients struggle to grow their email lists is because they don’t have a professional, desirable lead magnet.
Your lead magnet (also called a freebie) is the best way to entice target clients into giving you their email address.
But if your lead magnet is a random PDF you threw together on Canva one night, you’re probably not trying to promote it. You may even be embarrassed to share it at all.
I work with my clients to brainstorm smart, effective lead magnet ideas and then help bring those ideas to life with strategic, impressive design! And that’s what you want when you’re trying to grow your email list – a lead magnet that you’re excited to share and that your subscribers are wowed by!
A healthy email list = healthy sales (when you have solid email marketing in place!)
Don’t just take my word for it! Check out these results from my client Seana Phelps!
In 2024 so far, we have taken her email list from 505 subscribers to over 3400. That is a near 550% growth in qualified leads to her list interested in what she has to share! 🤯
Subscriptions to her MidFIT membership have catapulted as a result and her income is over $10k per month and growing! 🤯
captured as of August 2024
captured as of August 2024
#3: If you don’t have a consistent marketing strategy, you’re probably going to experience slow business growth
Marketing is the foundation of a successful business.
Without a strategy, it can feel like you’re throwing different ideas and social media posts at the wall and crossing your fingers that something sticks.
That’s not the best way to ensure consistent business growth.
I help my clients audit their business and brand so they can understand what matters most, how they want to stand out, and what they can do to bring in their ideal clients. This brand action plan takes your brand off paper and puts it into action!
#4: You’re not going to grow with a website that works for you
A lot of business owners treat their websites like a brochure – a place to list the important information about who you are and what you do.
And while this is helpful when you’re just starting out… if you want to grow your business, you’re going to need an intentional, strategic website that takes your visitor on a specific journey through your website and shows them how to take the action you want them to take.
Your website isn’t just a pretty place to list your business hours, offers, and services.
It should be making sales for you while you sleep!
#5: Slow business growth may be more typical than you think
If you’ve read through each of these reasons you may be experiencing slow business growth, there are probably two reactions you’re having right now:
1) Oh my goodness, yes – I need to work on this specific item!
Or
2) But I really am doing all of those things… and my business is still growing so slowly!
If you identify with number one, great! You know where you need to make changes and you can connect with a professional (like me!) to help you get things sorted and speed up your growth.
But if you feel like number two is more aligned with how you’re feeling – you may need to reconsider your expectations.
Slow and steady business growth is much more normal than “overnight” success.
What we see on social media can make it feel like everyone else is rocketing ahead while we’re stuck back here crawling along. However, what we see on social media is rarely the whole story.
So if your marketing is on point, your branding is strategic, and your webiste is working for you – you may just be experiencing “normal” business growth that feels slow as molasses.
The best way to know if your business is growing is to track your numbers and compare your month-over-month and year-over-year stats. You may be shocked at how much growth you’ve experienced over the last year when you look at the data!
What happens next?
Whether your slow business growth is due to a marketing issue, a brand and website issue, or just a normal part of the process… it can be helpful to have a professional’s eye and opinion.
You don’t have to do business alone!
I partner with my clients to help them improve their brands and websites, level up their photography, and put a clear brand strategy in place.