The Harsh Truth About Business Growth: You’re Not Spending Enough Time Getting Customers

You didn’t start a business to tinker with logos, debate marketing colors, or finesse product tweaks for the hundredth time. You started it to make sales.

Let’s not sugarcoat it.

Most business owners are trapped in a lie. They think the secret to growth is a perfect website, a slick logo, a viral Instagram post, or some magic funnel with 37 steps.

Wrong.

The real secret? Relentless focus on getting and keeping customers.

Here’s the brutal truth: If you’re not spending at least half your time actively acquiring customers, you’re not running a business…it is probably running you.

You Are in One Business – The Business of Getting Customers

It doesn’t matter what you sell, what service you provide, or how passionate you are about it. Every business – regardless of industry, size, or business model – is in the business of customer acquisition and retention.

“Your product doesn’t grow your business. Your sales do.”

Let’s be real: we all tend to spend hours on admin, branding, marketing, delivery, operations, team meetings (let’s face it – that’s easier) … yet most business owners spend less than 5% of their week actually selling or prospecting.

That’s madness.

If 50% of your time isn’t focused on getting new business in the door – and keeping existing customers thrilled to stay – it’s time for a radical shift.

You’re Not in the (whatever you do) Business – You’re in the Customer Business

Coach, consultant, chiropractor, contractor, creative – whatever your “title,” you’re in one business: the business of acquiring and retaining customers.

It doesn’t matter how good you are at your craft. Your product can be world-class. Your service can be extraordinary. But if nobody is buying, none of it matters.

You might not have a sales problem. You may simply have a focus problem.

If you don’t put people into your pipeline, follow up, close the sale, and nurture relationships – you don’t have a business. You have an expensive hobby.

When you take the time to track where your time goes each week…you’ll often find 80% of it is spent on things that don’t directly drive revenue.

Insane, right? 

This article is Part 1 of a two-part series where we’re going to fix that – starting now. Today, we’ll walk through the first five tactical shifts you need to make immediately to drive more sales, deepen customer loyalty, and reclaim control of your growth.

Step One: Reignite the Gold in Your Unconverted Leads

Every business has a graveyard -full of unconverted leads.

You know the ones:

• They booked the discovery call and ghosted.
• They opened the proposal and never replied.
• They said “let me think about it.”

Perfect!!

That’s your low-hanging fruit. Just because they didn’t buy yet doesn’t mean they’re not ready. Follow up. Re-engage. Make the ask again.

But what do most business owners do? Move on and ignore them.

Big mistake. That’s where the easy money lives.

Reaching back out doesn’t make you desperate – it makes you smart. These people already raised their hand once. Maybe the timing was off. Maybe they needed a nudge. Maybe they just forgot.

• Craft a reactivation email sequence
• Pick up the phone and call them
• Send a personalized video message

Make it personal. Make it timely. And most importantly – Stop assuming they’re not interested. It’s your job to keep the door open.

Step Two: Don’t Just Keep Clients – Appreciate Them

It’s easy to obsess over finding new clients while ignoring the people who’ve already said “yes” before.

Most clients don’t leave because of bad service – they leave because they feel ignored.

Your current and past clients are sitting on a goldmine of repeat and referral business – but only if they feel seen, valued, and engaged.

People forget. They move on. They get distracted. And if you’re not staying top of mind, you’re not in their life.

• Launch a new offer or upgrade path just for them
• Surprise them with a thank-you gift or bonus
• Ask them what they want next from you
• Make them feel special with clients only offers, create something only available to current and repeat clients. 

A happy client is not just a repeat buyer – they become your evangelist.

Loyalty doesn’t happen by default – it happens by design.

Step Three: Create a Referral Culture (Not a Referral Fantasy)

Referrals are powerful. But hoping for them to magically appear? Insanity.

Referrals are NOT random acts of kindness from satisfied clients.

If you’re not consistently generating referrals, it’s not because your clients don’t love you – it’s because you’re not conditioning them to think in terms of sharing your name.

Great businesses don’t get referrals by accident. They engineer them.

Create a referral engine. Make it systematic. Make it rewarding.

• Offer an irresistible reward for referrals
• Run “Client of the Month” spotlights where you feature someone who refers
• Create shareable content they can pass on

And here’s the key: tell people what kind of referral you want. Don’t just say “if you know anyone…” That’s lazy. Be specific.

Make referrals a habit, not a hope.

Step Four: Use Your Network the Right Way

Too often, when we think of leveraging our network, we approach it awkwardly:

“Hey, know anyone who needs a [your service]?”

It’s clunky. It puts people on the spot. And it rarely works.

Instead, start with value. Help people see how what you do changes lives – then give them stories and examples to share.

Frame it like:

“Here’s what I helped a client achieve recently. If you ever come across someone in that same situation, I’d love to help them too.”

Your network becomes your best marketing tool when you empower them to advocate for you without pressure.

Remember: Strategic Alliances Can Fill Your Pipeline

Think about it: someone out there is talking to your ideal client right before they need you.

Create value-for-value partnerships. Cross-promote. Co-market. Turn their “no’s” into your “yes’s”.

• Accountants → Business coaches
• Realtors → Movers
• Fitness coaches → Nutritionists

Step Five: Objections Are Opportunities in Disguise

If you’ve ever heard “I need to think about it,” “It’s too expensive,” or “I’m not ready yet” – congratulations, you’re selling.

But here’s the difference between amateurs and pros: Pros anticipate objections and are ready for them.

Write down the top 5–10 objections you hear regularly. Then, craft thoughtful, empathetic, value-driven responses for each.

Even better? Use testimonials to kill objections before they ever come up.

“That’s exactly what Mike thought – until he saw how much time we saved him in the first week.”

Social proof isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s a sales weapon. Simple, raw, real stories beat polished promos every time.

You’ve now seen the first six revenue-driving moves that can reignite your growth. In Part 2, we’ll cover the next 7 strategies to:

• Build authority through events and PR
  
• Leverage email and direct mail for real engagement
  
• Master the art of the follow-up
  
• And yes – finally ask for the sale confidently and clearly

“Most people overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year.” – Bill Gates

But business growth doesn’t happen over a year unless you start today.

Stay tuned for Part 2 – and in the meantime, go get some customers.