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MenuScaling problem. The founders currently are doing all marketing work and struggling to scale from 6 figures to 7 figures.
1. We currently have graphic design, content creator , freelance media buyer and both founders are handling marketing work 2. It is difficult for us to hire oversea marketing agency because of our business is currently serving all Chinese clients and we need to localize the material. 3. We need help to create strategy and execution . Can any expert guide us with team building and how can we scale from here ? I feel like we are lost in direction .
Answers
I have been working for startups as digital marketing for over 15 years. I would need to know more about your business to give a proper answer but depending on the product / service maybe you need to engage in sales or biz dev.
In order to scale, you need to either add more offerings, get your current customers to buy additional products or see idea or expand your current customer base.
Hi. I help increase sales through customer success.
I seeing this simply and trying to put it the same way.
The founders need to delegate. It is typical of a start up. Founders try to or end up doing everything or many things.
To delegate two prerequisites are there.
One, ability to delegate and two, a person to delegate to.
Clearly latter is a problem. One solution is to hire a Chinese proficient marketing manager.
Former may or may not be an issue but it has to be judged and improved. Part of delegation skill is that the founders have to have it to define performance metrics for the marketing manager. Business coaching can help here.
Let me know if you need my help to achieve the above.
All the best.
I think your answers will be found in your comment regarding "direction". It is key to successfully scale to define direction and goals and then build the strategy and tactics to achieve this goal. Then its down to communication starting internally...
Big subject but one many struggle with at all stages of development.
Best approach.
Avoid teams + Keep all profits yourself.
My rule is, "If I can't automate a task in software, then I abandon the task."
Because...
Anytime you involve humans... the algorithm becomes...
Staff != Scaling
Said differently, the more layers of humans involved in any business process, there is no scaling.
You can't have scaling with humans... or if you can, you'll now have a full time job managing humans, rather than spending your profits.
If you can't figure out how to scale (meaning 0 staff + 0 overhead), best you hire someone who does understand this to design a scaling strategy for you.
My personal rule...
"A good business is one that can run without any humans, except me... so automagick (zero staff)... Marketing, Sales, Ordering, Fulfillment, Support, Billing, Accounting."
Also, "Billing means daily/weekly/monthly recurring transactions".
To me....
Real Money == Recurring Income
Hi, you are not in this position because of a scaling problem. Scaling is the solution, the problem is your approach. I suggest you get the team together and revise your Strategy and Plan, STEP by STEP. You have to be very sure what you want to do and you have to brainstorm how you are going to do it. Take a look at the strenghts of each team member, and utilize their strengths in a collaborative fashion instead of everyone doing everything. We create Order out of Chaos, this is partly what we are doing by building a business, bringing all the pieces together. Look at your resources and look at all the different options/scenarios, keep discussing until you have your answer. Work together.
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