How to Grow Your Small Business audiobook cover - A 6-Part Strategy to Help Your Business Take Off

How to Grow Your Small Business

A 6-Part Strategy to Help Your Business Take Off

Donald Miller

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Categories:
Marketing & SalesEntrepreneurshipManagement & Leadership

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Mind Map

How to Grow Your Small Business
Cockpit: Leadership+
Right Engine: Marketing+
Left Engine: Sales+
Wings: Product+
Body: Overhead & Operations+
Fuel: Cashflow+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
In Donald Miller’s airplane metaphor for a small business, what do the wings of the plane represent?
  • A. The leadership team steering the company
  • B. The products creating lift for the business
  • C. The marketing and sales propelling it forward
  • D. The cashflow fueling the entire operation
Question 2 of 7
According to the text, what are the three essential components of an effective mission statement?
  • A. Core values, a target demographic, and a catchy slogan
  • B. A list of services, a marketing strategy, and an operating budget
  • C. Three measurable economic goals, a deadline, and a purpose
  • D. A visionary statement, an origin story, and a call to action
Question 3 of 7
How should a business position itself and its customer in its marketing narrative?
  • A. The business is the hero saving the day, and the customer is the victim.
  • B. The business is the trusted guide, and the customer is the hero of the story.
  • C. The business and the customer are co-heroes fighting against a common enemy.
  • D. The business is the magic sword, and the customer is the trusted guide.
Question 4 of 7
To avoid feeling pushy or manipulative in a sales pitch, what is the first thing you should do when talking to a potential customer?
  • A. Offer them a significant discount to create immediate interest.
  • B. Explain the features and benefits of your product in great detail.
  • C. Check to see if they are actually your target audience by finding out if they have the problem your product solves.
  • D. Ask them for their budget constraints before pitching any specific product.
Question 5 of 7
Why does the author recommend using a 'Product Brief' before launching a new product?
  • A. To act as a 'wind tunnel' practicality check for target markets, competition, and financials before investing heavily.
  • B. To provide the marketing department with a ready-made script for advertising campaigns.
  • C. To convince investors and banks to provide additional funding for the product's development.
  • D. To legally protect the intellectual property of the new product before it hits the market.
Question 6 of 7
How did Don solve the problem of high labor costs and poor communication without resorting to layoffs?
  • A. He outsourced the majority of his administrative tasks to freelancers.
  • B. He implemented a series of five specific meetings to streamline workflow and align the team.
  • C. He reduced employee salaries but offered higher commission rates.
  • D. He transitioned his entire staff to a fully remote, asynchronous work model.
Question 7 of 7
When managing business cashflow, what is the purpose of setting a 'high-water mark' for your Operating Account?
  • A. It dictates the absolute maximum amount you are legally allowed to keep in a business checking account.
  • B. It represents the goal revenue you hope to achieve by the end of the fiscal year.
  • C. It ensures the account always holds enough money to weather the largest payment you'll have to make in a month.
  • D. It triggers an automatic transfer of all operating funds into a high-yield investment account.

How to Grow Your Small Business — Full Chapter Overview

How to Grow Your Small Business Summary & Overview

How to Grow Your Small Business (2023) is your six-step flight plan to guide your business as it takes off. When Don Miller started to take his business to the next level, he realized no-one had written a reliable, step-by-step playbook for growth. Since then, his small home content business has expanded into a $20 million dollar company, so he wrote the book he wished he’d had. 

Who Should Listen to How to Grow Your Small Business?

  • Small Business Owners
  • Entrepreneurs 
  • Anyone who spends too much time putting out fires in their business

About the Author: Donald Miller

Donald Miller is an author, a public speaker, and the CEO of his company, StoryBrand. He’s written many books across topics on business, spirituality, and family, including New York Times bestsellers Blue Like Jazz (2003), and Building a StoryBrand (2017). He is also the host of the Business Made Simple podcast. 

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