Your First Year Growth Plan

Months 1 to 3

With so much free opportunity for startups, here is how to begin without raising funds:

• Use your phone to cold-call prospects.

• Set coffee meetings with your network to ask for referrals and direct business when applicable. Always ask, “Who else do you know I need to talk to?”

• Apply for speaking engagements at local clubs and conferences.

• Attend free events targeting your market.

Months 4 to 6

The next chapter of startup growth focuses on increasing revenue without spending money.

• Begin building your email list with a weekly newsletter and point your domain to it

• Continue cold calling using an ever-improving script

• Seek out customer referrals

• Apply to speak at more significant events and use social media to brand yourself as an expert in the space

Tip: Building an audience with a newsletter and email list is the first step to rapid growth.

Months 6 to 9

By now, you should have a grasp of the market and the product frame that works best.

• Raise funds only to accelerate growth

• Hire an agency to build a website for lead generation

• Invest in a personal branding coach for each member of the founding team and their social footprint

• Solicit customer testimonials and use them for social media posts

Months 9 to 12

As your email list grows and revenue increases, it is time to accelerate your growth.

• Invest in videos for social media to prove expertise in your space

• Develop a paid add-on to your product and sell it to existing customers

• Develop a free product to generate leads

• Hire an agency to help design your brand, product names, and sales material

• Recruit a few salespeople and train them on your script using paid and organic leads

Hope this helps

- Todd

I desire to help companies scale with investment, advice, and support. If you need help, have a question, or are seeking funding, email me at [email protected].