Book Review: How To Grow Your Business

There are a lot of funky and sophisticated concepts out there at the moment regarding business growth, but this book will take you back to a very straightforward, even simplistic way of doing things. The simple aspects of business growth are too easily passed over these days as we all attempt to outdo each other in finding the `one secret to business growth'.

The first thing that grabbed my attention about this book was the title. What business owner wouldn’t want to grow their business at no cost?

The main questions I had were whether this book related the author’s own experiences or just provided ideas, which were theoretical, unproven, or tried by someone else? If these were his successful ideas, how transferable were they to other businesses?

“Justin Herald grew a multimillion dollar business from just $50 – all without spending a single cent on advertising, marketing or promotion.” This was part of the blurb on the back of the book, so this seemed to indicate that he would be using his own successful personal experiences, and that he had some information that most business owners would dearly love to know!

I found this book a joy to read due to the authors’ simple straightforward approach, clear examples, obvious knowledge and experience. Each chapter concludes with a concise checklist, summarising the key points made, and allowing you to easily apply those points to your own business at any time without having to reread the whole book.

Each chapter concentrates on a different area to grow your business, including finding your point of difference, attracting free media attention, using your customers to grow your business, the importance of customer service, watching your expenses, forming strategic alliances, etc.

It is clear that he has used and put into practice the many ideas he explains in the book, not only in his own business, but with other businesses in different industries. He gives specific examples of how he has applied these ideas in a range of different business situations. Also included are examples of ideas which did not work, and these show you how NOT to use some of these ideas.

The information he provides is not rocket science. If you are hoping for some miraculous idea that no one else has ever thought of, then you will be disappointed, in fact you might be surprised at how easy some of the ideas are to put in place, and yet you might well realise (as I did) that many of these ideas are ones you have ignored or not used in a way that will give your business its greatest growth potential.

For example, what is the most important asset in your business? You might well answer, “the customer”, but do you actually treat the customer (or the potential customer) as your most important asset? What’s most important to your staff, your next customer or just getting their weekly pay cheque?

You are also advised not to be afraid to ask for advice from others, but to make sure you seek out someone who has “runs on the board” (to quote the author) as opposed to the example of a Business Coach who has never actually run their own business!

Like me you might be hopeful of finding examples of how some of these ideas can be used in your specific industry. However if there aren’t any, that just means you have to really think how to apply the ideas to meet not only your industry but your business, and it allows you the opportunity to implement something that is truly unique to what your business needs to do to reach the potential you are aiming for.

Fortunately the book and the ideas provided are presented in such a way that you can question yourself and seek out growth ideas specific to your business.

At 150 pages this book is short enough to be read in one sitting, or alternatively it is well set allowing you to concentrate on one chapter at a time if you wish. The book ends with the authors five “senses” of an entrepreneur, and concludes with a summary of business basics that business owners need to get back to: bettering, action, individuality, commitment and satisfaction.

Like many business books you are constantly brought back to the issue of making sure you take time out to spend ON your business, rather than just spending time IN your business.

By taking the time to read this book you would be taking the first step to working ON your business and being serious about having a business that gets you what you want in life, rather than you working for the business.

I found reading this book opened my mind to ways to improve some of my business practices, and new ideas to explore that if implemented should provide my business with additional growth.

This book is available through the Good Returns online bookstore at http://www.goodreturns.co.nz/books or call 0800 345 675.

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