Getting Clear on Why Your Business Isn't Growing | How-to Guides for running your business from Business.com

It's true—small business owners commonly fail to plan for their success. Sure, they want to be successful and profitable, but they're often so focused on the "doing" that they don't examine the poor practices that are keeping them from getting there. Below are the top 10 killers that could be keeping you from growing your business.

1. Lack of time: You're too busy working IN your business instead of ON it.

2. Lack of focus: Being pulled in too many directions at once.

3. Lack of support: Spinning your wheels trying to do it all yourself.

4. Lack of creative "space": You're too stretched and stressed to plan, strategize and think creatively.

5. Wasting resources on time and energy-busters: Doing work you hate or don't do well.

6. Focusing on "cheap" instead of cost-effective: Putting cost above value, quality and ROI.

7. Frittering away billable hours: Wasting time—thus money—on administrivia.

8. Inefficient administrative foundations: Failing to systemize, automate and streamline your business processes.

9. Squandering core strengths: Not focusing on business growth, revenue generation and the energizing work you love.

10. Not investing in the right support: Hiring flunkies instead of skilled, committed, thinking, creative professionals who instill value in your business and help it grow.
So how many of these growth-killers do you have in your business? Not to worry—the good news is that there exists a very easy, convenient solution.

Virtual Assistance is the new way for business owners to get just the help they need without having to hire in-house staff. Virtual Assistants provide those administrative support services that allow you to direct your time, energy and expertise where they are most intelligently focused.

Even just a little strategic support can work miracles, and allow you to start running—and growing—your business with more efficiency, productivity and profitability.

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What Works^TM for Business Growth

Writing a Business-Growth Plan

By Jenni Simcoe, Writer

Facilitate and speed expansion with a clear roadmap

Writing a growth plan is very similar to writing a business plan. However, a growth plan focuses specifically on expansion and how you're going to achieve it. Creating a useful plan takes time, but the effort can pay off substantially by keeping your growth efforts on track. A growth plan includes: A description of expansion opportunities. Financial goals broken down quarterly and yearly. A marketing plan of how you will achieve ... Read more