What the Hell is a Growth System

I’m so glad you asked! When I say growth system, I’m talking about: A system through which the core operational components of a business can be

optimized to convert effort into growth via increased sales.

That’s a simple enough definition, but let’s break it down

further:

When I say growth system, I’m talking about: A system through which the core operational components of a business can be optimized to convert effort into growth via increased sales.”

• Oxford defines growth as, “the process of increasing in physical size.” The primary output we’re looking to boost is sales, both in volume and value. There are, of course, ways to increase revenue without increasing sales, but when we’re talking about business growth we’re effectively talking about business sales in one form or another. And the assorted processes and personnel involved in sales are the “core operational components” we’re focused on optimizing.

Oxford defines a system as “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.” For our purposes, what’s important is that a system represents a repeatable and widely applicable framework for doing something. Which is to say, it’s general enough to work for many different types of businesses, although certain elements will certainly need to be adjusted and customized.

So, this growth system definition seems to work on paper, but how does it play out in practice? In my experience, any business with an

JUSTIFY

Successful businesses have a clear and direct value proposition that effectively justifies (or explains) what they’re selling to customers and why it is beneficial.

CONVERT

Successful businesses convert those prospects into sales.

ATTRACT

Successful businesses attract qualified prospects through smart marketing and brand awareness.

KEEP

Successful businesses keep customers happy, which means high retention, repeat business, and increased referrals.

effective growth system—which is to say, any successful business—is going to do four things exceptionally well:

Dear reader, if you suspect I went with Keep instead of Retain to ensure an easy-to-remember acronym (JACK), give yourself a pat on the back.

Each one of these elements is, in some respects, its own system. For the purposes of this framework, though, we’ll look at the growth system as a whole and consider how the components work together to deliver sales.

But first, a quick caveat about building your business for long-term