It may be time for a (little) pivot.
Be honest, are you feeling stuck? Been selling the same things in the same ways for a while and it seems like sales are getting a little stagnant? Or maybe you are seeing an opportunity in your industry or area that you think you need to explore.
It may be time for a (little) pivot.
The concept of the business pivot is not new, I learned about it several years ago when I was in the Syracuse University V-WISE program for women veteran entrepreneurs. Traditionally a pivot is a term to describe a strategy to turn a business when the current business model isn’t working, a plan “B” if you will.
But I also see a pivot as a strategy that can aid expansion of a business. I don’t think a pivot is only a plan B, but can be a business strategy for small turns, little twists that steer the business to look in an additional direction.
Entrepreneurs are, by nature, change agents. Known for figuring out ways to do things better, ways to take calculated risks. We are also known for continually searching for the “next thing.” I believe that using a simple pivot analysis can help you find the next move for your business.
Again, I don’t ascribe to a pivot as something to do only when things are going wrong. I believe that a little turn deserves a pivot analysis, so risks can be weighed in a structured, but simple, way.
Use this three-step process to discover your next business move:
- Commit to use openminded and unfiltered brainstorming. For best results, use the recommendations by Jennifer Jackson of Lucid Chart and just get every idea down on paper, and edit later.
2. Use My “ADFP Formula.” Answer open ended questions about your Audience, Delivery, Focus, and Processes to discover those places to improve, serve, and expand. Get the Free Workbook with the ADFP Process and questions to ask by visiting here.
3. Use market research to explore ideas. Don’t just throw out unusual ideas as bunk. Do a little market research to see if there is a fit. There are all kinds of free resources online to help you. Don’t forget to look at adjacent industries and at your own industry for ideas and changes going on that can support your ideas.
In my own business I’ve generated tens of thousands of dollars in sales with a single product in just a few months. That product was a pivot from our main offering, and it launched a completely new line of revenue that brought us a host of new buyers. Some of the best business moves are those that seem to be a natural twist or progression. A pivot doesn’t have to be dramatic to impact your bottom line positively.