What have you done for YOUR business today?

I’m a big fan of helping others, especially clients. It’s why I went into business in the first place, to help entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their respective businesses. I’m proud of that. And you too started your business to help others, whether it’s assisting clients in balancing budgets, overcoming their fears, or repair relationships – you still want to help others.

But what do YOU do for YOUR business? There’s nothing wrong with taking some time each day to focus on your growth or productivity, in fact, I argue that you should devote time each day to your growth, after all, if you grow, you can reach more people, and if you reach more, you can help more, which was what you are driven to do.

Here are our top 5 tips help you grow YOUR business every day:

1. Network on LinkedIn, make it a goal to make five connections each day, directly message five contacts with a compliment, like or share five posts others have made (and comment why you liked the post) and spend 5 minutes improving your profile or on a post of your own.

2. Reach out to one client per day, spontaneously, to thank them for their business and ask them how you could better serve their needs. This is not a sales call – just a touch base call. Actively listen, take notes, and have the end goal of building one of their suggestions into your business.

3. Start working on a lead magnet, or, look for content you can offer as a complementary product. Lead magnets are a fantastic way to build your list. Some will become clients; others will feel fortunate to have received your complimentary offer.

4. Write a blog post or record a Facebook Live. You know you need to…

5. Invest in a business coach or pick up that business book you’ve always wanted to read. But don’t just read it, TAKE ACTION! Put your ideas on a whiteboard, create a vision board, whatever it takes, try, and take action.

And a bonus tip, look for one repetitive task, and try to find a way to automate it or delegate it to a team member.

What’s hard about this is that you already feel like you fit as much into your day as you can. If you can’t find an hour to focus on business growth, daily, then perhaps its time to look for new opportunities. As an example, if you’re a relationship coach and your practice is built on a one-on-one business model, perhaps moving some of your clients to a group environment may be beneficial. This can be offered at a lower cost per person (helping those who may not be able to afford your other offerings), and be marketed towards a specific segment of your target market that benefits from the accountability and kinship of a group. The benefit to you – slightly less one-on-one clients, and a little bit more time back for your business, while still helping others!

Don’t feel like you need to do all of these suggestions every day, it may not be doable time-wise, and you want to do the tasks that inspire you, so growth doesn’t feel like a chore. I highly recommend an accountability partner to help keep you motivated, and it’s always more fun doing things together! Start a book club written by a thought leader, and inspire each other to take action.