Helping your business soar!
I have worked with and for so many businesses in the last few years that can't seem to get off the floor and really push their growth in the way that really want to. So many things seem to get in the way; all of those projects that you 'think' are going to be the key to that launch pad or the 'big break' so often end up being distractions or headaches that most could do without!
As with most organisations within the theatre and creative arts world, time is limited and our To Do lists are long (and growing...)! The pressures are also growing, on budgets, staff numbers and expected work loads generally. All the more reason to get on that path to success sooner rather than later and start the run up to your business taking off and actually starting to soar on its own wings (rather than on generous grants or subsidies that have historically been the main source of everyone's income).
So... now is the time to be spending that extra time and energy investing in your business, cementing those foundations and getting ready for the future, whatever it may hold!
Here are some handy thoughts on what to explore and where to spend that energy now;
Improve existing revenue streams or find new ones
Every business starts with a foundation of what actually generates the income that runs the organisation and often the income model was formed quite some time ago, sometimes before the majority of staff actually started working there. Times change and often expectations around how income is generated, how much can be generated / charged for and how much cost is allocated to each stream of income can be quite out of balance with the realistic picture that exists in today's competitive and crowded market place.
My advice to everyone that has found themselves questioning these things is generally; stop... take a step back and consider not only 'is it working?' but also 'does it have to work this way?'. If the answer to this second question is 'No!' then consider the alternatives that may be available to you, either now or in the future.
For example; Is there a different way we can sell our tickets? Is there another audience we can unlock? Can we charge more for our tickets, if not all the time then maybe for some one off shows?
Furthermore, are there additional ways we can either explore or 'bolt on' to our existing offerings? Can we open up an alternative venue hire option from the space we already have, to appeal to alternative corporate bookers? Can we ask for more donations at points along the ticket purchase journey? How can we optimise our membership scheme rewards better so our friends become members and our members become patrons etc. etc.
All of these conversations and thought processes can be useful for reviewing your current business model and highlighting the areas for improvement or growth, at exactly the time you need it!
Improve existing processes or create new ones
Once you have looked at the basis for the organisations existence and general income, its now time to look at the way you and your colleagues facilitate the products or services you offer and see if there is room for improvement!
Often there will be a number of software packages, processes or general 'ways of doing things' that haven't been reviewed, considered or challenged in quite some time. There may be a case for consolidation of existing software packages (where an 'all-in-one' system is available), the integration of one software system into another (where such integration exists) or simply some training on how to get the most out the packages you have already purchased!
This may seem controversial but there are even situations where 'the way the software does it' is actually better than 'the way we do it now' which can be very hard to hear (although this is definitely not always the case...).
Aside from software this same process can be applied to simple operational tasks such as 'how best to rota staff', 'how do we manage inventory or stock checks' or even 'where do we purchase our alcohol or food from'. All of these questions allow managers and supervisors to rethink the status quo and potentially find areas to save money or expand their internal offering.
Combined with reviewing income streams, improving processes can set the stage for growth, however neither of these will be effective without considering point number three;
Improve business culture (or create a new one?)
Culture is definitely one of those buzz words that is going around at the moment, for very good reasons! Culture defines everything about what your organisation does, is about and stands for generally. It can be defined as simply as how quickly you answer the phone or respond to an email, the general tone of your customer facing staff or the quality of your website.
Once you interact with a customer, whether this is a member of the public, third party supplier or external organisation, the manner in which you and your staff conduct themselves and do business will speak far louder than anything else you can feasibly do in regards to income or internal processes.
Valuing characteristics such as honesty, integrity, quality customer service, transparency and dedication to a cause can put you and your organisation above many of the 'also rans' and prompt unexpected growth and success in way you could never have imagined. Employing staff who share these values or inspiring existing staff to show them more openly is more transformational that you can know.
In truth this is how the majority of successful businesses arise, gain popularity and retain that popularity in the long term.
For example, if your venue becomes known as the place where you can go for a friendly cup of a tea or a reasonably priced sandwich at lunch, all in a pleasant environment with helpful and attentive staff, then suddenly you have a community and you are utilising the most powerful form of advertising going; word of mouth!
Add into that mix the opportunity to see exciting and relevant theatre or cinema, at appropriate times for your customer base, or a summer festival aimed to engage the wider town or city audience, and suddenly you are building that reputation and are getting ready to finally take off and soar on your own.
In summary then, it doesn't take much to make that jump or take off into a new state of independence and growth - it does however need that time and energy to take a step back, rethink and move towards those things that are going to make the biggest difference to you and your organisation.
