Dealing with a rapidly growing business that is receiving a great many inbound enquiries can be a challenging task.
Earlier this week I was working with a business that is growing rapidly and the number of leads it is receiving could start to make an impact on its ability to deliver on its promises to existing, and indeed new customers.
This is a challenge many new businesses find themselves facing and there are some tried and trusted mechanisms to help them address these ‘nice to have’ problems. It requires balancing the need to follow up on leads with the daily operations and management of the business and the needs of staff. Here are a few strategies that can help in addressing this situation:
1. Prioritise and manage leads: Develop a system for tracking and prioritising leads based upon your business strategy and objectives and assign specific team members or departments to handle different types of enquiries. This will help to ensure that the most important and strategic leads are being followed up on promptly and effectively.
2. Automate and streamline processes: Examine your business processes thoroughly and then use technology and automation to streamline them and reduce the workload on staff. This can include automating tasks such as scheduling follow-up calls or emails or using a CRM system to manage leads and customer interactions.
3. Hire additional staff: As the business grows, it may be necessary to hire additional staff to handle the increased workload. This can include customer service representatives, salespeople, or administrative staff, depending on the needs of the business.
4. Communicate and delegate: Clearly communicate expectations and goals to staff, and delegate tasks and responsibilities as appropriate. This will help to ensure that everyone is working towards a common goal and that staff feel valued and supported.
5. Schedule regular check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins with staff, such as daily or weekly meetings, to stay informed about the progress of ongoing projects and to address any issues or concerns that may arise.
In summary, dealing with a rapidly growing business that is receiving a great many inbound enquiries can be challenging, but it is manageable with the right approach. Prioritising and managing leads, automating and streamlining processes, hiring additional staff, communicating and delegating, and scheduling regular check-ins are all strategies that can help to balance the need to follow up on leads with the daily operations and management of the business and the needs of staff.
