When I meet new companies to advise them on growth, the number one question I get is “What tactic should I use to grow my business?” At first I would try to give an answer. But it never felt right. After all, I just met this person and knew next to nothing about their business or customers. Even more important though I started to realize that the question typically stemmed from the search for a secret, hack, or tip about a growth tactic that was going to unlock all of their growth problems.
My answer to that question since has changed. I shrug my shoulders and say “I have no idea.” My response now is typically met with a look in their face like I just knocked the wind out of their sails. After I leave the awkward silence hanging for a few moments I follow up to tell them to stop looking for tactics first, and start focusing on establishing a growth process.
