7 Ways to Grow Your Business

It is a new year and most of us have set personal and career or business goals. Entrepreneurs and business owners, in particular, should focus on building their brand with S.M.A.R.T. goals. Our resolutions ought to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

There are a lot of negative predictions and fear mongers prophesying a future of gloom and doom. However, I believe that 2020 will be your most productive year. A banner year! We are going to see endless possibilities and if we prepare with a S.M.A.R.T plan, we can capitalize on it. Let me share seven principles with you that will infuse immediate growth in your endeavors:

1. Market your product and services. A friend recently told me, “Sandy, I don’t want my business to become a best-kept secret in town.” He’s right! I believe you have the best product on the market; however, unless people know about it, you are not going to make much progress. Brainstorm with your team and find S.M.A.R.T ways to market your product.

2. Update your marketing materials. Make sure they have relevant information. Your website is the first place potential customers will go to in order to learn more about your product. So get rid of stale content, and make sure that each link and all the buttons are still working. Over 52% of all online traffic is generated through mobile devices. Be sure to check your website on your phone and make certain that it is mobile-friendly.

3. Get people to talk about your brand. Word-of-mouth communication is the best advertisement. You want people to talk about your brand with their friends. Create short and focused content on social media that will entice people to hit the “share” button. Remember that sharing is selling. Consider posting a video about your product and services that is less than two minutes. Make it educational, inspirational, and practical as it focuses on quality, benefits, and reliability. Offer a solution, peace of mind, or satisfaction as a result of buying your product. 

4. Sell something! Nothing will happen to your business unless someone makes a sale. Sales are the lifeblood to your business; therefore, it should be one of your top priorities. Do not get bogged down into perfecting your sales pitch, analytics, or back-office data. There are two ways to increase sales: increase the sales to your current customers and obtain new customers. You should work on both of these areas. One of the best ways to do that is by asking satisfied customers for referrals.

5. Pay attention to customer service. People do not buy products and services, they buy the experience of you. The key to customer service is “custom.” Do you have a custom-made system that ensures customer satisfaction? Are you flexible to accommodate customer requests? Do they feel valued and appreciated to keep coming back? Have you considered a rewards program? Are you warm and inviting? Would you shop at your own establishment?

                                                                                                

6. Invest in your team. Do not focus on simply building your business. Invest in people and they will build your business. Your team is the face of your business and every one of them are part of your sales team. Treat them right. They are the most valuable asset you have. What are you doing to enrich their lives? Are they getting a reasonable share of the profit? Keep in mind that people are motivated by encouragement, trust, responsibility, opportunity, flexible schedules, recognition, and appreciation – not just financial compensation.

7. Call in favor. Declare favor by talking about and bragging on God’s goodness. You will see more of whatever it is you are thanking God for. Thank God for favor before a sales presentation or an important meeting. Favor will take you places you cannot go on your own. Favor will open new doors for you. Favor will promote you even when you do not feel qualified. Favor will bring you the right connections. Favor will take you further faster. Wake up every morning and declare favor over yourself, your family, and your business.

Friend, I believe that 2020 will be your most productive year. Walk in obedience to God. Thank God from whom all blessings flow. Keep a positive attitude of expectancy. Sell something every day. Honor God by honoring people. Build up your team and treat your customers right. Believe that God wants to bless and prosper you so that you can become a blessing to the world. I pray and declare that this will be your banner year in business.

“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV).

Become a Life Changer: www.buildinternational.org

Building People. Spreading Hope.

Giving God Our First

Sermons on tithes and offerings are nothing new, especially if you have been a Christian for a while. During this time of the year, you may also hear about the “First Fruits Offering.” While you can never out-give God, it is good to know why we give when we give.

So what is a First Fruit Offering? It is a Biblical offering that comes from the first produce of harvest. This offering was given to the priest. In modern times, believers are encouraged to bring an additional offering to God’s work.

Consider these Bible verses on First Fruit Offering:

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9).

“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow” (Proverbs 3:9–10 NKJV).

“When you come into the land which I gave you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest” (Leviticus 23:9-10).

“For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16 NKJV).

Clearly, this offering is a Bible principle and encourages us to give our first income to God.

If we limit the offering to financial giving, we are taking a shallow approach to a powerful Biblical principle. God does not need your money in order to recognize your love for Him. His promise to bless us does not depend on our giving. In that case, most of us will default because we have all missed opportunities to give. Giving to God is not a duty or an obligation. We give because we love. You can give without loving someone but you cannot love without giving! Before you consider a First Fruit Offering, ask yourself why? Are you giving out of guilt, obligation, or duty? Are you giving in order to receive? The true motivation to give should be because of our love for God. We give because we are grateful for what we have received.

Give God your first in all things! Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God…” (Matthew 6:33). God wants our hearts and not just money. Here are three ways how and where you can give:

1. Give God the first of your time. Time is the only commodity you cannot grow, buy, or multiply. When we honor God with the first hours of our day, we are really saying, “Lord, I’m grateful for the time you’ve given me. Thank you for letting me see another day! Today I’ll trade in my time for a paycheck, love my family, and enjoy life.” I strongly encourage you honor God in this manner. I guarantee you that the rest of your day will be more productive as a result.