If you are interested in finding out how Graham Dowling can help you and your organisation soar, please do get in touch.
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As with most organisations within the theatre and creative arts world, time is limited and our To Do lists are long (and growing...)! The pressures are also growing, on budgets, staff numbers and expected work loads generally. All the more reason to get on that path to success sooner rather than later and start the run up to your business taking off and actually starting to soar on its own wings (rather than on generous grants or subsidies that have historically been the main source of everyone's income).
So... now is the time to be spending that extra time and energy investing in your business, cementing those foundations and getting ready for the future, whatever it may hold!
Here are some handy thoughts on what to explore and where to spend that energy now;
Improve existing revenue streams or find new ones
Every business starts with a foundation of what actually generates the income that runs the organisation and often the income model was formed quite some time ago, sometimes before the majority of staff actually started working there. Times change and often expectations around how income is generated, how much can be generated / charged for and how much cost is allocated to each stream of income can be quite out of balance with the realistic picture that exists in today's competitive and crowded market place.
My advice to everyone that has found themselves questioning these things is generally; stop... take a step back and consider not only 'is it working?' but also 'does it have to work this way?'. If the answer to this second question is 'No!' then consider the alternatives that may be available to you, either now or in the future.
For example; Is there a different way we can sell our tickets? Is there another audience we can unlock? Can we charge more for our tickets, if not all the time then maybe for some one off shows?
Furthermore, are there additional ways we can either explore or 'bolt on' to our existing offerings? Can we open up an alternative venue hire option from the space we already have, to appeal to alternative corporate bookers? Can we ask for more donations at points along the ticket purchase journey? How can we optimise our membership scheme rewards better so our friends become members and our members become patrons etc. etc.
All of these conversations and thought processes can be useful for reviewing your current business model and highlighting the areas for improvement or growth, at exactly the time you need it!
Improve existing processes or create new ones
Once you have looked at the basis for the organisations existence and general income, its now time to look at the way you and your colleagues facilitate the products or services you offer and see if there is room for improvement!
Often there will be a number of software packages, processes or general 'ways of doing things' that haven't been reviewed, considered or challenged in quite some time. There may be a case for consolidation of existing software packages (where an 'all-in-one' system is available), the integration of one software system into another (where such integration exists) or simply some training on how to get the most out the packages you have already purchased!
This may seem controversial but there are even situations where 'the way the software does it' is actually better than 'the way we do it now' which can be very hard to hear (although this is definitely not always the case...).
Aside from software this same process can be applied to simple operational tasks such as 'how best to rota staff', 'how do we manage inventory or stock checks' or even 'where do we purchase our alcohol or food from'. All of these questions allow managers and supervisors to rethink the status quo and potentially find areas to save money or expand their internal offering.
Combined with reviewing income streams, improving processes can set the stage for growth, however neither of these will be effective without considering point number three;
Improve business culture (or create a new one?)
Culture is definitely one of those buzz words that is going around at the moment, for very good reasons! Culture defines everything about what your organisation does, is about and stands for generally. It can be defined as simply as how quickly you answer the phone or respond to an email, the general tone of your customer facing staff or the quality of your website.
Once you interact with a customer, whether this is a member of the public, third party supplier or external organisation, the manner in which you and your staff conduct themselves and do business will speak far louder than anything else you can feasibly do in regards to income or internal processes.
Valuing characteristics such as honesty, integrity, quality customer service, transparency and dedication to a cause can put you and your organisation above many of the 'also rans' and prompt unexpected growth and success in way you could never have imagined. Employing staff who share these values or inspiring existing staff to show them more openly is more transformational that you can know.
In truth this is how the majority of successful businesses arise, gain popularity and retain that popularity in the long term.
For example, if your venue becomes known as the place where you can go for a friendly cup of a tea or a reasonably priced sandwich at lunch, all in a pleasant environment with helpful and attentive staff, then suddenly you have a community and you are utilising the most powerful form of advertising going; word of mouth!
Add into that mix the opportunity to see exciting and relevant theatre or cinema, at appropriate times for your customer base, or a summer festival aimed to engage the wider town or city audience, and suddenly you are building that reputation and are getting ready to finally take off and soar on your own.
In summary then, it doesn't take much to make that jump or take off into a new state of independence and growth - it does however need that time and energy to take a step back, rethink and move towards those things that are going to make the biggest difference to you and your organisation.
If you are interested in finding out how Graham Dowling can help you and your organisation soar, please do get in touch.
Back to blog