2. Give God your firstborn. We often plan and pray for our children’s education and success. That is a good thing but did you know the Scripture says, “Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me” (Exodus 13:2). When was the last time you prayed and dedicated your children to the Lord? Encourage your children to serve and honor God. It is the best thing they can do with their lives. Show them by being an example. More is caught than taught!

3. Make God your priority. The secret to having an abundant life filled with God’s love, peace, and joy is to make Him your priority. God told Abraham, “Walk [habitually] before me” (Genesis 17:1). We, too, can do this through the daily habits of giving thanks, praise and worship, prayer, Bible reading, and spending time with God. You can do this in your bed, on the sofa, in the closet, while driving to work, at the gym, while out on a walk, or even while grocery shopping. Spending time with God can take place anywhere and everywhere. When we make God the priority, we begin to prosper in our body, mind, soul, and finances.

Make it your goal to have a deep, intimate relationship with God. When you decide to serve God with your whole heart and make Him the priority, your soul will prosper and your joy will increase. If you look to other people for answers and validation, you may be disappointed. Everything falls into place when we live to please God. When you mess up (and we all do!), do not feel discouraged or let it hold you back. Confess your sins to God, make a U-turn, and keep running towards Him. God is not keeping track of your wrongs. God doesn’t need your possessions; He wants your heart. As we live to please God, He promises to bless our lives and make us prosper.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2 ESV).

Become a Life Changer: www.buildinternational.org

Building People. Spreading Hope.

A Decade of Favor

What an exciting time to be alive! There is something about the year 2020. In the same way that 20/20 vision indicates perfect eyesight, I believe the New Year will usher in God’s unstoppable favor over our lives. 2020 will be a decade of God’s favor! 

It’s good to make New Year’s resolutions and set new goals for ourselves. However, success is not just about grand achievements but also how to live a life of excellence in obedience with God’s Word. When we step into His purpose for our lives, God’s favor surrounds us like a shield. (Psalm 30:5 NIV).

I’ve learned that it’s not so much about what we have that counts but do we have God’s favor in what we have that matters the most. When we have His favor, we have an advantage for success. God’s favor brings the right connections, opens the right doors, and brings us good breaks. The favor of God is the force that will take you where you cannot go on your own!

This is what happened to Joseph in the Bible. As a young boy, God gave him a vision that one day he would rule over a nation. He was his father’s favorite. He started with lots of love and support of his family. But as the dream got stronger, his brothers became jealous of him. They were not threatened by Joseph but by his dreams. One day, his own brothers threw him into a pit to die.

You may be going through some challenges right now. It’s because of the dream God placed in your heart. You are making progress, moving towards your destiny. The enemy opposes you the most when you are approaching the finishing line. It is not that people hate you, but oftentimes they don’t understand the vision that God has put in your heart. Like Joseph, you may be in a pit right now but the Lord’s favor will bring you out. God began a good work in you, and He will bring it to completion.

Joseph’s brothers eventually sold him into slavery to a man named Potiphar. Despite Joseph having done nothing wrong, his whole world was turned upside down. His dream seemed to be fleeting away from him. Instead of ruling over a nation, he was betrayed by his own family, a slave in a foreign land. Moreover, Potiphar, his master’s wife falsely accused him that landed him in prison for thirteen years. You’d think Joseph must have been discouraged, angry, bitter, and upset.

No, Joseph understood this principle. Joseph was surrounded with the force field of God’s favor. He kept doing the right thing even when the wrong thing was happening to him. God didn’t forget Joseph. One day Pharaoh had a dream that no one was able to interpret except for Joseph. Pharaoh was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of the entire nation.

In the same way, God put something on you that will override people being against you. What is that? It’s the favor of God. It will override bad breaks and injustice. You have been in the pit and in prison; now get ready for your palace where you can influence a whole nation. Don’t worry about who has done you wrong. Just keep being your best working unto God and not unto men. Life may push you down but God will pull you back up. Situations may look impossible, but God can do the impossible. Your obstacle may be big, but our God is bigger.

God’s favor will make your crooked places straight. It will win over the hearts of your enemies. Favor will land you the job you are not qualified for. it will help you to meet the right person. When you face challenges, do not feel discouraged, speak favor instead! Look at your bank account and say, “God will supply all my needs!” Speak favor over your health and say, “By the stripes of Jesus, I’m healed!” Do not simply pray but declare God’s favor over every area in your life.

Let me make a declaration of favor over you today: I declare health, energy, and wholeness. The chains that have held you back are coming off. I declare freedom from sickness, chronic pain, depression, and addiction. I declare favor over your family, marriage, and children. I declare favor at work, with your boss, with your co-workers, and with your clients. I declare favor over your finances. Favor is opening new doors of opportunity, promotion, increase, influence, and abundance. Favor is attracting the right people to you. I declare that the favor of God will catapult you to a new level of victory. You are going to take on new ground, set new standards, and reach new heights. You are a history maker. 2020 will be your best year and decade yet–in Jesus’ Name!

“For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12 NKJV).

Become a Life Changer: https://buildinternational.org  

Building People. Spreading Hope.